Which Memory Should i get for my new system *URGENT*

SlickAU

Member
Jul 3, 2005
84
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Hey Everyone,;)

Yay! I'm getting my new rig tommorrow (Athlon64 3200+ (SKT 939) Venice & Probably the Gigabyte K8NS Ultra ). :light:

I will be using her for mostly gaming (BF2, HL2, OFP 2 (when it comes out) etc.) and i was wondering what Combination of RAM Should I Get? YES I WILL BE OVERCLOCKING (a little)

Before you look @ the below can u answer this question:
Will having 1 set of DDR Dual Channel RAM Modules along with 2 Single channel RAM Modules turn off the Dual Channel by having the other 2 single channel RAM Modules on?

Should I get:
:confused:
1x Corsair 512MB TWINX-3200 (400MHz) DUAL CHANNEL <- which is 2x256MB sticks @ 2 CAS, BUT with 2 x 512MB DDR Single channel memory modules.
===TOTAL: 2GB DDR RAM (1GB running on dual channel the other Single Channel)===

OR

1 x Corsair Value Select 1GB DDR RAM DUAL CHANNEL <- 2x 512MB sticks
WITH 1x 512MB DDR Generic RAM Single Channel. THIS WILL MAKE THE DUAL CHANNEL RAM RUN @ SINGLE CHANNEL (As far as i know)
===TOTAL: 1.5GB DDR RAM (All single channel - or is it?)===

Thanks all!:laugh:

P.S- Is the above MOBO good for O/Cing?

=====
Athlon XP 1900+ (soon to be Athlon64 3200+)
512MB DDR400 RAM
GA 6600GT
120GB WD 8MB Cache
 

gmariog

Junior Member
Jul 8, 2005
2
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0
first, consider that u dont need 2 GB RAM for gaming.
1 GB RAM will be more than enough for all games for next 2 years. i hope so :)

that means, u should discard both of your choices and get urself 2x512 MB 400 MHz (or 433) Corsair XMS memory, put it in Dual Channel, and ur rig is ready to rock.
 

Cobalt

Diamond Member
Apr 3, 2000
4,642
1
81
If possible, I would go for 2x 1gig sticks because BF2 seems to run a lot smoother on 2gigs then 1. I'm gonna be making the switch soon.
 

SlickAU

Member
Jul 3, 2005
84
0
0
lol...both of those are too expensive!!! I think i will get either the:

- Corsair 512MB TWINX-3200C2 (400MHz) (2x256mb)

OR

- Corsair 512M (2 x 256MB Kit) PC-3200 VALUE SELECT

IS IT WORTH SPENDING AN EXTRA $37.80(AUS) TO GET THE BETTER OF THE 2 (TWINX). IF YES, WHAT WILL BE THE END PERFORMANCE INNCREASE BE?
 

SlickAU

Member
Jul 3, 2005
84
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0
Sweet shall do...now i can actually afford to buy BF2 (just)!!!

Anyone up for a game? :)
 

SlickAU

Member
Jul 3, 2005
84
0
0
lol no im going to be getting the 512mb DDR Corsair VS ram...dont forget its 512mb DDR DUAL CHANNEL my friend...

Just one more question...would it be faster to have use the new 512mb DDR Dual channel along with an additional 512mb DDR stick? (i.e- so it would be running at 1GB DDR SINGLE CHANNEL)

Or would it be faster just having it in dual channel mode and running it at 512mb ddr dual channel?
 

peleejosh

Golden Member
Dec 11, 2004
1,521
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0
Originally posted by: SlickAU
lol no im going to be getting the 512mb DDR Corsair VS ram...dont forget its 512mb DDR DUAL CHANNEL my friend...

Just one more question...would it be faster to have use the new 512mb DDR Dual channel along with an additional 512mb DDR stick? (i.e- so it would be running at 1GB DDR SINGLE CHANNEL)

Or would it be faster just having it in dual channel mode and running it at 512mb ddr dual channel?

Wait i am confused. I thought you were getting a 1gb (2x512) kit. dual channel doesn mean a whole lot, performance wise.
 

Shimmishim

Elite Member
Feb 19, 2001
7,504
0
76
Originally posted by: SlickAU
lol no im going to be getting the 512mb DDR Corsair VS ram...dont forget its 512mb DDR DUAL CHANNEL my friend...

Just one more question...would it be faster to have use the new 512mb DDR Dual channel along with an additional 512mb DDR stick? (i.e- so it would be running at 1GB DDR SINGLE CHANNEL)

Or would it be faster just having it in dual channel mode and running it at 512mb ddr dual channel?

you are getting confused...

dual channel has to do with the motherboard, not with the ram... technically, you can run dual channel with any 2 mem modules (usually same size i believe)... brand don't matter... it's a matter of how you stick the modules into your motherboard...

the skt 939 motherboards these days have color coordinated slots... i.e. 2 orange and 2 yellow memory slots... in order to run dual channel, you put 2 sticks of ram into matching slots...

so you'd take a 512 meg module and another 512 meg module and stick them both into the orange slot and you'd be running your mem in dual channel...

or... if you take a 512 meg module and another 512 meg module and stick them into unmatching slots, one orange and one yellow, you'd be running in single channel... but why would you want to do that when you have a mobo capable of dual channel? you wouldn't!

so to answer your question... 2 x 256 in dual channel would give you some performance gain over 1 individual 512 mem module...

if i were you though, i'd buy a 2 x 512 meg kit ... corsair has some nice value select for dirt cheap... and then... run them in dual channel (2 matching slots)...

or if you can't afford it.... get 1 x 512 meg stick now and then get another 512 meg stick down the line...
 

peleejosh

Golden Member
Dec 11, 2004
1,521
0
0
Originally posted by: Shimmishim
Originally posted by: SlickAU
lol no im going to be getting the 512mb DDR Corsair VS ram...dont forget its 512mb DDR DUAL CHANNEL my friend...

