Memory suggestions Gigabyte EP45-DS3L (DDR2 1333 / 1200 ???)

Does Gigabyte have any forums on their web site?

I'm looking for suggestions for memory for Gigabyte EP45-DS3L rev 1.0
board.

http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/...ProductID=2844

The box says DDR2 1333/1200/1066/800/667, 1.8 volts, but I can't find
any DDR2 1333, very few 1200, some 1100, and mostly 1066 and 800.

This looks good:

------------------
http://www.crucial.com/store/partspe...KIT25664AA1067

4GB kit (2GBx2), 240-pin DIMM, DDR2 PC2-8500 memory module
CT2KIT25664AA1067

* Module Size: 4GB kit (2GBx2)
* Package: 240-pin DIMM
* Featu DDR2 PC2-8500
* Specs: DDR2 PC2-8500 CL=7 Unbuffered NON-ECC
* DDR2-1066 1.8V 256Meg x 64
---------------

And it's cheap enough ($80). Will it work?

Is it a waste of time looking for DDR2 1333, 1200, 1150 or 1100 ?

Should I ask this question on any other forum, like tomshardware?

"Giga Guy" wrote
I'm looking for suggestions for memory for Gigabyte EP45-DS3L rev 1.0
board.

The box says DDR2 1333/1200/1066/800/667, 1.8 volts, but I can't find
any DDR2 1333, very few 1200, some 1100, and mostly 1066 and 800.

4GB kit (2GBx2), 240-pin DIMM, DDR2 PC2-8500 memory module
CT2KIT25664AA1067

And it's cheap enough ($80). Will it work?

Yes, it will work just fine.

So will

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820227289

which is what I have on both my Gigabyte MoBos (P35 and X48). It's even cheaper
(Note: direct from Crucial is not necessarily the cheapest place to get Crucial
memory, either).


Is it a waste of time looking for DDR2 1333, 1200, 1150 or 1100 ?

IMO, yes. The price isn't worth the theoretical performance increase, and
longer latency on cheaper memory could make the "faster" RAM work not as well as
the more common RAM.


Should I ask this question on any other forum, like tomshardware?

Sure. I think you'll find a consensus for the PC2-8500, though...

Cost aside, What would be a advantage of using either one of those
which are CL7 or CL6 (slower timings) but higher frequency
over DDR2 PC2 -6400 CL4 such as this:
(faster timings lower frequency)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231209



--
Ron. Marraccini



"JR Weiss" wrote in message
...
"Giga Guy" wrote
I'm looking for suggestions for memory for Gigabyte EP45-DS3L rev 1.0
board.

The box says DDR2 1333/1200/1066/800/667, 1.8 volts, but I can't find
any DDR2 1333, very few 1200, some 1100, and mostly 1066 and 800.

4GB kit (2GBx2), 240-pin DIMM, DDR2 PC2-8500 memory module
CT2KIT25664AA1067

And it's cheap enough ($80). Will it work?

Yes, it will work just fine.

So will

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820227289

which is what I have on both my Gigabyte MoBos (P35 and X48). It's even
cheaper (Note: direct from Crucial is not necessarily the cheapest place
to get Crucial memory, either).


Is it a waste of time looking for DDR2 1333, 1200, 1150 or 1100 ?

IMO, yes. The price isn't worth the theoretical performance increase, and
longer latency on cheaper memory could make the "faster" RAM work not as
well as the more common RAM.


Should I ask this question on any other forum, like tomshardware?

Sure. I think you'll find a consensus for the PC2-8500, though...

"Giga Guy" wrote in message ...
Does Gigabyte have any forums on their web site?

I'm looking for suggestions for memory for Gigabyte EP45-DS3L rev 1.0
board.

I'm using that same board, bought last year (great board). Been happy using
a 2x2Gb GSkill RAM kit that I bought with it, with specs of: CL5, 5-5-5-15,
DDR2-1000 (PC2-8000).

I don't think that particular kit is still available, but I've been
perfectly happy with the specs (and it was on sale at the time, which is why
I bought it).

Jon

I suspect that the timings will have less effect than the frequency. I'd go
with the PC2-8500, which is 33% faster than the PC2-6400.


"RonM" wrote...
Cost aside, What would be a advantage of using either one of those
which are CL7 or CL6 (slower timings) but higher frequency
over DDR2 PC2 -6400 CL4 such as this:
(faster timings lower frequency)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231209


"JR Weiss" wrote
I'm looking for suggestions for memory for Gigabyte EP45-DS3L rev 1.0
board.

The box says DDR2 1333/1200/1066/800/667, 1.8 volts, but I can't find
any DDR2 1333, very few 1200, some 1100, and mostly 1066 and 800.

