Upgrading to 1GB of memory, good for the long run?

[Intelman07]

I currently have a P4 2.6 @ 3.2 and 512MB of DDR 400 in dual channel mode on a P4P800 Deluxe. I was wondering if I asked for another 512, of the same type, if that would be worth it? I game a lot, and do run a lot of memory intensive applications. In the near future, there shouldn't be a need for more than 1GB should there? Also, a question that remotely goes along with this, in a P4PE, since it has 3 DIMM slots, can I have 2 256 and 1 512? Thanks!

 

[RussianSensation]

HMm...i've never heard of Asus P4P800 having 3 dimm slots????

Since 865 chipset is dual-channel, there should be 4 slots for memory. You should definately double-check that. Maybe you didn't look carefully or named the wrong board.

As far as RaM goes, I think this depends on how often you upgrade. If you wont' be upgrading for another 2 years, i'd just get 2x256 sticks. Since in the future AMD might also switch to DDRII, making your DDRI ram obsolete. Then why spend extra money on DDRI ram now when you probably won't reuse it in 2 years. Also, if a game will require more than 1 gig to run smoothly, chances are your whole computer will become too slow for it (means videocard and cpu are too slow). I think 1 gig should last you for 2 years easily since even with Doom 3 (the most intensive game), going from 512 to 1 gig produces only slight imporements.

If you plan on upgrading sooner, then if you get 2x512 sticks now, you could simlpy reuse them in the new system.

EDIT: If you do photoshop or seriously intense memory apps, the more the better. If you game and upgrading this system for gaming purposes, forget getting extra 512mb of ram right now since it seems your videocard is only 4200. Put everything towards your videocard if you are a gamer.

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: Intelman07
I currently have a P4 2.6 @ 3.2 and 512MB of DDR 400 in dual channel mode on a P4P800 Deluxe. I was wondering if I asked for another 512, of the same type, if that would be worth it? I game a lot, and do run a lot of memory intensive applications. In the near future, there shouldn't be a need for more than 1GB should there? Also, a question that remotely goes along with this, in a P4PE, since it has 3 DIMM slots, can I have 2 256 and 1 512? Thanks!

Easy one first, the P4PE uses a chipset that handles a maximum of four banks of RAM. So you could use one double-sided 512 with two single-sided 256's.

I was kicking around the 1GB question too. I see that Everquest2 can evidently eat 2GB of RAM, and I can routinely blow through about 700-1000MB doing image editing with moderately-high-resolution images (all those layers of Undo add up fast!), so maybe get a pair of 512's ($160 for Corsair Value Select PC3200 twin-pack of 512's if that floats your boat). That puts you at 1.5GB, or you could sell off your 256's or use them elsewhere and still have 1GB plus room for more.

/ 2¢ worth

 

[Intelman07]

Well, I confused you guys lol. I have two computers, one is a P4P800 deluxe with 2 256 sticks of ddr400, and another is a p4pe with 2 sticks of ddr 333. The p4p800 deluxe has 4 slots, the p4pe has 3 slots, which i wondered supported 2 256 and 1 512 stick.

 

[Gurck]

A gb is noticeably faster than 512mb for even normal, everyday windows operations. Having an OC'd cpu & gpu, and only 512mb of low-latency ram with heatspreaders and such is imo no different than plastering "Type-R" stickers all over a 90bhp Honda Civic...