RAM, What to do>?

Radio91PRadio91P Layton, UT New
edited August 2006 in Hardware
Hey guys,

Trying to decide between DDR2667 with 3-3-3-10 timings, or DDR2800 at 4-4-3-12. Which one of these combinations would provide the best performance?
There is about $120 price difference. Here are the kits.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductCompare.asp?SubCategory=542&CompareItemList=N82E16820146093%2CN82E16820146108

Thanks for the thoughts!

Radio91P

Comments

  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2006
    For what motherboard and CPU?
  • NightwolfNightwolf Afghanistan Member
    edited August 2006
    Why mushkin?
  • Radio91PRadio91P Layton, UT New
    edited August 2006
    AMD Athlon 3800+ X2
    ASUS M2N32-SLI deluxe wifi edition
    Silencer 750 PC power and cooling.

    I have the ASUS M2N-E right now with the DDR2800 4-4-3-10, but only 2x512
    would like the 2x1gb

    Thanks
    Radio91P
  • Radio91PRadio91P Layton, UT New
    edited August 2006
    I don't have to get the Mushkin, they just had the best timings. I was also thinking about the XMS2 with the EPP.

    What other brands should I be looking at. Is Patriot, OCZ, or Crucial.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2006
    You overclock?
  • Radio91PRadio91P Layton, UT New
    edited August 2006
    Yeah, I am looking to try and get this setup to 2.6 to 2.8. I don't have that much experience ocing Ram though. Usually use pretty drastic dividers to try and keep the Ram as close to stock as possible. Would like to start ocing the ram more though.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited August 2006
    For what motherboard and CPU?
    Another good question was aksed: "Do you overclock." If you intend to overclock the CPU and memory, then DDR2 800 would be a better choice. If your goal is just CPU overclocking, which is what I primarily do, then save yourself a stack of money and get DDR2 667. But that is with a proviso - your motherboard will need to CPU-memory dividers. If you don't know what those are, just ask.

    Is the purpose of overclocking to achieve a specific goal, such as Folding@Home, or is it to improve overall performance? Or, will it be just for the fun of it? That would make a difference in what type of DRAM to select.
  • Radio91PRadio91P Layton, UT New
    edited August 2006
    The main reason that I will be overclocking is to gain performance. My last rig a had about a 20 percent oc and the difference was noticable. If I can get this bugger to 2.6, that is the same as the 5000+. Saving me some bucks. As far as ocing the ram, I usually don't oc the ram very much at all.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2006
    Okay, well, the AM2 is a 333.33MHz system bus (Real clock) meaning a 333*6 = 2000MHz. To get it up to 2.6GHz, you'll need to get a 433MHz system bus. If you want to get the memory up there, you're into PC2-7200 territory.

    I think lemonlime would be better suited to help. I don't know a whole lot about how dividers work, because technologically I'm still stuck in the era where FSB = Memory speed... Period. Dividers are the devil on my PC.
  • Radio91PRadio91P Layton, UT New
    edited August 2006
    I would have to get DDR2900 to keep up with the overclock is basically what you are saying right? I have only been doing this stuff for about 9 months so stick with me. Thanks for the help guys.

    Radio91P
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited August 2006
    I don't know what the divider options are on X2/AM2 boards. I know that on the higher end LGA775 boards, there is a rich selection of dividers. I can clock, say for instance, my D915 rig from the stock 2.8GHz all the way up to 4.1GHz and keep the DRAM close to stock frequency if I wish. But then, with "overclocking RAM" I could just keep it at a 1:1 ratio with the CPU front side bus. On my main machine, I overclock the DRAM a little, but on the other machines I just use value RAM and keep it near stock. For me, raw CPU power is more important than a high memory speed, as the main purpose for my overclocking is Folding@Home production. I used to benchmark, but only do that occasionally now.

    Another reason I generally don't overclock the RAM much is for compromise. I have several machines, of which most I upgrade at least annually. I just can't justify upgrading all the components. I do have a household budget. I usually purchase used processors and motherboards for excellent prices but find high performance memory, even used, to be rather expensive. It's just not worth it to me.
  • Radio91PRadio91P Layton, UT New
    edited August 2006
    How does that work in the bios? In the bios it goes from 200mhz up with a multiplier of 5 and up. It is stock at 200 and 10. How does this differ from what you are talking about?>
  • Radio91PRadio91P Layton, UT New
    edited August 2006
    I think I have a pretty good grasp on what I am going to do now. Thanks for the help.

    :Rocker:
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited August 2006
    How does that work in the bios? In the bios it goes from 200mhz up with a multiplier of 5 and up. It is stock at 200 and 10. How does this differ from what you are talking about?
    Depending on the motherboard, there will be a BIOS section that allows you to set the DRAM speed, not just the timings but the operating frequency. If that section - the dividers - is not present, your memory frequency will increase proportionally with very increase that the FSB, (starting at 200MHz HTT) in the case of the board you're are referencing. A 'divider' changes the ratio of the FSB-memory. For instance, if you run a 5:4 divider, the memory frequency increase will only be 80% of the FSB/HTT increase.
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