HELP the n00b!!

[deepinya]

Ok I have finally decided Im going AMD. I have a dilemna with RAM and processors. I had made up my mind but now Im backtracking due to the Bartons.

Only thing for certain is Im getting an A7N8X deluxe and my processor will have a 333fsb.

Heres my dilemna:
What RAM to get with which processor?
Do I want to match the RAM to the FSB?
Should I have faster RAM then FSB?
Should I get faster RAM only if Im o/c?

Finally what brand RAM for all the above?
I wont need more than 2x256mb RAM total.

Im sure Ill have more questions with each answer I get. lol

Thx in advance

EDIT- This rig will be strictly for gaming and the occasional viewing of pr0n.

 

[m1ke101]

budget?

 

[KidChaos]

What RAM to get with which processor?

*Two* Corsair XMS PC3200 CAS2 memory modules with a 2500+ Barton processor (OEM) would be great. Cooler Master HAC-V81 heatsink+Fan to cool the processor.

Do I want to match the RAM to the FSB?
Should I have faster RAM then FSB?
Should I get faster RAM only if Im o/c?

Don't have to. But, get DDR400 for the sake of overclocking and/or future upgrades. NOTE: In the BIOS, set "memory frequency" to "sync".

Finally what brand RAM for all the above?

Corsair XMS if ya can afford it but TwinMos PC3200 is good also and cheaper.

I wont need more than 2x256mb RAM total.

Not a bad decision. For Dual DDR*, put one memory module in the memory slot that seems to stand alone and the other memory module in either of the two remaining slots. If ya decide to add a 512MB memory module later on, it would still be running in Dual DDR - the full 1GB - as long as you put the 512MB in the memory slot that seems to stand alone and the two 256MB modules in the two remaining slots.

* Dual DDR is basically two memory modules working in conjunction in order to increase memory bandwidth and reduce performance killing latency.

 

[deepinya]

Well lets say that I want a processor less than a 3000 or 2800 xp.
That enough or you need more?

 

[KidChaos]

Originally posted by: deepinya
Well lets say that I want a processor less than a 3000 or 2800 xp.

That enough or you need more?

For this build, any processor in the 2400+ to 2700+ range would be great, if not overclocking. Using fundamental overclocking techniques one could get a XP 2500+ Barton to outperform a XP 3000+ Barton.

 

[deepinya]

Hehe you replied as I was editing.

I was thinking of the Corsair memory for sure but the guys in the hot deals show some of the twinmos sticks that run almost as fast yet are much cheaper. Are they worth getting over the Corsair?

 

[KidChaos]

Originally posted by: deepinya
Hehe you replied as I was editing.

I was thinking of the Corsair memory for sure but the guys in the hot deals show some of the twinmos sticks that run almost as fast yet are much cheaper. Are they worth getting?

If you want complete assurance of the best, go with the corsair I mentioned above. Else, TwinMos PC3200 certainly gets the job done.

And as a side note, get the Abit NF7-S rev 1.2. IMO, it's the best out there. Just make sure it's revision 1.2. That is, buy it from excaliberPC.

 

[Shimmishim]

okay.....

Ram: go with the twinmos/winbond pc3200 512 meg 1 stick. running dual channel only gives a marginal benefit (like 3 to 5%) and o/c-ing with one stick will be better than with 2 sticks... (one stick might be able to run at a speed faster than the other)

you can get it at memoryx.net (do a search for twinmos)

.... i just don't think it's worth it to spend that much for one stick of ram...

twinmos and corsair both use winbond so...

 

[KidChaos]

I would get two sticks of memory. Having multiple sticks doesn't necessarily hurt your overclocking potential. Maybe a little but not enough to justify laying all the work on one memory controller while the other remains idle.

 

[Shimmishim]

get 1 stick... dual channel isn't beneficial unless you have integrated graphics which the a7n8x doesn't have

 

[KidChaos]

dual channel only gives a marginal benefit (like 3 to 5%)

Originally posted by: Shimmishim
get 1 stick... dual channel isn't beneficial unless you have integrated graphics which the a7n8x doesn't have

Is it 3-5 percent performance boost or no benefit?

 

[TheRoot]

After doing some reading on this site, I decided to go with the twinmos/winbond memory on my A7n8x. I haven't recieved it yet, but the reviews tend to be favorable. Has anyone had a chance to compare the twinmos/winbond to the plain twinmos? I'm interested to see if there is a difference...if not it can be had for even cheaper.

 

[deepinya]

I ended up getting a A7N8X Deluxe with Corsair Twinx 3200LLPT. I also got a radeon 9700Pro to go along with it. I havent had a chance to try it cause my case still hasnt arrived.

As of right now I have an old school 1.2 tbird.....but I want a 2500 Barton.


What settings should I use for this processor?

Thx for the help guys.

 

[AtomicDude512]

A word of advice on the CPU, a Barton 2500 is 1.8GHz! Get a XP 2100 Tbred B and set it's FSB to 166 and then jack up it's multipliers, many people can get about 2.3GHz out of them, which is about XP 3000 using the 256KB L2 scale.