Need some advice

[bigstrickler]

Whats the best deal for memory. I need pc3200, looking for 2gigs. Around $200 or less is what I'm looking for.

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

I'd be looking at two possibilities:
$189.98 @ NewEgg - G.SKILL Value 2GB (2 x 1GB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Dual Channel Kit System Memory Model F1-3200PHU2-2GBNT - Retail
$201.90 @ ZZF ($176.90 after rebate) - Corsair TWINX2048-3200PT 2GB DDR400 XMS3200 Memory w/Platinum Heat Spreader Retail

The G.Skill will arrive sooner and cost less in the short run. The Corsair will cost less in the long run, however, and is from a trusted manufacturer.

 

[bigstrickler]

Is that better than this?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820220079

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820146970

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Probably, yes. Corsair is, if I'm not mistaken, the de facto standard in whitebox PC memory. Patriot and OCZ are both respectable, of course, but I doubt they're any more reliable. Also, the Patriot is 3-4-4-8, not quite as fast as the 3-3-3-8 Corsair.

Also, apparently you can get the Corsair $0.90 cheaper and a few days faster at NewEgg than at ZZF. I missed that before.

 

[bigstrickler]

So the corsair is better than the OCZ also? BTW what is 3-3-3...etc what does that mean and what numbers are the best or really good

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

3-3-3-8 are latency values for the memory. The lower the better. Also, a lower voltage may allow you to overclock it to even higher speeds and/or lower latencies. Generally speaking, however, neither make very much difference. Heck, even DDR333 (PC2700) memory isn't much slower than DDR400 (PC3200).

OCZ used to be a nice brand, but lately I've been hearing about their RAM having some issues with the latest generation of motherboards. I'm not sure if there's any truth to those rumors, but it's always good to play it safe.

In this case I'd go for the Corsair. But keep in mind that's just my opinion. This isn't an exact science.

 

[bigstrickler]

What if you dont overclock your ram...are these numbers still significant performance wise? Also why is the last number so high...8 compared to 3's

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Originally posted by: bigstrickler
What if you dont overclock your ram...are these numbers still significant performance wise?

They're not significant whether you overclock or not. The performance difference between the highest and lowest DDR400 latencies is probably less than 2%.

Also why is the last number so high...8 compared to 3's

I'm not sure about the technical background of the numbers. What's important is their impact on real-world performance, which is minimal.

Usually the only time I look at latencies is when two kits are the same price. It's a sort of tiebreaker statistic.

 

[bigstrickler]

so is this one pretty good then? seems to be fairly low numbers
http://shop1.outpost.com/product/4453786?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Well, they're all fine, but you save $30 with the Corsair, which is what I'd recommend.

 

[bigstrickler]

ah I think i'm going to resist my temptation to buy 2 gigs when I already Have one and everything is running ok now...sigh its so hard I tell you so hard...lol

 

[Blain]

Originally posted by: bigstrickler
ah I think i'm going to resist my temptation to buy 2 gigs when I already Have one and everything is running ok now...sigh its so hard I tell you so hard...lol

All that posting for nothing? :roll:









Note to self: Remember username "bigstrickler"