Ram Upgrade - Mix PC3200 with PC2700?

[Jack B]

My brother has a computer I built for him 3 years ago with an Asus A7N8X mb
and 256 mb of DDR333 PC-2700 Ram. The MB manual says it supports PC3200,
so can we add a stick of PC3200 alongside the ram that is there now? Or are
we better off to just add some more PC-2700? We want to add a gig, which
the mb manual says is ok.
Thanks,



Jack

 

[Paul]

My brother has a computer I built for him 3 years ago with an Asus A7N8X
mb and 256 mb of DDR333 PC-2700 Ram. The MB manual says it supports
PC3200, so can we add a stick of PC3200 alongside the ram that is there
now? Or are we better off to just add some more PC-2700? We want to
add a gig, which the mb manual says is ok.
Thanks,



Jack

If the board support dual channel, you could use 2x512MB PC3200 sticks.
And put the DDR333 stick away for a rainy day. That is the best
config I can think of at the 1GB level. Dual channel doesn't help a whole
lot on those boards, as the FSB limits the usefulness of dual channel.
The FSB only has enough bandwidth for one stick of fast RAM. An FSB400
processor bus, 64 bits wide, can only handle a single DDR400 DIMM and
its 64 bits of data. So the improvement might be 5% or so on a good day,
in terms of bandwidth. But the extra RAM will certainly help Windows
performance, meaning less swapping etc.

If you had really slow RAM, like matching two PC2100 sticks, would give
a more detectable speedup. In other words, if you owned one stick of
PC2100, and matched it with a second stick of PC2100, you'd measure a
bigger improvement between the old and new configurations. But at
the DDR400 level, it is pretty well saturated.

You didn't mention the OS, and an OS like Win98 works trouble free with
512MB of RAM. Some of the newer OSes would not have an issue with the
total of RAM used.

In terms of speed, if the BIOS is set to DDR333, and you have PC3200
memory, that is OK because the memory is backward compatible with
slower speeds of operation. You can verify a few things about the
system, by using a program like CPUZ from cpuid.com .

Also, make sure you have quoted the entire motherboard model number,
as there are a bunch of motherboards with those five characters as
part of the name.

Paul

 

[Frank McCoy]

My brother has a computer I built for him 3 years ago with an Asus A7N8X mb
and 256 mb of DDR333 PC-2700 Ram. The MB manual says it supports PC3200,
so can we add a stick of PC3200 alongside the ram that is there now? Or are
we better off to just add some more PC-2700? We want to add a gig, which
the mb manual says is ok.
Thanks,

I'd do like I did with my machine:
Stick two sticks of PC3200 DDR400 512meg memory sticks in, and put the
old 256meg stick aside. It's actually easier and cheaper to buy PC3200
memory (which will work as PC2700 memory, BTW) than try to find some of
the old stuff.

Best Buy had some 512-meg sticks on sale just last week for about $45
each; so why bother with the older slower stuff in your machine when
it'll just slow down the computer?

 

[Paul]

I'd do like I did with my machine:
Stick two sticks of PC3200 DDR400 512meg memory sticks in, and put the
old 256meg stick aside. It's actually easier and cheaper to buy PC3200
memory (which will work as PC2700 memory, BTW) than try to find some of
the old stuff.

Best Buy had some 512-meg sticks on sale just last week for about $45
each; so why bother with the older slower stuff in your machine when
it'll just slow down the computer?

You could even get some CAS2 PC3200 memory, for prices around there.
The Best Buy stuff could be CAS3 and slower. (The CAS2 might make them
sell better later.)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...0170147+1052107965+1052508679&Subcategory=147

Always check the reviews for each of the products, to detect the ones
that don't really meet their specs or were Dead On Arrival. I've had
some CAS2 PC3200 on my A7N8X-E Deluxe and been quite happy with them.
(Paid a lot more than $45 a stick though.)

Paul

 

[kony]

My brother has a computer I built for him 3 years ago with an Asus A7N8X mb
and 256 mb of DDR333 PC-2700 Ram.

What CPU is in it? I ask because you will want the memory
bus at least as fast as the CPU FSB.

The MB manual says it supports PC3200,
so can we add a stick of PC3200 alongside the ram that is there now?

