Which DDR2 is best?

[zxnet2k]

Hi there,

Building a system which can support both PC2-6400 and PC2-8500 memory.

Due to the price differences I am currently debating whether or not to get either 4GB of the PC2-6400 or 2GB of the PC2-8500 which is about the same price.

I am planning to install Windows 7 on the system so it shouldn't have the memory addressing limitation.

I was just wondering if there is much a performance / speed difference between the 2 types of RAM?

[Hyperviper34]

This will help you understand DDR2 -

Pc2 – 4200 = 266 Max synchronous FSB
Pc2 – 5300 = 333
Pc2 – 5400 = 338
Pc2 – 6400 = 400
Pc2 – 8500 = 533
Pc2 – 8800 = 550
Pc2 – 9200 = 575
Pc2 – 9600 = 600

the E2160, 2200, 5200 etc have got a FSB of 200MHz so can run on any of the above memory.

The E7200 or Q6600 have a FSB of 266MHz so will run on all the above

Any 1333MHz CPU like the 8200 has a FSB of 333mhz, so will require a minimum of Pc2 – 5300 and above.

So depending on how high you plan to clock a CPU (raise your FSB) needs to be taken into account when picking your Ram

[Blitzen]

Unless the CPU is ultra high end and an overclocking beast, PC8500 is a waste of money as you will see no performance benefit

4gb PC6400 will out perform 2gb of PC8500 every day of the week aswell.

[djglenn]

Unless the CPU is ultra high end and an overclocking beast, PC8500 is a waste of money as you will see no performance benefit

4gb PC6400 will out perform 2gb of PC8500 every day of the week aswell.

Blitzen has hit the nail on the head. Dont waste money on the PC8500

I need to Overclock my Q6600 to 3.6GHz just to even use the 800MHz of the PC6400!

4GB of PC6400 Corsair Ram was around £35 last time I looked..

[zxnet2k]

thanks for the advice guys, I think I'll go with the 6400

I found 4GB of Crucial PC2-6400 for £35 - is Crucial a brand name of Corsair - or a different company?

[zxnet2k]

aha nevermind just found the 2 different manufacturers - seems like the corsair equivalent is about £6 more than the crucial sticks, but would the Corsair Ram would be much higher quality?

[jim]

No, it just depends what type of RAM you get.

They both do value versions, and the fancy ones with heatspreaders and the like, such as Crucial's Ballistix, and Corsair's XMS range.

[BigFatCat]

I got 4GB of Crucial Ballistix PC2-6400 4-4-4-12, they're running at 500FSB at 5-5-5-15 on stock volts. £36 quid I think.

[jim]

By the way, you can get 4GB of Corsair PC2-6400 RAM at 5-5-5-18 for £36.51 from Scan today only. It's normally £37.54, so it's hardly a huge difference though.

[Hyperviper34]

Ebuyer are doing Crucial 4GB (2X2GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 Ballistix Memory for £37.28

[TAKTAK]

thanks for the advice guys, I think I'll go with the 6400

I found 4GB of Crucial PC2-6400 for £35 - is Crucial a brand name of Corsair - or a different company?

Just googling Corsair gives you the answer:

Corsair = The best, Crucial = tacky.

(according to Corsair anyway...)

And as has been said, unless you are doing extreme overclocking, you won't need pc8500

[Blitzen]

thanks for the advice guys, I think I'll go with the 6400

I found 4GB of Crucial PC2-6400 for £35 - is Crucial a brand name of Corsair - or a different company?

Nope.
Crucial is better RAM than Corsair.

And as has been said, unless you are doing extreme overclocking, you won't need pc8500

I would take Crucial over Corsair all the time. Crucial has THE BEST RMA process in the business.

[jim]

Which would explain why when my Crucial Ballistix blew up, I skipped OcUK out of the process

[Sputnik]

Would it explain why shortly after the launch of the 'Ballistix' sticks they had loads of failed sticks RMA'd ?

[zxnet2k]

Thanks for the info guys - I think I'll go with the 4GB of Crucial PC2-6400 for £35, I did see some PC2-8500 that was about £40 but I would assume that would be the value stuff?

[rufeo]

if its from crucial and doesn't have the heatspreader then yes its the value stuff. haven't tried out the value ram but do have 4gb of ballistix tracers PC2-6400. they're the ballistixs but with led flashing lights as well (great way to see if ur computer has crashed since the lights flash when there's activity).

great ram tbh, have mine clocked at 1000mhz for nearly two years with no problems.