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#1
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Faster RAM or Lower CAS, which gives more performance?
I'm trying to figure out which RAM to get. I can't afford the best Corsair
PC3200 CAS 2 stuff, so I need to compromise somewhere. I can afford a nice brand name PC2700 C2 stick of RAM (example Corsair CMX512-2700C2 - $98) or a not so big brand name PC3200 CAS 3 (example Kingston Value RAM KVR400X64C3/512 - $98). So I'm wondering which would give me the bigger performance boost. Would increasing the Mhz of the RAM (and FSB) be better or would having a lower CAS latency be better? I'm gonna be running this in a Asus A7N8X Deluxe board, and will not be overcloacking anything more than a few percent (ie: 3%). Thanks for the input, Harry P.S. I'm open to other RAM suggestions, I just can't spend more than $100US and would prefer if it was on the Asus Recommend List. -----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =----- http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! -----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =----- |
#2
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"Harry Muscle" wrote in message ... I'm trying to figure out which RAM to get. I can't afford the best Corsair PC3200 CAS 2 stuff, so I need to compromise somewhere. I can afford a nice brand name PC2700 C2 stick of RAM (example Corsair CMX512-2700C2 - $98) or a not so big brand name PC3200 CAS 3 (example Kingston Value RAM KVR400X64C3/512 - $98). So I'm wondering which would give me the bigger performance boost. Would increasing the Mhz of the RAM (and FSB) be better or would having a lower CAS latency be better? I'm gonna be running this in a Asus A7N8X Deluxe board, and will not be overcloacking anything more than a few percent (ie: 3%). Thanks for the input, Harry P.S. I'm open to other RAM suggestions, I just can't spend more than $100US and would prefer if it was on the Asus Recommend List. If you're looking at PC3200, I'm going to assume you're planning to run an fsb of at or above 200. Though some high-end PC2700 will go that high, you can get more overhead for no more money with name-brand PC3200. PC3500, or 3700 or 4000, is a waste on an AMD/NForce2 system, IMHO, and generally only gets you the same chips overclocked with lower timings for a higher pricetag. Get two 256-meg sticks instead of one 512 for best performance with Dual-Channel DDR. Timings make a difference, but not as much as you might think. If you skip the fancy but inefficient heatspreaders and CAS2, you can get good sticks that will go as far as your board can take them. My votes for best low-cost memory go to Crucial PC3200, which uses Micron's own JDEC-certified DDR400 ram; or Buffalo Technology PC3200,which uses the same Winbond 5ns modules as some much higher-priced brands. You can get 2x256 of either for about $100. |
#3
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SNIP
P.S. I'm open to other RAM suggestions, I just can't spend more than $100US and would prefer if it was on the Asus Recommend List. If you're looking at PC3200, I'm going to assume you're planning to run an fsb of at or above 200. Though some high-end PC2700 will go that high, you can get more overhead for no more money with name-brand PC3200. PC3500, or 3700 or 4000, is a waste on an AMD/NForce2 system, IMHO, and generally only gets you the same chips overclocked with lower timings for a higher pricetag. Get two 256-meg sticks instead of one 512 for best performance with Dual-Channel DDR. Timings make a difference, but not as much as you might think. If you skip the fancy but inefficient heatspreaders and CAS2, you can get good sticks that will go as far as your board can take them. My votes for best low-cost memory go to Crucial PC3200, which uses Micron's own JDEC-certified DDR400 ram; or Buffalo Technology PC3200,which uses the same Winbond 5ns modules as some much higher-priced brands. You can get 2x256 of either for about $100. Yes, I would be running at 200Mhz, I would simply reduce the multiplier to achieve only about 3% overclocking on the CPU (I know I can go higher, but right now I'm settling for max stability). The only thing that I would have against Crucial or Buffalo Tech is that they aren't on the Asus List for memory that works with the A7N8X board, however, that doesn't mean it won't work, it simply means that Asus probably didn't test it. I was wondering though if anyone has any experiences with TwinMOS memory. I read a good review of their PC3200 modules (and they're on the Asus List). Apparently they're rated at C2.5, but they have no problem running C2 upto 212MHz, which is plenty for me. However, one review doesn't mean too much since it could have been just a chance that they got a good sample. So I'm wondering what others (general users) think of TwinMOS modules. Any experiences specifically with the A7N8X? Thanks, Harry -----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =----- http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! -----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =----- |