Yes, that will work fine, all else being equal. By that I
mean that adding memory can occasionally cause complications
due to random incompatibility or just overzealous spec's
released by the memory manufacturer, but in general what you
propose will work fine. Just be sure to test it with
memtest86+ for several hours before running the OS, making
any changes if necessary before doing that to avoid
potential file corruption and the more obvious, general
system instability.

Or are
we better off to just add some more PC-2700?

No, PC3200 is backwards compatible and the better choice at
this point except for one particular situation - if the
present PC2700 were rated for CAS2, and you bought a PC3200
module rated for CAS2.5 or 3, and it retained a > CAS2.0
rating for PC2700/333MHz bus speed, it would cause a small
single-digit memory subsystem performance loss. It might
not be noticable at all in use, but I mention this
complication anyway - and the same would hold true if the
present memory were PC2700 CAS2.0 and you added PC2700
CAS2.5 or 3. Most people didn't buy CAS2.0 though in this
case, it was at a cost premium for awhile and usually
someone building a system with only 256MB would not have
chosen it.

So in general, the typical system in this state would be
upgraded with a PC3200 module rated for CAS2.5, as it is
negligable expense over the slightly slower CAS3, but often
a percentage cheaper than CAS2, and CAS2 operation would
require all memory rated for CAS2. I have ignored the other
memory timings as it can be a whole subtopic onto itself.

The board can detect and use SPD programmed timings so it is
not an issue that "should" interfere with just putting in
the memory, testing with memtest86+, and being done with the
upgrade.

We want to add a gig, which
the mb manual says is ok.
Thanks,

Had you decided between 2 x 512MB and 1 x 1GB?
The board can run dual channel mode but it's a negligable
performance gain - a little, but not enough to really change
any other plans. If you are sure this memory would never be
used in another system, you might get the 2 x 512MB merely
because it tends to be cheaper. If there is any chance of
reusing it later, you might find 1 x 1GB module more useful,
as later games, Vista OS, etc, are bound to use more memory
and so starting out with a 1GB module, you have more free
memory slots or a match for a 2nd 1GB module bought later...
but on the other hand, newer platforms don't use DDR(1)
beyond AMD socket 939, so it's your call...

I suggest buying the cheapest PC3200 CAS2.5 rated for a
voltage of 2.6V or lower (2.5) at Newegg.com
Since they have such a good return policy it offsets the
minor possibility the memory you bought would be
problematic, unlike buying generic memory from some
bottom-feeder on pricewatch/etc.

 

[Jack B]

The OS is Windows XP, and I don't see any more numbers on the mb ID in the
manual. The manual states the board has 3 184 pin sockets and "Max 3 GB
unbuffered PC3200/2700.../1600 non ECC DDR Ram. Dual channel DDR400
support".

We're just trying to do a simple upgrade to the computer - I'm inclined to
just get a 1 G stick, PC 3200, to add to the system, as long as it will work
with the stick already there. That leaves room for another stick in the
future, although it probably won't be needed.

 

[Jack B]

Processor is Athlon XP 2500/333

Newegg lists these 2 options, which I am leaning towards fo no particular
reason. Both have cas 3. The stick in the computer now is Kingston.

Kingston ValueRAM 1GB 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Desktop Memory
Model KVR400X64C3A/1G - Retail $92

CORSAIR ValueSelect 1GB 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Desktop Memory
Model VS1GB400C3 - Retail $75

Thanks,

Jack

 

[kony]

Processor is Athlon XP 2500/333

Newegg lists these 2 options, which I am leaning towards fo no particular
reason. Both have cas 3. The stick in the computer now is Kingston.

Kingston ValueRAM 1GB 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Desktop Memory
Model KVR400X64C3A/1G - Retail $92

CORSAIR ValueSelect 1GB 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Desktop Memory
Model VS1GB400C3 - Retail $75

If I had to choose between these I'd get the Corsair. There
is no need to get Kingston because it had that, and actually
there is no guarantee at all that two sticks of Kingston are
even the same memory as Kingston buys up surplus memory
chips and tends to vary what they're selling just as much as
anybody else.

 

[Frank McCoy]

The OS is Windows XP, and I don't see any more numbers on the mb ID in the
manual. The manual states the board has 3 184 pin sockets and "Max 3 GB
unbuffered PC3200/2700.../1600 non ECC DDR Ram. Dual channel DDR400
support".

