2gb ram...

[Proplus]

You can never have enough ram, recently built a machine for my missus with 2 x 2Gb of Corsair PC3200 (yes, it did cost me an arm and a leg!!), she used it for 3D rendering and it flew. I played some games on it and it was tremendous. Sold the system in the end, as someone offered me a profit of £500 on it!!!

I truly recommend any new system build to have at least 1Gb of ram. This is also one of the reasons you see so many people on forums selling their 256Mb sticks as they are looking to upgrade to more ram....

[Stewart]

Well, for 3D rednering maybe, but you won't need, want or care about having 4gb of RAM on a gaming machine for a long time yet.

1gb is still more than enough, if its quality stuff. The OCZ 3700EB or Corsair 3200XL Pro stuff is very nice.

[TiG]

Well, for 3D rednering maybe, but you won't need, want or care about having 4gb of RAM on a gaming machine for a long time yet.

1gb is still more than enough, if its quality stuff. The OCZ 3700EB or Corsair 3200XL Pro stuff is very nice.

Quite agree, games simply don't use more than a gig. Those like IL2 benefit from more than 512 from the simple fact that they use just over the 500mb mark and with windows running it simply reduces paging to disk.

The whole point of huge graphics cards is to reduce the need for memory. I doubt you will get ANY benefit in current games from 1gb->2gb.

Graphics processing, Movie editing, Database processing and anything that eats memory like that LOVES as much as it can get.

But naa not for a games machine.

TiG

[Nox]

well i can't get the sodding stuff (sorry!) to even post at 2-3-3-6, runs 100% perfectly at 2.5-3-3-6, the AMD timings. hmmm. the juice is 2.8v setting in the bios, 2.75 from monitoring software, which is bang on the nail for what it needs. And my PSU is the dogs... I think i'll have to sleep on it. Oh, to the person who asked - do I upgrade regularly? hmmm, not really - if im doing something and all of a sudden think my PC is slow, i'll upgrade the slow bit. My current PC i have had same config for a year (almost) but blew up the 2.4 and replaced it with a 3.2 a few months ago. (got a retail back to replace the oem!! - may blow up again in hmmm, exactly 2.4 years time now!!) i sort of upgrade bits, trying to avoid a whole system upgrade in one go. this is my last 32bit PC though, and hoping/expecting it will last a year.

Nox

[Stewart]

I'd still have gone for some proper tight 5-2-2-2 Corsair XL stuff, 1gig of, and save a bit of cash.

Tighter timings and the games don't use more than a gig so it'd be faster.

I run my Corsair C2PT stuff at 6-3-3-2, and its fine, won't boot at 5-2-2-2 though.

[GingerNinja.net]

Question: In my own thread, I have stated that I will be looking at 1 GB of Crucial memory (the recommended Custom PC 3200 stuff) and wondered how the Corsair Value Select you have would compare with it?

Right - let me ask the same question, but a different way, and bear in mind that I am ABSOLUTELY next to no idea when it comes to RAM as to what I should be getting!

I am going to buy a S939 AMD 64 3500 and either an Asus A8V Deluxe or an ABIT AV8 3rd Eye.
I have heard that if I go for Dual Channel memory (DDDR) it will be significantly faster and I assume that is what I am always getting as I always end up buying 2 DIMMS instead of 1.....correct me if I am wrong! (Fecking newb! )

Considering that I am a gamer first (90%) and a photoshop/dreamweaver whore second (10%), what would be better?
- 1GB or 2GB?
- Dual or single channel?
- Value or Performance RAM?

Originally, I was looking at 2 x 512MB PC3200 Crucial CT6464Z40B for around £130 or 2 x 512MB PC4000 Crucial Ballistix BL6464Z505 for around £190.

Should I be looking at something like the Corsair XMS Twin-X or Corsair XMS Pro (which I believe is TwinX as well?)?

Basically, as ever, I want the best bang-per-buck, but if I am only looking at £30ish extra for far superior performance then I will go for it as I don't intend upgrading much over the next 2 years.....

[Shorty]

I can't massively answer your question.. but Il say this..

I just stuck 2gb of matched Corsair TwinX into an ASUS A8V with an FX-53 (for a customer sadly) and it flies.

In Solidworks 2004 (what he uses it for), we tested it running with one then both sticks. You can feel the difference.

