pc3200 advice

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ZippyDan

Platinum Member
Sep 28, 2001
2,141
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im trying to find the right pc3200 to buy. im looking for the best deal, so no super expensive chips

note: i only run things at stock speeds. no overclocking

crucial: always my memory of choice, but CL3 latency.. wtf? i want at least 2.5. why so high CL from corsair? (about $90 from newegg)
corsair: i heard their valueram 3200 is 'fake' 3200?? (about $90 from newegg)
PNY: ive seen their Verto 3500 'gaming' memory, but i dont need 3500, and it doesnt list Cas Latency anywhere... anyone know it offhand? (compusa has it for $110 after rebate)
Kingston HyperX or valuram (i think i saw them with 2.5?) or Mushkin?

basically, my price point is ~$100 for 'true' pc3200 memory with at least CL2.5

also, i had been under the impression that memory clock had to = FSB clock, until relatively recently, where i was under the impression that 'recent' motherboards could run memory clock independently of CPU clock. but someone recently told me this was still the case. my nforce2 board supports DDR400, but im using a 333FSB CPU. is my entire search for pc3200 pointless?

~Zippy!
 
MDE

MDE

Lifer
Jul 17, 2003
13,199
1
81
Buffalo PC3200 is cheap (~$90) and is known to run at PC3200 speeds CL2 without a hitch.
 
C

Corporate Thug

Lifer
Apr 17, 2003
37,622
0
76
Originally posted by: MonkeyDriveExpress
Buffalo PC3200 is cheap (~$90) and is known to run at PC3200 speeds CL2 without a hitch.
Click to expand...

indeed buffalo is the way to go. it runs 2-2-2-5 at 200 mhz just fine and does 225 @ cas 2.5
 
Z

ZippyDan

Platinum Member
Sep 28, 2001
2,141
1
81
so:

if my CPU is 333FSB, do i HAVE to use pc2700?

or can i run 333FSB and 266memory
or can i run 333FSB and 400memory?

~Zippy!
 
M

MasterFlash

Senior member
Aug 15, 2003
265
0
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Originally posted by: ZippyDan
so:

if my CPU is 333FSB, do i HAVE to use pc2700?

or can i run 333FSB and 266memory
or can i run 333FSB and 400memory?

~Zippy!
Click to expand...

First off, I've got Crucial ram w/CAS3. It runs fine at CAS2 if you just tweak your bios setting. Second, you don't have to use PC2700 w/ a cpu that runs at 333mhz fsb. It will run synchnonously, put any faster ram will run at the slower 333mhz. I think you can run 266 memory, but it will be the bottleneck and your performance is going to suffer big time, unless it'll handle being o/c'd to 333 speed.
 
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MasterFlash

Senior member
Aug 15, 2003
265
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Corsair value ram isn't "fake" 3200, it just isn't as fast or as good at o/c'ing as their performance or LL stuff. You don't need PC3500, but spend the couple bucks and get the PC3200. It'll let you o/c you cpu up to 400mhz, or let you upgrade your cpu in the future to a 400mhz one (XP3200+ for ex.). I personally got the PC3200 Crucial ram based on this TweakTown review.
 
B

Blain

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
23,643
3
81
I bought some Corsair OEM value ram (PC2700). The only thing "Corsair" about it was the sticker.
Two sticks on an nForce2 MB acted "quirky", odd random errors. Only one stick at a time will run with the XMS on my BH7 (yes, I relaxed the timings).
And yes I ran memory tests on both PC2700 sticks.. both passed.

No "Value" RAM for me again, of ANY brand! :|
 
I

illuminati

Member
Mar 5, 2003
187
0
0
Originally posted by: ZippyDan
so:

if my CPU is 333FSB, do i HAVE to use pc2700?

or can i run 333FSB and 266memory
or can i run 333FSB and 400memory?

~Zippy!
Click to expand...
Yes, You can run 400 memory with a 333FSB CPU. I just bought an ABIT nForce2 NF7-M for someone and put some Mushkin PC3200 in it... I just used the 6/5 divider and my Dual channel memory was running at 400.... and if you get PC3500, or a good pc3200, you can use the 5/4 divider and have it run at 414DDR.

