Help choosing memory

[Stern]

Hi there, I'm looking to get a Core 2 Duo 8500 and I was wondering what memory would be good to get? Newegg.com does some good combo deals to save about $15 so I was wondering if any of them would be worth getting. I'm thinking of getting 2GB but if I can find some good value RAM I might get 4GB, depending on how much the rest of my rig is going to cost.

Does anybody have any recommendations? I am thinking of running games like Company of Heroes, Call of Duty 4, Battlefield 2 etc, but I would also like to be able to run the likes of Crysis decently, and future games for a year or so.

I know I could just choose some OCZ Gold 4GB stuff and it would probably do me fine, but I was wondering if there is any particularly good RAM out there? Thanks!

 

[Stern]

I also read that getting DDR3 is pointless because the FSB can't support it currently, with the same story applying to anything above DDR2-800.

So if I do get something faster than either of these, what would be the benefit? Assume I'm not overclocking.

 

[sonnygdude]

try this on for size:

G.Skill DDR2-800 at Newegg

This will do just fine if you're not OC'ing, and even if you do it will allow you to get an E8500 up to 3.8 Ghz using a divider of 1:1

 

[Stern]

Thanks. So if I got this one, will the lower timings but higher voltage make it work faster for me? And would it be worth the extra $5? (not that I'd be squeamish about $5, but just informing myself).

There is also a DDR2-1000 one which is also $75. To use its extra speed, would I have to overclock my CPU? And if I didn't overclock my CPU, would the extra memory speed make any difference at all?

There are also DDR2-1066 and DDR2-1100 options available.

Would somebody be able to tell me would I see any notable difference between the 800, 1000, 1066 and 1100 RAM options if I didn't overclock my CPU? (assuming they are all 5-5-5-15?)

I hate to be a nuisance but it would just interest me to know.

Thanks!

 

[sonnygdude]

Originally posted by: Stern
Thanks. So if I got this one, will the lower timings but higher voltage make it work faster for me? And would it be worth the extra $5? (not that I'd be squeamish about $5, but just informing myself).

Well, the higher voltage is actually a bad thing due to heat and stress on your RAM, but you might be able to get it stable at lower votages. I'm actually using the -1066 version of that part (it was on a killer sale), and I got 8GB to run just fine at 800, 4-4-4-12 and 1.86V, even though that version of the part is spec'ed at 5-5-5-15 and 2.0-2.1V. To tell you the truth, i was never able to tell any difference between the slower and faster timings.

There is also a DDR2-1000 one which is also $75. To use its extra speed, would I have to overclock my CPU? And if I didn't overclock my CPU, would the extra memory speed make any difference at all?

No, you wouldn't have to OC your CPU, but to make sure it was running faster you'd have to manually set the divider in the BIOS. It's called a memory divider - you can run your RAM at ratios of the FSB (common settings are 1:1, 6:5, 5:4, etc.). At the default FSB of 1333, your RAM at 1:1 would be running at 667MHz. Setting the RAM at 800 would be a 6:5 divider. If my math is right. And to be honest, I'm not really sure the speed difference would be all that noticeable

There are also DDR2-1066 and DDR2-1100 options available.

Would somebody be able to tell me would I see any notable difference between the 800, 1000, 1066 and 1100 RAM options if I didn't overclock my CPU? (assuming they are all 5-5-5-15?)

I hate to be a nuisance but it would just interest me to know.

Thanks!

N7 would probably be able to give you a better idea of how much real benefit you would get by speeding up the RAM. While I was playing around with it I couldn't really tell any difference. I am back to running my -1066 at -800 and 4-4-4-12, 1.86V 'cuz I've heard that 1:1 puts the least amount of strain on your northbridge, and four sticks is hard enough on it as it is. But I'm a dilettante, so I might be ruining any potential benchmarking scores and not even know it! My games run real fast though

 

[Stern]

Brilliant, I'll go for the G.Skill 800 then, or the 1000 if the final price of the rig is low enough and then mess around.

Thanks for the help!

 

[sonnygdude]

Good luck with your build!

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Originally posted by: Stern
Brilliant, I'll go for the G.Skill 800 then, or the 1000 if the final price of the rig is low enough and then mess around.

Thanks for the help!

It's really pointless, but I need to throw my two-cents in here.

I bought a set of the G.SKILL DDR2-1000's. Frankly, I think these kits are all cut from the same cloth. I can drop the clock to 800, and contrary to "noob horror stories" at reseller sites, I believe these are every bit as latency elastic as the Crucials and Corsairs. AND -- they're cheap.

You can either buy the DDR2-800s as you were advised, or buy the DDR2-1000s in the event you want to use a divider other than 1:1. If you get the DDR2-1000s and want to run the 1:1 ratio, my experience shows you can tighten the latencies down to the DDR2-800 spec. If you buy the DDR2-800s, you should be able to loosen the latencies, bump up the voltage within the 2.0 to 2.1V range, and clock them higher -- either with 1:1 barring other limitations or at a divider like 4:5. Either way, you may likely achieve the same objective at almost the same price.

How much are my 2x2GB DDR2-1000 G.Skills going for now? Less than $80 bucks?

 

[Stern]

Looks like they're $72.99 on Newegg.com. Thanks for the info.