We're just trying to do a simple upgrade to the computer - I'm inclined to
just get a 1 G stick, PC 3200, to add to the system, as long as it will work
with the stick already there. That leaves room for another stick in the
future, although it probably won't be needed.

IMO, you'd do better to stick in the 1-gig PC3200, and toss the old
256mb chip in the trash (or spare-parts bin). Things would run faster,
better, and safer.

 

[Frank McCoy]

You could even get some CAS2 PC3200 memory, for prices around there.
The Best Buy stuff could be CAS3 and slower. (The CAS2 might make them
sell better later.)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...0170147+1052107965+1052508679&Subcategory=147

Um ... Those look about the same specs as what I got.
Personally, I'd rather buy OTC than online for better time and service.

Always check the reviews for each of the products, to detect the ones
that don't really meet their specs or were Dead On Arrival. I've had
some CAS2 PC3200 on my A7N8X-E Deluxe and been quite happy with them.
(Paid a lot more than $45 a stick though.)

Well, the *list* price on these was about $79 a stick.
I think they were a closeout; as they stop carrying sticks under 1-gig
in PC3200. They don't seem to want to carry memory under about $80
apiece. ;-{

So everything is getting either bigger or faster ... for a higher price.

Disk drives are the same way.

 

[kony]

Um ... Those look about the same specs as what I got.
Personally, I'd rather buy OTC than online for better time and service.

It takes about 3 days to get most parts from Newegg, not so
bad, but sometimes there are decent deals from OTC if sales
and rebates are involved... but unfortunately not so often
with 1GB modules as 512MB.

 

[Frank McCoy]

It takes about 3 days to get most parts from Newegg, not so
bad, but sometimes there are decent deals from OTC if sales
and rebates are involved... but unfortunately not so often
with 1GB modules as 512MB.

Yeah ... and the reason the prices are decent on the 512mb modules is
that they're going obsolete; and soon will be quite hard to find.

Still, if (like I did) what you want is 1-gig memory, then grabbing two
512mb sticks can be a *lot* cheaper than buying a 1-gig stick. If you
plan on adding more later, then that might not be so smart.

However, I've been running *just fine* with 512mb in the machine for
over a year now with XP; so I figure upping it to 1-gig is just icing on
the cake. Nice tasty icing, but nothing that makes large differences in
how the machine runs.

By the time I feel a need to downgrade my system to Vista or something
similar, it'll likely be time to get a new motherboard, CPU, and some
completely newer type of onboard memory, while this machine finds a home
doing stuff for my wife or somebody similar; and even 512mb of non-DDR
memory would do just fine. (Yes, I still have some of that; and it does
work fine in the machine.)

 

[kony]

Yeah ... and the reason the prices are decent on the 512mb modules is
that they're going obsolete; and soon will be quite hard to find.

I doubt this, it's not that hard to find 256MB right now.
There are still 35 different 512MB DDR1 products at Newegg,
not counting those packaged as 2 x 512MB for 1GB total.
There are only 34 1GB DDR1 modules there. The key to when
they start phasing out a certain module size is usually when
the density of the chips would result in that capacity
taking less than one entire side of the module. 512MB still
uses the whole front side for the most common modules.

Still, if (like I did) what you want is 1-gig memory, then grabbing two
512mb sticks can be a *lot* cheaper than buying a 1-gig stick. If you
plan on adding more later, then that might not be so smart.

It was cheaper, but not much any more unless you count the
rebates. They do make a difference though, but I find it
less and less likely to buy 1GB modules these days, that's
sinking a significant % of the system's value into upgrades,
and historically speaking I end up with the situation you
mentioned previously, lots of old memory lying around
waiting for a motherboard and use for it. I usually put it
in fileservers.

However, I've been running *just fine* with 512mb in the machine for
over a year now with XP; so I figure upping it to 1-gig is just icing on
the cake. Nice tasty icing, but nothing that makes large differences in
how the machine runs.

It has a lot to do with what jobs you're running, some
people can't even play a video game with 512MB anymore, it
would drastically kill their performance. Similarly so for
those who don't reboot their system very often, that extra
memory will substantially reduce HDD (re)reads.