Okay, maybe someone more computer literate than me can 'splain this. I'm shopping for RAM, and looking at these two chips. The second one looks better than the first to me, but it's decidedly cheaper. Am I missing something? About the only thing the first one has going for it is a wider voltage range, but 2.5 volts is right for the motherboard I'm going to use, so it doesn't matter.
KingMax DDR memory 512MB PC3200- OEM Model #: MPXC22D-38 Specifications: Manufacturer: Kingmax Speed: DDR400(PC3200) Type: 184 Pin DDR SDRAM Error Checking: Non-ECC Registered/Unbuffered: Unbuffered Cas Latency: 2.5 Support Voltage: 2.5V Bandwidth: 3.2GB/s Organization: 64M x 64 -Bit Warranty: Lifetime
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
I think the speed is the key factor. Any ideas which speed(s) your motherboard is intended to work with?
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
I noticed a similar situation when I was looking into upgrading the RAM in some PCs at work. They're rather old, so it was, if I remember correctly, a question of PC100 vs. PC133 (told you they were old), and, all else being equal, the PC100 was actually more expensive. I assumed they were making the products more expensive the more obsolete they become to force people to upgrade.
Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
Yes, the speed is the main factor. If your motherboard can't support anything higher than PC2700, then don't bother with the PC3200.
Posted by MarianLH (Member # 1102) on :
making really old stuff more expensive makes sense, because reduced demand makes it more expensive to keep it in stock. But 333 is still in pretty wide use, isn't it?
Lee, if you mean memory speed, the board supports DDR 266, 333, and 400. Everything I know about the board is here.
Thanks for the feedback. I know just enough about PC hardware to make some really high-class mistakes. =) And a $300 mistake is not something I can afford to sneeze at, not at my income level.
Marian
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
So it looks like you could use either.
I've got about a Gig's worth of PC133 memory (nicked from work) I keep meaning to bung in my home PC. By the time I get round to it I'll have bought a new PC which won't actually want to take the stuff. . .
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
Therefore I'd probably get the PC400. It'll extend the useful life of the chips - keep it and put it in a newer PC. If I don't use the PC133, I'll just add it to the memory box at work and filch out some newer stuff to replace it. That's the good thing about supporting work PCs, you need such a wide range of component specs given the constant turnover of new PCs.
Posted by MarianLH (Member # 1102) on :
That's what I was thinking. It's just the fact that the better stuff is cheaper that makes me suspicious. I fear something analogous to buying a cheaper motherboard with a faster processor, only to discover that it's cheaper because there's no L2 cache, or the CPU is hardwired and can't be upgraded, etc.
Thanks again for the advice. I knew I could count on Flare.
Marian
Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
S/ATA, nice.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
It's not just a case of forcing old people to upgrade, sometimes it's simple supply and demand. I've seen sites where 2600+ Athlon's have been cheaper than 2400+ ones, due to the fact that there are less 2400s out there. Never mind that no-one would buy a more expensive, slower CPU.
And this is fairly boring, bog standard memory. There's not much (if anything) that they can cheat you on. Get the PC3200 stuff.
Posted by Saltah'na (Member # 33) on :
The DDR333 memory you specified is made with BGA chips which are more expensive than the standard TSOP chips on the DDR400 memory that you also specified. RAM with BGA chips generates less heat, hence the stick is designed with overclocking in mind (which is why the stick has a wider voltage range), which is why that first stick costs more. IIRC, the first RAM is supposed to come in a retail sealed package, dunno why this store is selling it as OEM.
Although DDR400 will work on DDR333 motherboards, there are a several that are very picky about how they want their memory. So, even if you do put in a stick of DDR400 memory on a DDR333 board, the machine may not like it. I've had this problem occur on several Sony VAIOs when I was still working at CompuSmart.
As for the motherboard you have, it all depends on the number of sticks you are putting into your computer. If any or both of the channels (green and purple) are filled with RAM that has chips on both sides of the stick (double-sided configuration), then the motherboard will underclock itself to DDR333. These days, 512 MB DDRRAM usually comes in double sided-configuration, although there are some single sided 512MB DDR400 chips which are decidedly more expensive than the double sided chips. For this motherboard, I recommend buying 2 sticks to take advantage of the Dual Channel capabilities. Why else would you get a high end Socket 939 Motherboard anyways?
Posted by MarianLH (Member # 1102) on :
Okay, I'm starting to understand more of the stuff on the motherboard specs page, thanks to you guys. I had been planning to buy four of the chips above, but if I do, that will knock the system down to 333. Also, I had been under the impression that all four slots needed to have something in them, and that DIMMs still needed to be installed in pairs. Instead, I'll just buy two for now, and then upgrade to four single-sides as I can afford it. A gig is enough for me for now.
I don't know what dual-channel means, though. I chose this board because I wanted one with more than 2 RAM slots. I can't afford the computer I want, so I want one that's very upgradeable. I don't know what "Socket 939 Motherboard" means, but I can follow the DIMM chart on the spec page now.
Marian
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
Socket 939 is AMD's motherboard interface standard for (the S939 variety of) its 64 and 64-FX CPU's. Which are expensive. But very shiny indeed.
Dual-channel is a mode supported by most motherboard chipsets to double the system's memory bandwidth by grouping two banks together into a single logical block, but only works if 1) both of those banks are filled and 2) the modules filling them are identical down to the last flip-flop, which reduces the total shininess somewhat but not noticeably so.
Oh, and DIMMs have never needed to be installed in pairs, since that was the reason they replaced SIMMs in the first place. B)
Posted by Mucus (Member # 24) on :
Having some personal experience with the Socket 939 motherboard and Athlon 64+ 3200 combination, I can definitely recommend it from a cost-effectiveness/performance point of view. I too bought two sticks of 512MB DDR400 to go with the motherboard.
I'd stay away from anything faster than a 3500, beyond that point you're just tossing in loads of money for trivial performance gains.
Posted by Saltah'na (Member # 33) on :
Marian:
1) There ARE single sided 512 MB DDR400 sticks out there. They just cost more. If you use 4 of those, then the memory will still run at 400 MHz.
2) Most stores have double sided 512 MB sticks, so two should be enough. A gig is, like you said, enough for the time being.
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If you use 4 of those, then the memory will still run at 400 MHz.