Single 512 MB PC2700 Stick without a Mobo - Need Recomendations

[Minot]

Hello. I was fortunate to get for Christmas a single 512 MB PC2700 stick. The problem is that I don't have a motherboard that can natively support that speed (I've been using an Epox EP-8KAH+ with a Palomino Athlon XP 1700). I would go with a nForce 2 board, but I'm not sure it's worth my money with only a single stick of PC2700. For the dual memory controllers to work properly I need to fill two banks (if I understand the tech specs properly).

What would you all do?

- 1) Buy an nForce 2 anyway
- 2) Buy a current KT333 board
- 3) Buy a current KT400 board
- 4) Wait for a KT400A (I haven't heard when these will hit the market)
- 5) Get an Intel P4 (1.8A) and a PE board (such as an Abit BE7 or Albatron PX845PEV PRO)
- 6) Get an Intel Cel 2.0 and a PE board (trying to save some money)
- 7) Something else entirely? SiS? Wait for P4X600?

Ideally, I'd like to spend between $100 and $120 for the fix and will purchase refurb motherboards from Newegg (I've bought 4 in the past 2 years and never had any trouble). For $160 I could buy the nForce 2 board and another stick of 256 MB PC2700 so that's the absolute max I would spend.

Also, I know many of you would say, "Throw it in your current system and OC it till she screams!" Honetsly, that's not my thing. I'd like to keep her within specs or maybe a few MHz FSB faster than normal (nothing more please).

What would you do in this case? Thanks for the inputs?

 

[PurdueTech]

Buy the Asus A7V8X. It is very stable.
AnandTech has a review on them.
Newegg has them for $144.


Specs:
Up to Athlon XP 2800+
ATA 133 IDE
Serial ATA/ATA133 Raid
6 PCI
1 AGP
3 (i think) DDR slots
Gigabit LAN
Onboard Sound
2 USB 1.1
2 USB 2.0 (4 more available)
KT400 Board

 

[cheapgoose]

I'm using samsung 2700 ram and 8kha+. it lets me run the mobo with a 1600xp at 166fsb at aggressive setting. the crucial 2100 ram I had wouldn't run on turbo setting.

 

[Minot]

Originally posted by: cheapgoose
I'm using samsung 2700 ram and 8kha+. it lets me run the mobo with a 1600xp at 166fsb at aggressive setting. the crucial 2100 ram I had wouldn't run on turbo setting.

So I can probably use my PC 2700 in my current board at 166MHz even with a KT266A chipset? Isn't that out of specs for the board?

I'm surprised none of the nForce supporters have voiced a recomendation. I'm still leaning that way, but I can save a bundle of money with a cheaper KT400 (MSI KT4VL or Albatron KX400-8X) and even pick up a new Thoroughbred XP 1700 for the same price as the Asus A7V8X mentioned above.

 

[PurdueTech]

If you put the ram in a 166 fsb board the board will use it's highest
fsb speed and the ram is backwards compatible with that speed,
so you basically have a stick of ram that is not being used to it's full
potential.

 

[cheapgoose]

it does seem to be out of specs considering the board has no 1/5 didiver. but my board ran just fine. it topped out at 168fsb. win2k loads but resets if I run 3dmark. I dunno, I'm running a 2400xp now, and personally I would just wait. Everytime I wanna upgrade, my gf goes "wtf you need that for? all you do is surf and play games!"

but yea, if I got a single stick of ram, I would just try to oc it or just use it. who cares if it's not running at its full potential, you just got another 1/2 a gig of memory.