Should I use 512MB RAM at PC3200 or 1 gig at PC2100?

[StevenMara]

I can run a 512MB stick at PC3200 or 1 gig at PC2100. Which would be better?



Original post below:


When my BIOS screen loads, I can see it say PC 2100 RAM. Here is the RAM I have: 256MB PC2700 Crucial, 256MB PC3200 no-name, 512MB Corsair XLS or XMS or something like that PC3200.

So why is the speed at 2100? My motherboard is a Shuttle AN51R. I had to buy the cheapes one I could because when my old one burned out I didn't have any money. This one only cost $40 new.

Will the speed difference between 2100 and 3200 be enough for me to notice? And let's say I can get the RAM to go at PC2700, would I get better performance just using the two sticks of 3200 and just take out the 2700?

Thanks.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

Don't mix different speeds of RAM. Immediately remove the stick(s) that have the least memory of pc2700 or pc3200.

i.e. don't use the Crucial pc2700 RAM with those other sticks.

 

[StevenMara]

I thought all the RAM would run at the speed of the lowest stick. Like right now shouldn't it all be running at 2700? I will take it out and see though.

 

[Yuriman]

Normally it should. Go into your bios and manually set your ram to 166mhz.

Ohh, and, heh, for a second there I thought shuttle was putting more than 2 ram slots in their XPCs! I almost had a heart attack. :Q

 

[StevenMara]

I can't change my RAM speed in BIOS. I can only change the maximum speed, which I did and my PCMark scores were the same.

 

[Yuriman]

What do you mean, maximum speed? What is it labeled as? If it says "Max Memclock 200mhz, 166mhz, 133mhz, ect", that refers to the divider used. Setting it to 200 = 1:1 with the HTT bus, 166 = 5:6. It really isn't a "max clock".

 

[StevenMara]

Ya, it says Max Memclock. My choices are Auto, 133, 166, and maybe 100, I can't remember. No 200 though. I took out my 2700 stick and I got about 50 more points on the Memory test with PCMark05. But when I start up it still says PC2100.

The motherboard manual says it can be run at PC3200 and dual channel. So, maybe it's the motherboard and the manual is wrong? What else could be happening?

 

[StevenMara]

 

[Yuriman]

Try removing the no-name PC3200. And, if you manually set it to 166 in bios, that should be PC2700 speeds.

 

[StevenMara]

I removed the no-name RAM and set Max Memclock to 166, it still says PC2100.

 

[StevenMara]

Today I removed the 2 cheap sticks and left in my 512MB Corsair stick. Now it says PC3200. My PCMark05 memory test score was 500 points higher. Is that a good increase? Now my big question is: should I keep the two crappy sticks out, because then my Corsair stick will run at PC3200 but then I will only have 512MB instead of 1 gig.

 

[StevenMara]

Come on, someone just tell me already.

 

[Steven the Leech]

If you are wanting good benchmark resultes, use the 512. If you want good performance in real world applications use the 1g setup, unless you get errors. Quality ram will definitely improve your chance for a good overclock. I have never been able to tell the difference between high speed/low speed RAM without running a benchmark, and I dont set around running benchmarks on my computer, I use it for other/everyday use.