Low FPS in CS: Source, RAM issue? Please shed light on this!

[parkbench]

Hi,

Specs:
MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum
A64 Socket 939 3000+
Kingston ValueRAM PC2700
eVGA 6800GT

If Outpost ever decides to ship, I'll have 1GB of PC3200 RAM coming, however at the moment I'm stuck with 512MB of PC2700 Kingston ValueRAM.

Anyway, I put the system together last night, and it seems to be working right. Being that I have 333Mhz RAM and former systems of mine throttled to a slower clock speed because of slow RAM, I'm wondering what speed my CPU is currently running at. I'm also wondering if my FSB is set to 166 or 200, and if my computer is running near max potential right now. I let the motherboard choose its own settings; I didn't choose a thing. I'm confused as to what's set lower in my system right now and what benefits I'll see going to PC3200.

The reason I'm asking is because I'm running CS: Source and getting about 30-45fps running around in most maps at 1280x1024 with all details on high, reflections set to world, 8xAF , 0xAA. This is fairly unacceptable as I dumped Soundstorm to get massive performance gains and I haven't seen em yet.

If/When I get the extra RAM will I see a (hopefully tremendous) speed increase?

(PS - This was cross posted in the mobo forum, please lock the mobo post. This board moves faster and the post has to do w/ FPS anyway.)

 

[zerocool84]

well when i went to a gig of ram there was quite a difference. regarding ur fsb, it is only running at the max the ram can take which is 166/333. getting 3200 ram will let ur chip run at its full potential. some people say 512 is eough but i think that getting a 1gig chip will definetly help u out alot. u dont need dual channel there is hardly any performance gains so just gettin a 1 gig chip would help out a lot

 

[magomago]

Its an A64...not sure specifically on how the source engine takes it, but paring up an A64 with pc2700 ram makes anywhere between a 1-5% difference

I would look at something else, unless CS source is that RAM hungry...

But did you update drivers for everything? I know it may sound wrong, but what is your 3d mark score? If you are in the ballpark of what others should have (ball park is subjective) than i would think maybe its just a ram hungry game...but if you are scoring substancially less than what others have I would start looking at anything you have have missed