pc3200 vs pc3700

[Dalma]

Hi,

I already posted a topic on abit vs. msi, and i will probably choose for msi mainboard, MSI 865PE -NEO2-PFISR (this mobo compared to the NEO2-FIS2R, supports pc3200/3700/4000)

I am not an expert in ram cpu overclocking etc, but i would like to buy a good fast working computer. Overclocking? yea maybe, just through MAT (msi's PAT) and DOT (Dynamic Overclocking). I am not sure whether i am going to manually change stuff etc, but i guess that depends on the configuration. Well here it is:


PENTIUM 4 3.2ghz
MSI 865PE NEO2-PFISR (http://www.msi.com.tw/program/products/mainboard/mbd/pro_mbd_detail.php?UID=528)
WESTERN DIGITAL 160GB S-ATA 7200 RPM
Q-TEC PSU 500W Big Fan Low Noise PFC (see: http://www.qtec.info/products/product.htm?artnr=13981)


Now the memory. I have 3 choices here (the price is almost the same...yea i would like to go for pc4000 but that's too expensive now )

TWINX1024-3700PT XMS3700 1024MB 3-4-4-8 2x184 DIMM Platinum

TWINX1024-3200C2PRO XMS3200 1024MB 2-3-3-6 2x184 DIMM Black XMS ProSeries http://www.corsairmicro.com/corsair/products/specs/twinx1024-3200c2pro.pdf

TWINX1024-3200LLPRO XMS3200 1024MB 2-3-2-6 2x184 DIMM Black XMS ProSeries
http://www.corsairmicro.com/corsair/products/specs/twinx1024-3200llpro.pdf

It goes from least expensive to most expensive.

Now i guess the mainboard excepts up to 533mhz but the question is, will the difference be great compared to the 3200 Low Latency Pro


One more question: If I would choose the 3200, what overclocking options do i have ?


Thanks in advance !!

 

[smahoney]

The limiting factor is more the CPU than anything else.

You are looking at a 3.2 that you might get to say 3.4~3.5 with air cooling (stock heatsink) and this is conservative. That's an OC of about 15~17Mhz ending up in the PC3500 space.

I run a 2.8 with a 250MHz FSB with a mem ratio of 1:1 with PC4000 memory. The memory cost more but I saved it on the CPU and still run at 3.5GHz with more memory bandwidth than if I had done the same with a 3.0 or 3.2 GHz chip.

Getting a 3.0 with the PC3700 might be a better fit. FSB of 233 gives 3.5GHz and PC3700 memory.

In Summary to run at 3.5GHz with a good heatsink or water cooling with 1:1 memory ratio

a 2.8 at 250MHz FSB with PC4000 Memory
a 3.0 at 233MHz FSB with PC3700 Memory
a 3.2 at 219MHz FSB with PC3500 Memory (with a slight memory overclock) PC3200 may not get this high.

So you have to balance CPU cost with memory cost and cooling capabilities.

 

[Dalma]

cool thanks for the reply, but i decided i won't be overclocking too much, just let the board do the automatic stuff . I still want to 3.2 ..Why? well , it's simple, call it supersticious but 32 is my lucky number, and i said 2 years ago to a friend of mine, when intel starts making a 3.2 i will be buying one

Well here it is my new config, i changed some final things:

pentium 4 3.2ghz
Logitech Cordless Desktop MX
Coolermaster Pretorian BLACK
MSI 865PE NEO2-PFISR
CORSAIR CMX512-3200LLPRO
Zalman ZM400B-APS 400 Watt
Plextor DVD 16x48 IDE Intern PX-116A OEM Black
Seagate SATA 160 GB / 7.200.7 - ST3160023AS / 8 MB

what do you think?

 

[McArra]

What graphic card? I think you should get 1Gb of memory.

 

[WallyKid]

Originally posted by: smahoney
The limiting factor is more the CPU than anything else.

You are looking at a 3.2 that you might get to say 3.4~3.5 with air cooling (stock heatsink) and this is conservative. That's an OC of about 15~17Mhz ending up in the PC3500 space.

I run a 2.8 with a 250MHz FSB with a mem ratio of 1:1 with PC4000 memory. The memory cost more but I saved it on the CPU and still run at 3.5GHz with more memory bandwidth than if I had done the same with a 3.0 or 3.2 GHz chip.

Getting a 3.0 with the PC3700 might be a better fit. FSB of 233 gives 3.5GHz and PC3700 memory.