I guess what I am getting at is:

I have the GA-EP45-UD3P mobo.
I would like to get an E8400 or E8500
processor and run it overclocked (not gaming)
at 3.6 /4.0 Ghz -

Which speed would make this easier
or would it matter?

Thanks


--
Ron Marraccini

"JR Weiss" wrote in message
...
I suspect that the timings will have less effect than the frequency. I'd
go with the PC2-8500, which is 33% faster than the PC2-6400.


"RonM" wrote...
Cost aside, What would be a advantage of using either one of those
which are CL7 or CL6 (slower timings) but higher frequency
over DDR2 PC2 -6400 CL4 such as this:
(faster timings lower frequency)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231209


"JR Weiss" wrote
I'm looking for suggestions for memory for Gigabyte EP45-DS3L rev 1.0
board.

The box says DDR2 1333/1200/1066/800/667, 1.8 volts, but I can't find
any DDR2 1333, very few 1200, some 1100, and mostly 1066 and 800.

Giga Guy wrote:

I'm looking for suggestions for memory for Gigabyte EP45-DS3L
rev 1.0 board.

Ok, looking for comments here.

I picked up a couple of these:

OCZ DDR2 PC2-8500 Fatal1ty 4GB Dual Channel

http://www.ocztechnology.com/product...b_dual_channel

The price was right (about $70, and with a rebate it should work out to
something like $50 but I'm not counting on getting the rebate because
they never work).

It was pointed out to me that this ram is configured for 2.2v operation,
which is not necessarily a good thing (it's better if you can run at
high speed without having to resort to raising the voltage so high
beyond the standard 1.8v).

I'm going to try these out tommorrow and buy more if they work. I don't
have a system built yet, was thinking of just running memtest86
(correct?) on a naked board.

Comments?

Giga Guy wrote:

Gigabyte EP45-DS3L rev 1.0 board.

I picked up a couple of these:

OCZ DDR2 PC2-8500 Fatal1ty 4GB Dual Channel

http://www.ocztechnology.com/product...b_dual_channel

Update:

Ok, I plugged 4 of those ram sticks into the Gigabyte mobo.

CPU is Q8200 (Core2 Quad)
- 2.33 ghz
- FSB 1333 mhz

The thing powered up ok. I went into the bios, and was confronted with
about a dozen or two different types of settings that are not really
intutitive.

One thing I noticed was that the bios was indicating that the ram was
running at 800 mhz. I thought this ram was 1066 ?

What do I need to do to setup the bios properly for this ram?

PS: Intel, your heat-sink push pins suck really badly. I ripped them
out and used 4 small bolts to mount the heatsink instead.

The board defaults to the 800Mhz setting -
Go into the bios and change the settings/voltage per the RAM sticker
yourself.
Don't use the EasyTune program as it may overvolt.

Let me know how it goes - I am wondering if I
should have got the faster stuff myself.

--
Ron A. Marraccini


"Giga Guy" wrote in message ...
Giga Guy wrote:

Gigabyte EP45-DS3L rev 1.0 board.

I picked up a couple of these:

OCZ DDR2 PC2-8500 Fatal1ty 4GB Dual Channel

http://www.ocztechnology.com/product...b_dual_channel

Update:

Ok, I plugged 4 of those ram sticks into the Gigabyte mobo.

CPU is Q8200 (Core2 Quad)
- 2.33 ghz
- FSB 1333 mhz

The thing powered up ok. I went into the bios, and was confronted with
about a dozen or two different types of settings that are not really
intutitive.

One thing I noticed was that the bios was indicating that the ram was
running at 800 mhz. I thought this ram was 1066 ?

What do I need to do to setup the bios properly for this ram?

PS: Intel, your heat-sink push pins suck really badly. I ripped them
out and used 4 small bolts to mount the heatsink instead.

RonM wrote:

The board defaults to the 800Mhz setting -
Go into the bios and change the settings/voltage per the RAM sticker
yourself.

You saying that just by increasing the ram voltage, that the mobo will
be able to "sense" something in the ram and increase the clock speed
automatically?

I think it said 2.0 or 2.1 or 2.2 v on the package. I did up the
voltage to 1.9 but it still said 800 mhz in the bios.

Don't use the EasyTune program as it may overvolt.

There's no OS on this thing yet. Is there a ram stress program that
boots from a floppy? Was it something like memtest86? Is that what I'm
thinking about?

Let me know how it goes - I am wondering if I
should have got the faster stuff myself.

The earliest I'll be able to post back my next results will be about 6
pm EST tommorrow.