Which memory would you choose?

[Bateluer]

I currently have a P4 2.4C running at stock clock speeds. I dabbled with OCing it a while back and found that it would easily boot into windows at 3Ghz. Problem was that everytime you did anything that hit the memory, it would reboot. The temps at those speeds were no where near the danger zone though. Currently its using year old vanilla Corsair DDR400 RAM, which has proven itself to be solid memory. As such, I am inclined to purchase Corsair again.

Corsair XMS DDR500

However, there is some OCZ enchance RAM that also caught me eye with its slightly faster timings.

OCZ DDR500

The OCZ costs only a few dollars more and looks like it'd offer more in the way of headroom than the Corsair.

 

[Mullzy]

Did you try running your memory at 5:4? That would put your memory back to DDR400 and remove the need to buy more RAM.

 

[Bateluer]

Originally posted by: Mullzy
Did you try running your memory at 5:4? That would put your memory back to DDR400 and remove the need to buy more RAM.

Yep. Didn't work that well. Plus, I'd rather have a 1:1 FSB/RAM regardless.

 

[PhoenixOrion]

Obligatory promotion for Geil Ultra Platinum PC4000.

It's the only PC4000 at SPD of 2.5-4-4-7. All other DDR500 are at 3-4-4-8.

Cheapest too as compared to OCZ, Kingston, Corsair counterparts.

 

[Bateluer]

Originally posted by: PhoenixOrion
Obligatory promotion for Geil Ultra Platinum PC4000.

It's the only PC4000 at SPD of 2.5-4-4-7. All other DDR500 are at 3-4-4-8.

Cheapest too as compared to OCZ, Kingston, Corsair counterparts.

This seems to be faster than the Geil

Since I've never bought any Geil ram before, buying it kinda makes me nervous.

Edit - Is this the Geil you're talking about?

Thats quite a bit cheaper . . . Hmmm . . . more research is warranted.

 

[Corporate Thug]

OCZ over the corsair

but i own the GEIL, its awesome ram. just take a look at the anandtech review. i can run them @ cas 2 @ 225 mhz or up to 275 mhz @ cas 2.5 and 285 mhz @ cas 3

 

[PhoenixOrion]

That's the one @ $265. Do your research and all info should be favorable.

I've been using it for a couple of months now and then put it into my current P4 at an even 250mhz fsb at default vddr of 2.6v. Stable as a rock.

 

[MrK6]

If you're gonna pay that much for RAM, grab some 2-2-2-5 DDR400 and run it in 5:4, it'll be faster in everything except synthetic benchmarks, which really mean jacks*** anyway.

 

[Bateluer]

Originally posted by: MrK6
If you're gonna pay that much for RAM, grab some 2-2-2-5 DDR400 and run it in 5:4, it'll be faster in everything except synthetic benchmarks, which really mean jacks*** anyway.

After reading Anandtech's review of the Geil PC3200 Ultra X ram, I am inclined to agree. Problem is, I cannot find any for sale as yet.

 

[Arcanedeath]

Might wanna try the Crucial Ballistix memory it's listed @ aprox $144 per PC 4000 512mb dimms direct from crucial.com, Ananard did a review of it recently and it turned out to be some of the best OCing memory around. rated at cas 2.5 @ 2.8V @ PC 4000 speeds

 

[Bateluer]

Originally posted by: Arcanedeath
Might wanna try the Crucial Ballistix memory it's listed @ aprox $144 per PC 4000 512mb dimms direct from crucial.com, Ananard did a review of it recently and it turned out to be some of the best OCing memory around. rated at cas 2.5 @ 2.8V @ PC 4000 speeds

Which comes to 290 dollars. The DDR500 Geil is only 265. Not sure what the cost of the Geil Ultra X is yet though. I probably should have mentioned I need two 512MB sticks.

 

[3chordcharlie]

If it didn't work well at 5:4 doesn't that suggest that the overclock isn't entirely stable? I would want to get that sorted out before I spent serious money on new RAM.

 

[TStep]

I'm currently running a P4 2.4c at 275 fsb. Using the 5:4 mem ratio, the 2x256 Mushkin Level II PC3200 is at 220 2-2-2-6, 2.7v. Sweet and snappy. Motherboard is an Abit AI7.

 

[charloscarlies]

Another vote for the Geil Ultra. Mine does 250 @ spd rating of 2.5-4-4-7 on only 2.6 volts. With 2.9 vdimm mine will do 270 @ the same timings and 280 @ 3-4-4-8. It's very nice looking ram as well.

 

[Stormgiant]

I agree. Geil Ultra are pretty good. I had a 2x256 Kit of PC4200 that did 250 @ 2.5-3-3-6 and 270 @ 3-4-4-7 without a sweat and not at her max...

 

[Bateluer]

This might be cheaper than any RAM though.

 

[Stormgiant]

Originally posted by: Bateluer
This might be cheaper than any RAM though.

Why ?!? You asked for the best ram and now planning on changing from a P4C to a PrescHOT ???

 

[Bateluer]

Originally posted by: Stormgiant

Originally posted by: Bateluer
This might be cheaper than any RAM though.

Why ?!? You asked for the best ram and now planning on changing from a P4C to a PrescHOT ???

I'm just brainstorming ideas.

I'll probably stick with getting the RAM and OCing my 2.4C. It'd be too much of a pain in the butt to remove my copper HSF, clean with with alchohol to get the AS5 off, and reapply the AS5 for the new chip. I know my current chip has a good deal of headroom left in it. Its idling at 33^C right now.