Two sticks of 256 or one 512 RAM?

[nickv360]

Well, is it better to have to sticks of 256?

http://www.newegg.com/app/view...=20-220-001&DEPA=1

Or one stick of 512?

http://www.newegg.com/app/View...=20-145-479&depa=1


I have ~90 dollars to spend max.

 

[Appledrop]

id say the 512, for future upgradeability to 1gb (1gb is alot nicer than 512 esp for gaming)

 

[ts3433]

Get that one stick of 512MB. It's rated PC3200, the other is PC2700. It'll also, of course, be easier to upgrade to a gig. Dual channel shouldn't matter unless you run a P4, where I think it can provide a substantial performance increase.

 

[effee]

I'd get 1 stick 512mb..

 

[nickv360]

But lets say that I get one stick of 512 PC-3200. Thats a 400mhz stick right? If I get two 256's @ PC-3200, I get 512mb, but 800mhz(400 each.)

So, the only good reason to get one stick of 512 is so that I can add another one later?

 

[ts3433]

Originally posted by: nickv360
Thats a 400mhz stick right? If I get two 256's @ PC-3200, I get 512mb, but 800mhz(400 each.)

No. You don't get twice the performance running 2x256 versus 1x512 in single channel. Dual channel is different, of course--you can only do that with the 2x256--but it provides very minimal performance benefit on anything but a P4, so don't bother.

 

[nickv360]

Dual Channel is controlled by the mobo right?

 

[ts3433]

Yes, to use dual channel, your chipset must support it, except with S939 A64s, because the memory controller is on the processor in the K8 architecture.

 

[Zepper]

There's another current thread on the same topic in this section. My opinion is there.
.bh.