r0bVious' new computer wants some more RAM

[r0bVious]

So I built my new rig:

AMD Athlon64 3500+ (2.2ghz, not planning on OCing for at least a while)
Gainward 6800GT Golden Sample (400/1100)
MSI Neo2 Platinum
...2 x 256mb Corsair PC3200 DDR400 RAM

Now, the Neo2 Plat has 4 slots for RAM. I have two sticks. Should I go with 2 more sticks of 256mb, thus using the full fledged dual-channel support, or should I just sell my old RAM and pick up 2 x 512mb?

I'm not totally sure of the advantages or disadvantages, besides stuff like "Using the dual channel capability" or "Having the additional space for later RAM upgrades". So lemme know what you guys think.

Choices, Choices.

Thanks guys.

 

[chocoruacal]

2x512 MB. Why? Because it keeps life simple. Why else? Because 2x512 MB sticks will probably be more useful to you than 4x256 MB sticks the next time you upgrade.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Grab these, add them to what you have, and put your ram worries behind you till at least your next build

 

[bluewall21]

2 sticks of 512 MB leaves your options open. Go with that.

 

[biostud]

2x256+2x512

 

[r0bVious]

lol, good point Biostud.

On kind of a budget though, so meh...

As far as upgrading goes... It won't be for a long while. At least 2-3 years.

 

[r0bVious]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
Grab these, add them to what you have, and put your ram worries behind you till at least your next build

Uh... DDR333? I'd rather stick with DDR400 ;p

 

[Matthias99]

I'm not totally sure of the advantages or disadvantages, besides stuff like "Using the dual channel capability" or "Having the additional space for later RAM upgrades". So lemme know what you guys think.

You're already using DC, and would continue to do so with four sticks (although you might want to look into whether this MB supports four DIMMS at DDR400 -- some drop to DDR333 when you use four at once).

The biggest advantage would be future upgradability (and, in theory, you might be able to run tighter timings and/or overclock your FSB further with only 2 DIMMS, but unless you're way into OCing, this is not very important). If you have 4x256, and at some point decide you want *more* RAM, you'll have to get rid of at least some of the 256MB DIMMs. If you don't care about this, then do whatever is cheaper.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: r0bVious

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
Grab these, add them to what you have, and put your ram worries behind you till at least your next build

Uh... DDR333? I'd rather stick with DDR400 ;p

my bad, linked the wrong 1

 

[r0bVious]

It says the Neo2 Plat supports Dual Channel DDR266/333/400 on Four Sticks, etc. So I'm assuming that, yes, it stays at DDR400.

As far as upgrading goes... meh, if I get two sticks of 512, I won't want more than 1.5gigs for a while... like I said, I'm not planning on upgrading again for a long time.