Some questions about ram.

[bluesky]

I have 256mb cas2 crucial chip.
I wanna upgrade to 512mb.
If I put cas3 module, what's going to happen?
I can buy 170.00 for cas2 stick and about 220.00 for 512mb of cas3. Which way should I go?

 

[pm]

If you put in a CAS3 module and leave the motherboard to auto-detect the memory settings (on most motherboards, option "auto" in the menu), then it will run both the CAS2 and the CAS3 module at CAS3. If you override the default settings and run the memory at CAS2, then you will overclock the CAS3 module.

As far as what you should do, the difference between CAS2 and CAS3 is pretty insignificant. I'd get the CAS3 and pocket the money.

 

[bluesky]

Thanks, pm.
If I decide to upgrade to KT133A board later on, the cas3 chip won't make any difference compared to cas2?

 

[goldboyd]

i got a new 256meg cas3 crucial stick a few weeks ago, and it runs great at cas2

 

[pm]

I didn't say that it wouldn't make any difference - just that the difference is fairly insignificant.

Depending on who you talk to and what they are running the speed difference between CAS3 and CAS2 is 0% (for example, any apps that runs totally in the CPU's cache) to 10% (something that doesn't use the cache at all), but it's usually around 3-5%. For $50, you could spend it on something else in the system that would get you more of an improvement. Or save it for the next upgrade.