#4
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"Harry Muscle" wrote in message ... SNIP P.S. I'm open to other RAM suggestions, I just can't spend more than $100US and would prefer if it was on the Asus Recommend List. At the risk of sounding like a Crucial salesman, they guarantee their PC3200 DDR for life at 200 fsb on the Asus A7N8X. You can buy it from their website using this link for a discount: http://www.crucial.com/promo/index.asp?prog=share On the next page choose Asus as the system manufacturer and plug in the model number of your board. $54 each for two 256-meg sticks of PC3200 with free 2-day shipping, less a 5% discount = $102 and change. Wes already gave you the specs on Buffalo Tech, also an excellent choice. You can pay more if it makes you feel better, but be careful when comparing specs and claims. If you don't plan to OC the fsb, there is no benefit in buying anything above PC3200, IMHO. |
#5
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"Kristi" wrote in message ... "Skid" labourously penned: At the risk of sounding like a Crucial salesman, they guarantee their PC3200 DDR for life at 200 fsb on the Asus A7N8X. You can buy it from I like Crucial, but it is CL3. It is rock solid, but others might be better. I would vote for saving your pennies for another month and getting the Corsair TWINX512-3200C2PT $144 shipped from googlegear or newegg. Have it your way. But if you'd stop for a second to read the reviews I linked, you'll find that most of them had no problem running the Crucial at CAS2 or CAS2.5, needing CAS3 only when the fsb got above 220 or so. In case you didn't know, the JDEC standard for PC3200 class C is 3.4.4.8, and Crucial adheres to the standard for maximum stability across a variety of systems. As I've said before, you can tweak it a lot, depending on your mobo. I also pointed out that Corsair's PC4000 runs at those same timings of 3.4.4.8, but somehow you seem to think it's a better brand because it costs twice as much. OK, fine. Here's just one review comparing these two with OCZ, TwinMos and Kingston Hyper-X. http://www.anandtech.com/memory/showdoc.html?i=1828 The Crucial ran fine at 2.5,3,2,5 and all of the benchmarks were so close you'd never be able to tell the difference in real life. Your money, your choice. But you can save bucks by doing a little homework and not paying for more performance than you need or will actually get. |
#6
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The thing is, the A7N8X deluxe is VERY picky about memory. There are quite a
few postings on these boards where a person was having a large amount of problems and it turned out to be the memory. I spent the extra $$$ on Corsair TwinX CAS2 because it's tested and matched using the A7N8X Deluxe board! I mean how much more do you want for off the shelf compatibility. I say cut back on something else, but spend the money to get the TwinX memory! "Harry Muscle" wrote in message ... I'm trying to figure out which RAM to get. I can't afford the best Corsair PC3200 CAS 2 stuff, so I need to compromise somewhere. I can afford a nice brand name PC2700 C2 stick of RAM (example Corsair CMX512-2700C2 - $98) or a not so big brand name PC3200 CAS 3 (example Kingston Value RAM KVR400X64C3/512 - $98). So I'm wondering which would give me the bigger performance boost. Would increasing the Mhz of the RAM (and FSB) be better or would having a lower CAS latency be better? I'm gonna be running this in a Asus A7N8X Deluxe board, and will not be overcloacking anything more than a few percent (ie: 3%). Thanks for the input, Harry P.S. I'm open to other RAM suggestions, I just can't spend more than $100US and would prefer if it was on the Asus Recommend List. -----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =----- http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! -----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =----- |
#7
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Harry Muscle wrote:
I was wondering though if anyone has any experiences with TwinMOS memory. I think the ones to get are TwinMos with Winbond BH5 - they're the best as far as I know. Ben -- I'm not just a number. To many, I;m known as a String... |
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