More vs. Faster Memory?

[GreatBarracuda]

Originally posted by: Lazy8s
can anyone tell me if I buy a stick of CL2.5 memory to put with my stick of CL3 if it will underclock itself automaticaly or do I need to do it?

Ok let's get something right buddy: If your FSB is 200MHz, and the RAM's speed is faster than 200MHz (anything above PC3200) then the RAM will automatically downgrade its speed to 200MHz (you don't need to do anything). Timing (CL2.5 etc) has nothing to do with it.

 

[Tostada]

Originally posted by: Lazy8s
can anyone tell me if I buy a stick of CL2.5 memory to put with my stick of CL3 if it will underclock itself automaticaly or do I need to do it?

I don't think "underclock" is the word you're looking for, but yes, your motherboard will always use the same memory timing for all memory slots. CL2.5 will function at CL3 speed if paired with CL3. If your first stick of memory is totally generic, you would probably want to go into the BIOS and override your timings to 3-4-4 just to be safe, though.

 

[Spamdini]

i also have trouble understanding soe thigns about RAM. Like the whole dual channel thing? To achieve dual channel RAM what do you need. A mobo that supports it and 2 sticks of the same ram, and this is what i dont get, placed in the 1st and 3rd DIMM slots?

 

[sisooktom]

In a dual channel system, DIMM slots 1 and 2 are Bank 1, and slots 3 and 4 are Bank 2. The banks are your channels. You can mix DIMMS across banks, but not within a bank. Make sense?

 

[Spamdini]

so in other words for dual channel to work i would have to put 1 in dimm 1 and 1 in dimm 3, if tehre are only 3 slots.

what about the mobo i need one that supports dual channel correct?

 

[Lazy8s]

so last night I borrowed my dad's stick of 512 PC3200 CL2.5 ::cough::GEIL::cough:: memory and put it in my system. Well the result was I could run my game, AIM, IRC, Photoshop, the internet, 12 cars, a bus and 4 airplanes all at the same time. My game loaded like 40% faster but lagged just about the same. I mean it helped but I was the only one in my family who could notice (so basically it didn't help but I wasn't gonna admit it).

Next logical question: The game laggs less the more I turn down the graphics. Do you think I should grab a new graphics card right now and when I get my next paycheck pick up the memory? I mean I know I will need the memory down the line as I am absolutely OBSESSED with Counter Stike and HL2 will be a hog, but will a new graphics card really make a huge difference without the memory to back it up?

 

[n7]

Here's the order in which you should upgrade: new vid card (9800 Pro is the best bang for your buck right now); then new RAM.

You certainly need both, but if you need immediate improvement, get the 9800 Pro first.

Then sell that generic 512 MB stick & throw in a pair of 512s for dual channel.

If money was an issue, you could just add a second unmatching stick, but on P4's dual channel is rather nice to have.

I agree timings are good, however, the cost at which you get better timings doesn't seem worth it to me in most cases, ihmo opinion anyway.

 

[Lazy8s]

Well my prob with buying dual channel is I would spend $200 or so for mem and $200 or so for vid card after I spent $1200 on the system, then $700 to upgrade mobo and processor, that equals $2300 in two years to keep up with video games. At least if I just buy another stick I'll save myself $120 or so. If you tack the $200 on the new games to play I'm averaging like $500 per year to play new games at good framerates, for all of you with a job that's cheap but for us college people who spend 9mo. paying tuition and rent and only 3mo. earning money back that's a good chunk of my spending money. I am definately looking for "good enough" I don't care about getting 220fps on UT2K4, just being able to play well enough to compete ya know what I mean? 😛

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: sisooktom

Originally posted by: sisooktom

Originally posted by: Jeff7
You sure about that? If you need an even number of RAM, why do a lot of motherboards ship with 3 slots? I'd expect that a board would run dual channel mode with any number of RAM sticks greater than 1. You'd just wind up with a channel running to two sticks, and the other channel accessing one stick.

Ok, you got me thinking so I read a pdf on Kingston's site. Apparently you can run 3 DIMMS on an Intel system, but it will only run in Single Channel mode. DIMMS must be paired to run in dual channel.

Edit: Figured I'd provide the <a href="http://www.kingston.com/literature/MKF_495.pdf">link</a>

Reading that page here...they mention adding in pairs. I don't see anything that specifically says "if it's not in pairs, you won't be in dual channel mode."
I still just think that, in that case, it wouldn't make sense to make motherboards with 3 memory slots, instead of just 2 or 4.
Anyone have firsthand experience with this?

 

[sisooktom]

Originally posted by: Jeff7
Reading that page here...they mention adding in pairs. I don't see anything that specifically says "if it's not in pairs, you won't be in dual channel mode."
I still just think that, in that case, it wouldn't make sense to make motherboards with 3 memory slots, instead of just 2 or 4.
Anyone have firsthand experience with this?

It's not explicit, but to quote the pdf: "In order to take full advantage of the system running in dual channel mode, the memory modules need to be upgraded in like pairs."

And on the next page: "If like speeds or capacities (or the combination of both) are not installed, the system will automatically revert to single channel operation, regardless of module installation/configuration."

 

[Lazy8s]

Kinda makes you wonder what would happen if you had 2x512 and 2x256 would suck for a lot of people if this made it rn in single channel. I just think manual is too vague:

"If like speeds or capacities (or the combination of both) are not installed, the system will automatically revert to single channel operation, regardless of module installation/configuration."

could mean anything...even that putting a CL2.5 in with a CL3 will make it run in single channel