1.

Solve : RAM Memory?

Answer»

Classic question which do I buy? The situation is that I have a motherboard with 4 memory slots (DDR2: PC2-5300, PC2-6400C5 & DDR2 PC2-8500 supported). The build currently has 2x512Mb 5300's installed but I want to add another Gb. I am now only able to buy 1Gb> sticks and the only company that had 512's wanted to charge me $50 to send them.

So do I add a single stick of RAM to the current installed?
http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/prods/Components/Memory-PCAndLaptop/DDR2-PC2-5300/667MHz/Corsair/VS1GB667D2.html

~Result~

Slot 0: 512Mb DDR2 PC2-5300 Dual Channel (667MHz)
Slot 1: 512Mb DDR2 PC2-5300 Dual Channel (667MHz)
Slot 2: 1024Mb DDR2 PC2-5300 Single Channel (667MHz)
Slot 3: Empty

Or replace the memory completely with newer/faster?
http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/prods/Components/Memory-PCAndLaptop/DDR2-PC2-6400/800MHz/Novatech/RAM-802GK.html

~Result~

Slot 0: 1024Mb DDR2 PC2-6400 Dual Channel (800MHz)
Slot 1: 1024Mb DDR2 PC2-6400 Dual Channel (800MHz)
Slot 2: Empty
Slot 3: Empty

I'm thinking performance here, will matching pairs of dual channel memory be worth the MONEY? Or will 2 dual 512's and a 1Gb be just as good?Go here and let them test your memory and make recommendations. Good company, good PRICES, good service, and good warranties. Even if you don't buy from them it's a good starting point.

http://www.crucial.com/index.aspxCan your computer even go at the maximum speed? I have a computer with DDR2 memory and I brought PC2-5300 which goes 667mhz/533/mhz/400mhz

My computer is running the memory at 333mhz which is slower then the slowest the memory can go..

I would say check out your memory speed and motherboard to see how fast your memory can go.

Based on what you want and your current memory speed how about:

Slot 1: 1024MB
Slot 2: 512 MB
Slot 3: 1024MB
Slot 4: 512 MB
____________
3 GB of memory ( Remember to pair up the memory in there slots dual channel for MAX performance) Mine is slot 1 and 3 2 and 4 to pair them up yours look like 1 and 2?


There is no harm in adding slower memory because the faster memory would slow down to the slower memory.

Can your motherboard handle more then 4 GB of memory? If you install 4 GB of memory you might get 3.2. or 3.3 GB recognized out of 4. Even though it says max is 4. There is some addressing issues so the max it can recognize is 3.x

If you have 3 GB of memory you would be a couple of hundred MB short but, better then getting 4 GB and not having your PC use all 4 GB.Quote

There is no harm in adding slower memory because the faster memory would slow down to the slower memory.

This sounds backwards....or i'm mis=reading....
Why add slower memory for any reason other than to use what's on hand ? ?
With today's RAM prices there would be no reason to do so...Also, the RAM speed that is shown in BIOS is half of the speed it's running at.

DDR means "Double Data Rate". BIOS reads it as SDRAM, which is why it's only showing half the speed.

Also note that half of 667MHz is 333.5MHz. BIOS doesn't show the .5MHz.

If your motherboard's FSB is 667, and you install 800, then it will only run at 667. From what I can see though, your FSB should be 1066MHz, so 667 would be the slower RAM in this case.With faster memory there is only a slight performance difference to me.

I currently have 2 HP DC5100MT, same hardware specs EXCEPT the only difference is the memory.

one uses the new PC2-5300 x2 and the other uses PC2-3200 x4 memory

The faster memory boost my CPU speed by only 2MHz

Intel Pentium 4 2.80 Ghz (520) Prescott


With PC2-5300 x2 2793.22MHz
With PC2-3200 x4 2791.56MHz

I don't know what uses alot of memory or where you will notice a difference, but from what I have seen there is very little boost in performance when doing anything.

Opening applications is about the same, running games are about the same also.


I have yet found a justification for faster memory, from my experience faster memory does not guarantee that "wow" performance for the price.

I upgraded my SDRAM PC100 to SDRAM PC133 and Then my DDR2 from PC2-3200 to PC-5300 and I see very little performance boost per the price I paid for memory.


The only reason why I brought PC2-5300 was because I needed to upgrade to 2 GB and it was what cruical recommended that or PC2-6400.

My computer is not high tech or anything "exciting" it gets the job done on what I need. Maybe the prices have come down now, but when I went to get memory I think they were a bit PRICEY and I have yet seen the cost per boost.

I agree, Windows98.

I just thought i'd point out why a PC shows half the speed of the RAM installed. It's not that it's running slower, that's just how BIOS shows it.Thanks I think that just having the single works out just as good from what you have said.

Some of you had the wrong end of the stick though. My second option (replace memory) only had PC2-6400 memory because it was cheaper than getting the same amount of PC2-5300.

Thanks anyway though and my bad in the first place for listing too much info

Now is everyone is sure that I wont loose performance by mixing single channel with dual? I.e. the single channel wont run at 333MHz to match the dual?


Discussion

No Comment Found

Related InterviewSolutions