[Stewart]

Considering that I am a gamer first (90%) and a photoshop/dreamweaver whore second (10%), what would be better?
- 1GB or 2GB?
- Dual or single channel?
- Value or Performance RAM?

90% gamer? Right:

- 1gb (2gb would be no improvment for gaming and if this is 90% of your interest...)
- Dual.
- Performance. (You use the cash you save from not buying 2gb to buy 1gb of quality RAM, for the board and CPU you have, Corsair 3200 TwinX XL 5-2-2-2, or OCZ 3700EB.

[Stewart]

I can't massively answer your question.. but Il say this..

I just stuck 2gb of matched Corsair TwinX into an ASUS A8V with an FX-53 (for a customer sadly) and it flies.

In Solidworks 2004 (what he uses it for), we tested it running with one then both sticks. You can feel the difference.

An FX-53, Asus A8V, 2gb Corsair TwinX system flies? You do supprise me. Of course, if he's doing CAD and the like then fair enough, the point is though, if this were a high end gaming rig, it would 'fly' just as fast with 1gb of RAM as games simply don't want, need or try to use more than that. The difference, if any, would be a tiny percentage.

[PMM]

I beg to differ I know when i'm playing UT2K4 setting the game settings to use 900meg
extra show's a very big difference on my rig.

The Game might not need it to run, but the benefits of caching more of the game data
/level data into high speed ram proves its worth for me anyway I notice the difference.

Its if you consider the cost to be justified in a day and age were hardware standards
are foreever rapidly changing.

[Stewart]

It's not. You don't need 2gb, and if its going to eat into your budget, I'd MUCH prefer a gig of the highest quality RAM.

My system slices through Doom III like a hot Owl through butter, I'm not about to shell out another wadge of cash to put another gig in my system for a very small, if any, performance gain.

EDIT - Not that my sig is up-to-date (Knoxxy! ), but its pretty much the same in the areas that matter, RAM, CPU, GPU.

[GingerNinja.net]

You use the cash you save from not buying 2gb to buy 1gb of quality RAM, for the board and CPU you have, Corsair 3200 TwinX XL 5-2-2-2, or OCZ 3700EB.

Thanks for your help. Using your description I found this at Scan. Is it correct? Was surpised to find that this is more expensive the the PRO ram I mentioned earlier!
Corsair TwinX-XL, DDR, PC3200XLPT - http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=118550

I'll assume that as you said your sig was out of date, this is wrong:
Corsair TwinX, DDR, PC3200C2PT - http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...roductID=71473
Although, I was rather impressed with myself for noting that my spec if virtually identical to what you currently have!

[Stewart]

Thanks for your help. Using your description I found this at Scan. Is it correct? Was surpised to find that this is more expensive the the PRO ram I mentioned earlier!
Corsair TwinX-XL, DDR, PC3200XLPT - http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=118550

That's some pretty good RAM, yes. Any of the XL 5-2-2-2 stuff will do you proud.

I'll assume that as you said your sig was out of date, this is wrong:
Corsair TwinX, DDR, PC3200C2PT - http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...roductID=71473
Although, I was rather impressed with myself for noting that my spec if virtually identical to what you currently have!

No I still have the PC3200C2PT, running it at 6-3-3-2. Not sure what's with Scans price on that though... I got mine for £150.

[GingerNinja.net]

Cool, well kinda. The more I spec stuff out and find out that "only another £10 will get me something much better" (in the case of this memory another £80 exc VAT!), the higher the price goes.
My complete system was originally around £1000 complete. Now it is just over £1500!

One last question - which is better:
- Corsair TwinX-XL PC3200XLPT
or
- Corsair TwinX Pro PC4000 Matched Pair (with Activity LEDs)

BTW - need to check comparitive reviews, but Crucial's Ballistix looks OK according to the website and it comes in two flavours, PC3200 and PC4000: Crucial Ballistix for ASUS A8V Deluxe.
Wouldn't know how they compare against the Corsair, but they are £20 cheaper excluding VAT against DABS prices. Still, you've given such helpful advise that I will probably go with your opinion and take the Corsair memory instead.

[Stewart]

For an AMD 939 rig? I'd go with the TwinX XL 3200.

[GingerNinja.net]

*gulp* OK, thanks. Might have to wait another month or so to get all the kit together though as my savings won't cover it.