PC3500 or PC3200 DDR...

[1nteger]

Has anyone heard anything about problems with PC3500 RAM. I am looking to get a couple of 512Mb chips (as games like the forthcoming Star Wars Galaxies are stating a recommended minimum of 512Mb ) but someone suggested not going for the PC3500 as it doesn't run as efficiently as the 'slower' PC3200.
Has anyone heard this or experienced the problem?

(More specifically, I am looking at two 512Mb Corsair PC3200 or PC3500 Cas2 Low Latency memory)

 

[muckshifter]

Some good info here

The memory does what it says on the box. It runs perfectly at 217MHz, (434MHz DDR), with aggressive timings. This makes it one of the fastest modules currently available. Unsurprisingly, this leaves very little overclocking headroom, less than 1%. Arguably, this makes it unattractive to overclockers but in reality this memory is capable of running at higher speeds than most people can currently reliably obtain from their systems. As such, most purchasers can be confident that it is not their memory holding them back in the overclocking stakes.

Overclocking aside ... what speed are you going run your HD at?
:brow:

 

[1nteger]

Overclocking aside ... what speed are you going run your HD at?
:brow:

Hard Drive? I'm not sure I understand? Can this be adjusted?My current HD is a 100ATA running at 7200rpm...in the new rig I'll be looking at a SATA 120Gb+ but still at 7200 (Until the new 10Krpm WD Raptors develop further) .

 

[muckshifter]

Up to 120.0GB capacity; Ultra ATA data transfer speeds up to 133Mbps; 7200 rpm; <9 ms average seek time; 8MB cache buffer.

Up to 120.0GB capacity; Serial ATA data transfer speeds up to 150Mbps; 7200 rpm spindle speed; 8MB cache buffer.

USB 2.0 interface; data transfer rates up to 480 Mbps; 8.9 average seek time; 7200 rpm maximum spindle speed.

 

[Quadophile]

I just got the Corsair 512 MB DDR Low Latency stick. I may not need another stick but just wondering if this is the right thing to do. Should I have two sticks of 256 each or one is better? I remember having read sometime back that higher capacity single stick is better than two. Any thoughts on this, anyone?

 

[muckshifter]

Got it in one Quad

... Two better than one?

Yep, you will not see any difference BUT, if one fails ... you have the other.

 

[Quadophile]

You really frighten me

I'll see what option I have from my trusty dealer

 

[1nteger]

Quad...I agree with Mucks that if you are only buying 512Mb then 2x256 gives u some security if one chip fails. But, a single DIMM is supposed to work more efficiently than 2.

Some apps now are starting to emerge that are recommending a minimum of 512Mb RAM. Admitedly these are games apps...and u might not ever want to go there, but if you do decide in future that u want to add more memory, and you only have three DIMM slots in your mobo, make sure your mobo can take it. If u have two 256 dimms already...you might have to dump one or both to be able to add memory.

Muckshifter...on the HDD thing...thanks for explaining. I'll definitely be sticking to internal drives and will probably looking into a SATA RAID config with another WD 8Mb cache (probably a 120Gb)...or i might just keep one drive in each of my two gleaming machines...one with an ATA100 connection and the other ATA133 or something...if i understood more about hard drives, I could explain (But I'm still keeping my eyes on the new WD 10,000rpm 'raptor' 8Mb cache...if they get bigger than 37Gb, they look very fast)

 

[muckshifter]

You really frighten me

Well I don't mean to ... I've always bought ram in pairs ... if I need to test a "customers" system and don't have any spare ram I just pop one out of the workshop computer.

 

[1nteger]

just wanted to add to my last message...

The difference in performance between one 512Mb dimm and 2 256Dimms is probably not that noticeable to really matter. Also, unless you really have need for more than 512Mb, then two 256 dimms are probably the way to go...for backup...so follow Muck's advice!

In my new rig I will be putting in 2x512Mbs simply 'cos I know I'll need 'em.8)

 

[hmmm]

wow 2x512 is impressive... well anyway i would think that two sticks would only have higher performance due to the new dual channeling of ddr memory that has been added into the newest boards lately, like my asus a7n8x

 

[1nteger]

Don't know if anyone's interested in mmorpg's (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Player games) but the makers of the 'Star Wars Galaxies' mmorpg (to be released in coming months) recommend a MINIMUM of 512Mb of memory8) ...other games in that genre currrently under development like Everquest2 will probably be just as demanding, if not more, as they pile on the special effects and capabilities of the games. For example, in SWG you will be able to jump into a star fighter and travel from planet to planet, taking in a few dogfights on the way! When your machine has to cope with hundreds of player and non-player characters online at any one time plus top-end graphics, AI, physics engines, etc...even a 128Mb GPU will need extra help:spin:

 

[1nteger]

... i would think that two sticks would only have higher performance due to the new dual channeling of ddr memory...

2 sticks of 256 would be slight less efficient than one of 512...likewise, 2 x512's will be less efficient than a single 1Gig dimm....mmmm...perhaps i should get 2x1Gb sticks ...just to be on the safe side8) ...
anyhow, by the time I move up to a full gig of ram, I hope to have an A7N8X myself (or something better if it takes me that long to save up) - nice board hmmm

 

[hmmm]

:brow: ......2x1gb...... that would rock but man u gotta have lots-o-cash, i only have 2x256

 

[1nteger]

Originally posted by hmmm
:brow: ......2x1gb...... that would rock but man u gotta have lots-o-cash, i only have 2x256

...yup, it would be expensive, but here's a scenario that I've seen work for a couple of people in the last 18 months or so...

A friend of mine is heavily into these massive multiplayer online games...he has two machines running at once and has 512Mb PC2700 memory in each, purchased when the memory was much more expensive than now...BUT, he needed the ram to enjoy the game which he has played extensively for that 18months. Now, he has 4 different characters all of which are at level 50 (the top level that takes some time to achive)...but not everyone likes to put that effort in and they are willing to pay real cash to buy 'ready-levelled' characters. My friend sells his four characters on eBay for over £300. That paid for the RAM. Reason for selling: he's preparing to start new characters in Star Wars Galaxies or Everquest2...for which, again, he will put a gig of RAM in at least one machine...maybe a gig in both.

Moral: it's expensive, but spread the cost out over 18months of enjoyment of the application that benefits from that much RAM and it's not so hard to justify...especially if u can make some money at the end!8)

Obviously though, it doesn't change the fact that 512Mb is more than enough for just about everything...I still have 2x256 sticks and i can't remeber ever needing much more than one of them...for me though I'll find any excuse to bang more power into my 'chine!!