just a query on RAM buying

the raven

i think i've settled on buying the "Corsair TwinX 1Gb XMS3200C2 Pro (with Activity LED)" here at over-clock.com

timings: 2.3.3.6

comes to about 257euro incl vat&del.

unless anyone can think of any reason not to? or is there better RAM for cheaper...???
hmmm... cowboys with them prices...

Explosive_Cornflake

I got a i gig kit (2 * 512 ) of mushkin level one ( 2-3-2-5, me thinks, can check; did a small check there, floppy disk is wired up wrong, so i can't run memtest to check, but in the bios the number are 5,3,3,2, but thats a different order; "Level One, rated CAS2 2-3-2" is what it says on the site, to tired now, bed now) for €259 euro on www.shop4memory.com with free shipping(they're irish) this week? BTW its pc3200 also.

BloodBath

The Ram you mentioned is 274 euro inc vat.

The shop4memory prices seem to have gone up lately.

Are you using that ram on your p4 rig? Is that an 800mhz fsb processor? If so you may want higher bandwidth RAM like pc4000 to keep it at 1:1 with he processor when you overclock. Lower timings aren't as important with intels as higher bandwidth is.


BloodBath

the raven

cheers bloodbath, i did not know that...

yeah tis 800mhz fsb

now to find good, cheap pc4000...

ho hum...

the raven

ok yes, this is a major price hike but feck it, it'll last the test of time.

1gig of OCZ 3.4.4.8 from shop4memory. e324.

"1Gb kit EL DDR PC-4000 Dual Channel - OCZ OCZ5001024ELDC-K"

is this wise??
fr' instance, i'm not gonna find better for cheaper as soon as i buy it?

and as bloodbath was saying about the overclocking that pc4000 is the job; would anyone mind just explaining this out a bit? i kinda know a *little* about the way the fsb works with the processor and RAM and timings and multipliers and blaa but if its no trouble a few simple words would be mucho appreciated. i prefer knowing about sh1t than just lookin at it if you get my drift...

cheers

BloodBath

Ok to explain how it works. Your processor runs at 200mhz x 13 at stock speeds. When the ram/processor ratio is set to 1:1 your ram will run at 200mhz x 2 = 400mhz. That's double data rate, ddr. So you start raising the fsb to overclock your processor but this raises the fsb on the ram as well.

So say you raise the fsb to 250mhz. Your processor will now run at 250 x 13 = 3.25ghz but your ram will run at 250 x 2 = 500mhz. So you see pc3200 ram isn't really any good for overclocking. It's perfect for stock speeds but nothing more.

pc4000 is 500mhz so it should be more than enough for your overclock.

I highly recomend the GEIL ultra platinum 1 gb pack. It costs 5 euro less than the ocz stuff and has timings of 2.5-4-4-7. I have it in my rig at full speed and it works like a charm. It looks great as well.

It's the same price now as it was 8 months ago when I bought it. It had dropped but it's gone back up again.

Also if you lower the timings it will reach about 530-540mhz. I got it to 514mhz with it's stock timings though.


BloodBath

Azza

Lower the timings and it reaches 530-540mhz. Don't you mean loosen the timings. The higher the FSB goes the harder it is to maintain tight timings. I suppose you could do both but you will haev to throw alot of voltage at it.

BloodBath

Yeah that's what I meant azza.


BloodBath

the raven

cheers guys, much appreciated.

and thanx for the layman's Bloodbath, all's clear on the western now.