2GB @667mhz vs 2+1@533mhz on old laptop

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Ramon Grigio

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Hy folks, my girlfriend has a laptop with only 2GB @667 kingston (1 stick) and i have a dead laptop with 2x1GB@553 corsair value select.

I was wondering if it would be good to add 1 stick as to up her memory from 2 to 3GB.

Her laptop:
Pentium dual core 2.0 (core2duo based)
Intel x3100 chipset
320GB 5400HDD
Win764

I know the way to go would be purchasing an identical memory chip to enable dual channel, but since i'm giving her this stick for free.

Would it be better to have +1GB at the cost of less bandwith?
 
Solution
dwatterworth
The dual channel slower data rate memory would show higher bandwidth in benchmarks only pretty much. In reality for normal computer use the bandwidth is hardly a factor. Outside of benchmarks going single channel from double channel (at the same data rates) shows maybe a 15% difference in bandwidth vs the theoretical 100%.

W7 definitely does eat up the memory, so I'd have her load up the laptop with as many of the common use programs at once, see what memory is being used and go from there.
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dwatterworth

dwatterworth

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It depends on what she is doing with the laptop. Often the timings on the slower clocked memory are lower and can actually give you a bit snappier windows experience. The two different sticks might not behave correctly in the laptop with mismatched data rates and timings however.

Also, is the laptop usage being hurt by the 2gb of memory?
 
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Ramon Grigio

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Kinda difficult to know. She is not a heavy user, but since it's the 64bit version of W7 i think that running out of RAM should be pretty easy. Since W7 caches things really well wouldn't be good to have more RAM?. I also have another question now: If going 3GB@533 single channel wouldn't prove to be a DAT upgrade, what about 2x1GB@533 dual channel? It would be the same RAM ammount, but at dual channel mode @533. On theory the bandwith would be higher.
 
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dwatterworth

dwatterworth

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The dual channel slower data rate memory would show higher bandwidth in benchmarks only pretty much. In reality for normal computer use the bandwidth is hardly a factor. Outside of benchmarks going single channel from double channel (at the same data rates) shows maybe a 15% difference in bandwidth vs the theoretical 100%.

W7 definitely does eat up the memory, so I'd have her load up the laptop with as many of the common use programs at once, see what memory is being used and go from there.
 
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Ramon Grigio

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Mar 20, 2014
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Thanks. I think that since i would have to install the memory myself it would be the case to test it before vs after. She does not game (not that she would be able to on that machine). Just pdfs, video/movies email and facebook/youtube. If she proves not to be a multitasker it shouldn't be worth the time. By the way, dual channel mode would have a big effect on an old A64x2 6000+ (90nm F3 89W) i have here? I had i'ts memory swapped with a xeon 771-775 machine that was needing more the memory than this one.
 
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dwatterworth

dwatterworth

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How much memory does the AMD machine have currently in what configuration and what tasks is it dealing with?
If you have a bunch of machines needing ddr2, you can often find an auction on any auction site that offers a bunch of memory, usually from system recyclers etc. I've used that before to get a bunch of old dells and hp's back to useful light duty office machines.
 
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Ramon Grigio

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It was equipped with 2x2GB@800mhz from markvision 5-5-5-18. An Intel machine was running 2+1GBKingston @667 DUALCHANNEL (pentium e5400 +G31), when i swapped the pentium for a Xeon L5420 it could not run a 2+1 config (even at single channel).

Now the AMD machine is running that 2+1 @667 single channel (the nforce4/6000+ can`t run it in dual like the G31/pentium). I would like to overclock this machine just a little at stock volts so i could have a second DOTA2 capable machine. 4GB would be the sweet spot. I don`t know if it`s better to find another 2GB of 667mhz kingston RAM or look for a single good 800/1066MHZ 4GB chip so i could do the overclock. DDR2 is pricey these days and i`m not in the mood to burn money on that museum xD.

Update: The M2n4-sli does not seem to support 1066 RAM. I could buy some cheap 800mhz RAM and force it to run 667 to have some overclock headroom maybe?
 
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dwatterworth

dwatterworth

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You could do that for sure, I'd go the used route I think.

What about something like this?

http://www.amazon.com/Kingston-ValueRAM-PC2-6400-KVR800D2N6K2-4G/dp/B0012Y0QV6/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1405012411&sr=8-4&keywords=ddr2+800mhz

I would do a search for the same part number as your 2gb stick, but past that wouldn't put much effort into matching them exactly.

I know how you feel, I had a dual core operton on socket 940 that I doubled the memory and tossed an old gtx 9800+ into for the same thing except for dungeon defenders and borderlands. The money in definitely doesn't return the same as newer hardware.
 
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Ramon Grigio

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Yep, Since i`m in Brazil i just checked ebay and found an auction of 2x2GB DDR2@800 that was 20min from finish. I won it for just U$22,50. Must be a shitty RAM stick, but i won`t push it past 800mhz anyway. My MB does not allow increase in voltages so if i can reach 3200mhz on that 6000+ i`ll be a happy man. It already runs Dota2, but the cpu usage is at 100% all the time, so there are some fps drops. As a SECONDARY machine it will do just fine with a HD6770. Thank you for your input!!!!
 
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