How bad adding 2 more sticks of RAM would affect timings

[ghidu]

Hi guys, I have a Gigabyte K8NF MOBO with a AMD64 3200+ CPU and 2x512 Geil RAM. I want to add 2x512 OCZ RAM with same timings and run them in dual channel. I know that running 4 sticks can affect performance, the question is how much and is having 2G of RAM worth it? Thanks.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

You're not very specific about your RAM, but 2T timing is ok.

I've seen people with 2x Mushkin Redlines (PC-4000) and throw in 2x sticks of OCZ VX. They clocked the 4x512 setup at 255 2-2-2-5. Amazing huh? I saw the super-pi shots, and it was goooooooooooood.

 

[Jiggz]

Although the timing would most likely to come down to 2T vice 1T, the performance hit will not be that much. But if you have the option of selling the existing ram and getting 2 X 1MB sticks that probably is better than having 4 sticks. And if you are not oc'ing you can just use the VS rams.

 

[ghidu]

The RAM is DDR3200 400Mhz 2.5-3-3-7 and I'm not the "overclocking" guy. I don't want to sell the RAM I already have. I just want more RAM, hopefuly with as little as posible performance hit. If 2T is so much slower than 1T, I will get 2x1G and keep the RAM.

 

[pkme2]

Having a matched set of 2-1GB sticks would be nice, but if economics is your concern and getting a great deal on 2x512, go for it.

 

[ghidu]

Originally posted by: pkme2
Having a matched set of 2-1GB sticks would be nice, but if economics is your concern and getting a great deal on 2x512, go for it.

I wouldn't say great deal, but if the performance is more or less the same I don't see why I should buy the 2x1 kit. Oh, and just to make sure, everything should work even if the RAMs are not the same, right? Thanks.

 

[pkme2]

Right!

 

[ghidu]

ok, DLeRium, Jiggz, pkme2. thank you.
Forgot to ask what do you think about this memory OCZ MEM and if you know of any issues that this RAM has with my MOBO.

 

[stevty2889]

What version is your 3200? Venice will still run 4 sticks at DDR400, older cores will drop to 333mhz, both will drop to to 2T timings. 2T is usualy a 2-5% performance loss at most, and dropping to DDR333 won't hurt all that much either. Either way, if your system is using more that 1gb of ram, you'll still get an improvement with 4x512mb sticks. Go to the performance tab of task manager after doing what it is that uses so much ram, look at the commit charge section, and look at the peak. If it's higher than 1gb, you'll get some advantage from going to 2gb.

 

[pkme2]

I run OCZ Gold CL2 in my workstation, so if the price is right go for it.

I also have Corsair too.

Corsair RAM

 

[ghidu]

Originally posted by: stevty2889
What version is your 3200? Venice will still run 4 sticks at DDR400, older cores will drop to 333mhz, both will drop to to 2T timings. 2T is usualy a 2-5% performance loss at most, and dropping to DDR333 won't hurt all that much either. Either way, if your system is using more that 1gb of ram, you'll still get an improvement with 4x512mb sticks. Go to the performance tab of task manager after doing what it is that uses so much ram, look at the commit charge section, and look at the peak. If it's higher than 1gb, you'll get some advantage from going to 2gb.

It's a Winchester, I got it before Venice was out. So I'm looking at what, 5-10 performance loss? Thanks stevty2889.

Originally posted by: pkme2
I run OCZ Gold CL2 in my workstation, so if the price is right go for it.

I also have Corsair too.

Thanks again pkme2.