Now, of course... it will depend if the nForce2 mobo you have utilizes these dividers. ABIT is really good at that.
 
Z

ZippyDan

Platinum Member
Sep 28, 2001
2,141
1
81
hrm. just btw, i know you can underclock memory just fine

im not sure why i even asked this question, since i have a friend running a 333mhz FSB and 266mhz memory. my experience with mboards so far doesnt involve anything so 'complex' as 'dividers' you just set the FSB speed to whatever you want, and set the memory speed to whatever you want... its a Shuttle XPC Nforce2 Ultra 400 btw.

~Zipppy!
 
MDE

MDE

Lifer
Jul 17, 2003
13,199
1
81
266MHz memory in that system is insanely dumb IMO. PC3200 isn't that expensive, and buying a Shuttle, he should be able to scrape up the cash for good RAM.
 
Z

ZippyDan

Platinum Member
Sep 28, 2001
2,141
1
81
ok still not clear on this issue at all

my friend brought up the point:

maybe the motherboard is DETECTING the ram at its higher than/lower than FSB speeds, but it is running it in sync with the FSB (or vice versa)

so let me ask this straight out and someone please answer:

is there any advantage running PC3200 memory over PC2700 memory, in a NForce2 Ultra 400 (Shuttle XPC) setup with Athlon Barton 2500+ with 333mhz FSB?

put another way: can the ram be run asynchronously at 400mhz while the FSB is at 333mhz and if so is there any appreciable gain to doing so?

thanks

~Zippy!
 
B

Blackroot

Senior member
Oct 4, 2003
529
0
0
I have the same MoBo and processor, i was gonna get 2700, not sure now, maybe ill spend 10-20 more and just get the 3200.
 
J

JBT

Lifer
Nov 28, 2001
12,094
1
81
running async is a BAD idea with an AMD setup. if you get PC3200 and want to run it in sync with ur 333 processors then you should be able to do some AWSOME timings with them. Either way I would get the Buffalo Ram as it is awsome and CHEAP!!!
 
J

jiffylube1024

Diamond Member
Feb 17, 2002
7,430
0
71
Originally posted by: MonkeyDriveExpress
Buffalo PC3200 is cheap (~$90) and is known to run at PC3200 speeds CL2 without a hitch.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think the Buffalo stuff uses Winbond BH-5 or CH-5 chips, which are awesome. I'm using TwinMos with those chips and it o/cs very well: >210Mhz (CL 2-3-2-5)
 
L

lordtyranus2

Banned
Oct 3, 2003
300
0
0
Since PC3200 isn't much more than 2700, I'd get that even though you won't be able to fully utilize it without overclocking your CPU.
 
arcenite

arcenite

Lifer
Dec 9, 2001
10,660
7
81
Originally posted by: Blain
I bought some Corsair OEM value ram (PC2700). The only thing "Corsair" about it was the sticker.
Two sticks on an nForce2 MB acted "quirky", odd random errors. Only one stick at a time will run with the XMS on my BH7 (yes, I relaxed the timings).
And yes I ran memory tests on both PC2700 sticks.. both passed.

No "Value" RAM for me again, of ANY brand! :|
Click to expand...

Just FYI... I bought the Geil Value PC3200 rated at 6-3-3-2.5 @ DDR400 and it does that no problem.. I have it currently running at 11-3-3-2.5 because of the nForce2 Dual Channel thingy... Only thing is I had to up the voltage to 2.9V (i havn't tried 2.7, I just went straight to 2.9 to see if it works, and never changed it) I would with no problem buy another stick of this stuff :)

 
Z

ZippyDan

Platinum Member
Sep 28, 2001
2,141
1
81
Originally posted by: lordtyranus2
Since PC3200 isn't much more than 2700, I'd get that even though you won't be able to fully utilize it without overclocking your CPU.
Click to expand...

yea, except that pc2700 is always on sale at local retailers, and pc3200 not so much.

i.e. Circuit City has Kingston 512mb pc2700 for $67.99 after rebates this week

~Zippy!

 
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