Ram prices, 128 Mushkin or 256 Generic?

[swissarmy]

Hi all,
Question about RAM for everyone. I'm building a computer, dead set on buying a stick of PC133 rev2 ram, when the prices of generic pc133 go through the floor. Seeing as Mushkin (which I consider to be of the highest order quality) is more than twice the price of normal PC133 ram, wouldn't it be better to get two sticks of the generic and have 256MB in total? I suppose that applications that only use the first 128 would have been better suited by the lower cas latency (2-2-2) of the Mushkin, but will the overall system be speedier b/c of it's overall greater amount of ram? I figure if you're only using below 128 ram for most things, the mushkin is a better idea for performance, and only when you go start to really utilize the extra stick is it worth it. My question (not to mention all the others pepper inside...) is which I should go with, main goals being gaming performance, DVD ripping, web surfing, and multiple applications open. Thanks

jes

 

[andylawcc]

good dilemmma// me scratching head too

 

[hans007]

256 generic every day. Mushkin ram is just cas2, the generic probably cas3, not a big deal, you wont even notice. If you aren't gonna run the bus over 133-140 forget the muskin, this is a nobrainer

 

[swissarmy]

this is running on an AMD 800, btw... Say I was running quake 3 and nothing else, wouldn't the perf be higher with the cas 2 than cas 3? this isn't worth it?

jes

 

[hans007]

it'll be like a 1 fps difference, you'll rather have the ram. i mean if you had infinite money just get 2 mushkins

 

[John]

If you arent planning on o/c'ing I would recommend (2) 128 PC133's...otherwise get some Mosel Vitelic (Mushkin) from me !

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=45&threadid=265334

 

[Super6]

Just avoid the Zeus stuff....wouldn't do 133 at any settings.

Super6

 

[thedarkwolf]

Kingmax pc-150 $105 from www.mwave.com

I don't think you can beat that for the price. It says pc-150 cas3 but I haven't seen anybody yet not be able to run it at 150 cas2. I have some in my abit kt7 running 153mhz cas2.

 

[Eli]

You have your Abit KT7 running at 153MHz, 336MHz DDR?

 

[thedarkwolf]

No I have an abit kt7 running 115mhz fsb. The memory is running 153mhz fsb+pci=memory 115+37.95=152.95

 

[Raul]

fsb+ pci?
isn't it just fsb?

 

[thedarkwolf]

on Intel's BX and older chipsets it is but with via's 133 boards and I guess intel's 815 it can be fsb=memory or fsb+pci=memory in order to get 133mhz memory while using a 100mhz bus. I am pretty sure the via apollo 133 and intell 815 boards even support a fsb-pci=memory just so people can use 133mhz bus PIIIs and still use their old pc-100 memory.

 

[Technonut]

The KT7 will run the RAM at FSB+PCI just like thedarkwolf posted. Mine is running 105/35 + 4= 109. Host CLK + PCI CLK= 135MHz+ 9 = 144MHz RAM speed.

 

[PCResources]

If you want to have the best ram out there, get Crucial, it's not too expensive either.

For an Athlon system i wouldn't recommend buying the generic, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Just avoid the hassle by getting some Crucial memory, it's what i use when i build my systems and servers.

Patrick Palm

Am speaking for PC Resources

 

[Technonut]

In my opinion, and after using a lot of different RAM, the Mosel Vitelic PC133 is the best. I am not knocking Crucial, I participate in their VAR program and use it for systems that I sell. In my personal system I use only the Mosel Vitelic, and it is flawless. John is selling it for a very good price, or you could pay more for the same stuff through Mushkin.