Which memory? PC3200 or PC4200 would be best

[frankgomez75]

Trying to decide which memory to go with...
I want to keep OC'ng but I'm about to do some intensive video editing too, so which would be better to go with.

Corsair XMS PC3200 2X512 (1GB)

or

OCZ EL PC4200 2X256 (512MB)



My specs are:
Abit IC7Max3
P4 3.0 Northwood
(2) 36GB Raptors in raid 0
(2) 160 GB Western Digitals non-raid
9800 Pro AIW w/VGA Silencer
SoundBlaster Audigy 2
Plextor 708A DVD-/+RW 8X
Digidoc 5

 

[zodder]

Tough question. I'm fairly new to the Intel scene (AMD for many years now), but this is what I gathered when I built mine:

If you are lucky enough to get that chip to 250, running tight PC3200 at 5:4 will give you the best performance. If you can't get to 250, PC4200 is your best bet because then you can run 1:1.

What do the experts think?

 

[Verdant]

tough call... and performance-wise it would come down do what type of video editing, etc...
but in my books, when dealing with video, more is better.

The difference in speed, though existant, will be probably be nullified by being able to keep another couple of hundred megs of a project in memory.

for everyday computer performance you'd want the faster memory for sure.

 

[zodder]

Oops! I just saw that the XMS3200 is a gig and the PC4200 is only 512. Now that really muddys it up. More RAM is always better, IMO. Especially if you are doing work with large files.

 

[frankgomez75]

Well, for sure my 3.0 can hit 3.8 to 3.9 as that is what I ran on everyday stable with my TEC on the CPU using DDR500.

Video editing wise would be just home video editing, using software like Adobe Premier and Photo appz like Adobe Photoshop
Wouldn't be on an everyday basis, its just a small part time hobby.

Want to keep hitting 3.8 or 3.9 running at 1:1 which would mean I need memory to hit 250-260FSB @ 1:1
I'm may be wrong here, but 1GB of Corsair XMS PC3200 won't hit 250FSB 1:1 will it? but can it hit it at 5:4?

 

[canadianpsycho]

Originally posted by: frankgomez75
Well, for sure my 3.0 can hit 3.8 to 3.9 as that is what I ran on everyday stable with my TEC on the CPU using DDR500.

Video editing wise would be just home video editing, using software like Adobe Premier and Photo appz like Adobe Photoshop
Wouldn't be on an everyday basis, its just a small part time hobby.

Want to keep hitting 3.8 or 3.9 running at 1:1 which would mean I need memory to hit 250-260FSB @ 1:1
I'm may be wrong here, but 1GB of Corsair XMS PC3200 won't hit 250FSB 1:1 will it? but can it hit it at 5:4?

250 FSB at 5:4 is DDR400. It should run it fine. I doubt XMS PC3200 would be able to do DDR500, although its not unheard of.

 

[smahoney]

I would say go with the gig and tight timings - iffy if you could get the OCZ to run at CAS 2.5 which would be need to beat the Corsair - But a gig is better than a half a gig - especially if your want to try playing UT2004.

 

[suklee]

I'd also go with one gig...

it doesnt matter if you got 512MB of PC9999, the one gig of PC3200 is better than 512 of anything, IMO.