Just one more question...would it be faster to have use the new 512mb DDR Dual channel along with an additional 512mb DDR stick? (i.e- so it would be running at 1GB DDR SINGLE CHANNEL)

Or would it be faster just having it in dual channel mode and running it at 512mb ddr dual channel?

you are getting confused...

dual channel has to do with the motherboard, not with the ram... technically, you can run dual channel with any 2 mem modules (usually same size i believe)... brand don't matter... it's a matter of how you stick the modules into your motherboard...

the skt 939 motherboards these days have color coordinated slots... i.e. 2 orange and 2 yellow memory slots... in order to run dual channel, you put 2 sticks of ram into matching slots...

so you'd take a 512 meg module and another 512 meg module and stick them both into the orange slot and you'd be running your mem in dual channel...

or... if you take a 512 meg module and another 512 meg module and stick them into unmatching slots, one orange and one yellow, you'd be running in single channel... but why would you want to do that when you have a mobo capable of dual channel? you wouldn't!

so to answer your question... 2 x 256 in dual channel would give you some performance gain over 1 individual 512 mem module...

if i were you though, i'd buy a 2 x 512 meg kit ... corsair has some nice value select for dirt cheap... and then... run them in dual channel (2 matching slots)...

or if you can't afford it.... get 1 x 512 meg stick now and then get another 512 meg stick down the line...



Except in some MSI motherboards, then you stick one in one color and one in the other for dual channel. Confusing
 

Shimmishim

Elite Member
Feb 19, 2001
7,504
0
76
Originally posted by: peleejosh
Originally posted by: Shimmishim
Originally posted by: SlickAU
lol no im going to be getting the 512mb DDR Corsair VS ram...dont forget its 512mb DDR DUAL CHANNEL my friend...

Just one more question...would it be faster to have use the new 512mb DDR Dual channel along with an additional 512mb DDR stick? (i.e- so it would be running at 1GB DDR SINGLE CHANNEL)

Or would it be faster just having it in dual channel mode and running it at 512mb ddr dual channel?

you are getting confused...

dual channel has to do with the motherboard, not with the ram... technically, you can run dual channel with any 2 mem modules (usually same size i believe)... brand don't matter... it's a matter of how you stick the modules into your motherboard...

the skt 939 motherboards these days have color coordinated slots... i.e. 2 orange and 2 yellow memory slots... in order to run dual channel, you put 2 sticks of ram into matching slots...

so you'd take a 512 meg module and another 512 meg module and stick them both into the orange slot and you'd be running your mem in dual channel...

or... if you take a 512 meg module and another 512 meg module and stick them into unmatching slots, one orange and one yellow, you'd be running in single channel... but why would you want to do that when you have a mobo capable of dual channel? you wouldn't!

so to answer your question... 2 x 256 in dual channel would give you some performance gain over 1 individual 512 mem module...

if i were you though, i'd buy a 2 x 512 meg kit ... corsair has some nice value select for dirt cheap... and then... run them in dual channel (2 matching slots)...

or if you can't afford it.... get 1 x 512 meg stick now and then get another 512 meg stick down the line...



Except in some MSI motherboards, then you stick one in one color and one in the other for dual channel. Confusing

hehehe.. that is confusing :) but i think he'll understand what i mean...
 

SrGuapo

Golden Member
Nov 27, 2004
1,035
0
0
1GB of value RAM will perform better than 512 MB of any other RAM in gaming. Just run a divider.
 

SlickAU

Member
Jul 3, 2005
84
0
0
Hey all...thanks for your reply's. I got my new rig today (woohoo).

I was scared as heck when the blue screen of death came up for windows (fortunately when i ran windows repair this fixed the problem)

Well here is what I ended up getting:

Athlon64 3200+ Venice :)
Gigabtye K8NS Ultra Mobo
1GB DDR Dual Channel Geil memory (2x 512mb Sticks)

I only have 1 more question to ask...lol.

Is my CPU supposed to be running at a speed clock speed of 200Mhz? Shouldn't it be 400MHz???

Thanks for your replies everyone!!! Legends
 

gmariog

Junior Member
Jul 8, 2005
2
0
0
I think that enabling dual channel requires 2 indentical ram modules, that means same size, type and timings. btw, geil has nice memory :) good choice
 

KeypoX

Diamond Member
Aug 31, 2003
3,655
0
71
Originally posted by: gmariog
I think that enabling dual channel requires 2 indentical ram modules, that means same size, type and timings. btw, geil has nice memory :) good choice


Man i feel like i am so old... dual channel does NOT require 2 of the same sticks, you could use a 256mb of OCZ and a 1gig of corsair if you were so inclined. Now there has been some issues over the years with certain brands working together, but mostly it will be fine.

So buy your value and after trying a few more builds you will learn why people spend so much on their memory.

 

KeypoX

Diamond Member
Aug 31, 2003
3,655
0
71
Originally posted by: SlickAU
Hey all...thanks for your reply's. I got my new rig today (woohoo).

I was scared as heck when the blue screen of death came up for windows (fortunately when i ran windows repair this fixed the problem)

Well here is what I ended up getting:

Athlon64 3200+ Venice :)
Gigabtye K8NS Ultra Mobo
1GB DDR Dual Channel Geil memory (2x 512mb Sticks)

I only have 1 more question to ask...lol.

Is my CPU supposed to be running at a speed clock speed of 200Mhz? Shouldn't it be 400MHz???

Thanks for your replies everyone!!! Legends


amd 200= 400 , 200x2... you should take a look at cpuz it will tell you more which is your bus speed as well

intel is 200=800, 200x4