Question about stock dell dimension ram

[Gumby84]

Hey guys, about a year ago I bought a dell deminsion (yah I know stupid)...I'm getting ready to build a a64 3000+ winchester with msi mb. My question is..when I run cpu-z on this dell it says my ram is Hyundai Electrionics (256x2). Does anyone know anything about this ram...is it good?..bad? Comming in a Dell I figure its crap ram, but who knows..?

 

[jpeyton]

Don't knock on Dell so much; I'm running one of their 400SCs and it's one of the finest, most stable computers I've ever used.

Can you tell us more details about what CPU-Z says concerning RAM speed and timings? The RAM is likely to be CAS3 high latency RAM that will not overclock well; and it might not be PC3200, which is really what you need at minimum for your new rig. If you're building a Winchester rig, you'll probably want to overclock.

If you're on a budget, I'd suggest some inexpensive Corsair Value Select PC3200 CAS2.5 memory; about $160 for 1GB (512MBx2); if you overclock with this RAM, you will have to use your motherboard's RAM dividers to keep the memory frequency around 200MHz. If you plan on overclocking and want RAM that will run at high FSBs, look at PDP XBL memory at Newegg. It's around $230 for 1GB (512MBx2), but it is often good to memory clock speeds of 270MHz+ at low latencies.

 

[Gumby84]

Ok here's the info on the ram

Frequency: 199.5 mhz
FSB😀RAM: 1:1
CAS LAtency: 3.0 clocks
RAS to CAS Delay: 3 clocks
RAS Precharge: 3 clocks
Cycle Time (Tras): 8 clocks

Hyundai Electronics
PC3200 (256x2) Dual Channel
Frequency
133mhz
Cas LAtency: 2.0
Ras to Cas: 2
Ras Precharge: 2
TRas: 6

166mhz
2.5
3
3
7

200mhz
3.0
3
3
8

 

[jpeyton]

Yeah, that's pretty typical for Dell RAM. They use CAS3 stuff on their desktops.

You can run it at stock speed, and it's still possible to overclock using the memory clock ratios available on the motherboard. But if you want to overclock the memory as well, get something else.

BTW, PDP has their 512MB XBL dual channel kit for around $110 on Newegg; also has Samsung TCCD ICs, and people report 270MHz FSB and up using 2.5-3-3-7 timings.