In Summary to run at 3.5GHz with a good heatsink or water cooling with 1:1 memory ratio

a 2.8 at 250MHz FSB with PC4000 Memory
a 3.0 at 233MHz FSB with PC3700 Memory
a 3.2 at 219MHz FSB with PC3500 Memory (with a slight memory overclock) PC3200 may not get this high.

So you have to balance CPU cost with memory cost and cooling capabilities.

Do you know how high will PC3200 go? I think i actually got a crappy HyperX PC4000, and its not doing even close to 211 without memory errors in prime. I can do prime stable at 205 i think. So now i think i'm going to get mushkin, but the 3200 at newegg is Out of Stock. So therefore, i will not be able to get them soon. I might just get it from Mushkin's website. I think it is the memory because i get memory dumps and also falling memory test in prime. Haven't really test out the memtest yet.

 

[Dalma]

Hi McArra,

hehe yea i know. But i already chose the most expensive corsair memory pc3200 Low Latency Pro. I am getting in a month or two another 512mb

In a month i am getting a ati radeon 9800 XT, still waiting for a small price drop

 

[McArra]

Originally posted by: Dalma
Hi McArra,

hehe yea i know. But i already chose the most expensive corsair memory pc3200 Low Latency Pro. I am getting in a month or two another 512mb

In a month i am getting a ati radeon 9800 XT, still waiting for a small price drop

That's nice . Anyway I'd go with 9800pro, which will overclock to XT speeds quite easily and it's much cheaper (9800Pro 128mg is over $200, which is a really good price). Enjoy your new system

 

[Shimmishim]

Originally posted by: Dalma
Hi McArra,

hehe yea i know. But i already chose the most expensive corsair memory pc3200 Low Latency Pro. I am getting in a month or two another 512mb

In a month i am getting a ati radeon 9800 XT, still waiting for a small price drop

if you want an XT right now, you can buy a sapphire 9800pro 256 meg version... these seem to be 9800Xt's downgraded to pro's due to demand for pros...

$312 vs. $400+ dollars...

I dunno howmuch the XT will drop in price by next month...

Also, you may want to consider getting some Kingston HyperX pc3200 bh-5's or even ch-5's

I can run mine at 250 mhz with 2-2-2-6 timings 1:1 with 3.4 vdimm volts...

 

[Dalma]

hey thanks guys for the replies.

unfortunately i am from the netherlands europe and price is here much higher than in the States .

Here in the Netherlands the cheapest Sapphire 9800 pro 256mb is 439 Euros ( that is almost 550 USD) and the Sapphire 9800XT 256 costs 457 Euros ( that is 570 USD)

Another option is to order from a store in the USA, but i would have to pay at least 25% tax, still i would get the card much cheaper than what i have to pay here for the same card

Btw guys,

I chose the zalman 400w Power supply (the latest from zalman). According to anandtech and THG it was the best 400W power supply (yea i know i could have gotten the fortron as well, i know, but they are not selling it here ).

Is the 400W enough for my system now ? Just wanted a nice, quiet and good quality working PSU

 

[BAP]

my 3.0 p-4 runs great @ 3.77 and air cooling
tt valcano +7 hsf
250 fsb

 

[Dalma]

hmm,

guys still need some expertise help

I said i would buy the CORSAIR CMX512-3200LLPRO. This is just for one bank. Because my budget has already exceeded my limit i chose not to go for the twinmx version.

Now i thought if i would buy another cmx512-3200LLPRO next month, i put it in bank 1 and 3 and i would have the same effect as the twinmx version, Dual channel Memory.

A friend of mine told me that is not the same and probably will not work as good as the twinmx, because twinmx memory is a matched pair and if you buy two separate 512mb memory, they are not matched.

Is this true? if so, i will go for the twinmx, just have to try and earn more money on the stockmarket

 

[BAP]

I believe it will work fine .I ran 2 samsung pc2700/512 bought a month
apart mb recognized duel channel

 

[smahoney]

You second module should work fine since they will work at the same latency settings - and Corsair is probably the mosty stable from one module to another.

 

[Dalma]

ok thanks!

still hesitating and didn't order any of the parts yet

Intel is releasing the prescott 3.2e. It will probably be in the stores in a week (or two).

Should i wait for the 3.2e reviews and then decide, or just buy the northwood in combination with my configuration ?

 

[T-man]

buy a 2.8 and overclock it

 

[smahoney]

I picked up a 2.8C M0 stepping for less than $200 and run at 3.5 and 1:1 mem timings on PC4000 without breaking a sweat - why spend the extra dough?

You can get the 2.8 with PC4000 memory and have a faster system with a stable OC with 1:1 timings and 250MHz FSB for less money!!!