More ram or different ram?

[sparky853]

Just a quick question re: adding or replacing ram.

Currently, the system is running 512MB PC-133 Ram in:
EliteGroup K7S5A
Atholon XP 2000
1x512MB PC-133
Raedon 9700 Pro 128MB
SoundBlaster Audigy

Would it be better to get another 512MB of PC-133, or switch over to DDR266? Which would give better performance?


If I was as sexy as I was smart.....I'd still be ugly..DAMN
**Finally made Newbie...HAPPY DANCE..HAPPY DANCE..**

 

[chandanarahul]

go for ddr

 

[sparky853]

how much of a performance difference will it make? I can either go with another PC-133 (increasing total RAM to 1024MB), or switch to 512MB DDR.

Wouldn't I get roughly the same performance with 1GB of RAM @ 133MHz as 512MB of RAM @ 266MHz?

If I was as sexy as I was smart.....I'd still be ugly..DAMN
**Finally made Newbie...HAPPY DANCE..HAPPY DANCE..**

 

[chandanarahul]

What's the point of having more n more memory and have part of that unused most of the time. When u use the ddr, the access times will be better and u can see the difference. U just cannot say DDR=2 X SDRAM.

 

[sparky853]

Hey, thanks for the advice. I just wanted another opinion on the subject. The system is actually my brother-in-laws, and we were talking about it last night, and I told him to go DDR, but he wasn't sure.

Thanks again.

If I was as sexy as I was smart.....I'd still be ugly..DAMN
**Finally made Newbie...HAPPY DANCE..HAPPY DANCE..**

 

[chandanarahul]

no problem

 

[dwellman]

Some benchmarks have shown improvement in some applications under Windows XP when the RAM is increased from 512 to 1024.

If you choose to go with DDR, make sure you get very good PC 2100 modules. PC 2700 and faster rated modules have been shown to be SLOWER than PC 2100 at 133 FSB. I recomend <A HREF="http://www.crucial.com/store/listModule.asp?module=DDR+PC2100&cat=RAM&package=allModules" target="_new">Crucial CT3264Z265</A>.

Don't be mislead by the 2.5 latency. JEDEC didn't specify a CAS 2 standard for DDR until recently (DDR 400 is still specified at CAS 3). I've never had any problems running this RAM at the fastest timings. However, Micron RAM doesn't respond well to increasing DIMM voltage and FSB beyond spec.

__________________________________________________
<b><font color=red>Three great virtues of a programmer are: laziness, impatience, and hubris.</font color=red><b>

 

[sparky853]

Don't need to worry about RAM timings and voltages as it will most likely be run at standard settings.

It was more a matter of what would give better performance, 1GB @ PC-133 or 512MB @ DDR266.

Thanks for your response though.

If I was as sexy as I was smart.....I'd still be ugly..DAMN
**Finally made Newbie...HAPPY DANCE..HAPPY DANCE..**

 

[shadus]

Increasing the ram from 512->1024 will definetly give a performance increase, just not nearly as large as going from sdr to ddr.

Shadus

 

[TheMASK]

EDIT: WOW, it took me more than 300 posts to make my first double post

<b>thinking of a good sig. till then...</b><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by TheMask on 07/17/03 02:18 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[TheMASK]

I do believe that switching from SD-RAM to DDR-RAM asks for changing the motherboard too....

Hey, i had to make sure u knew....

<b>thinking of a good sig. till then...</b>

 

[dwellman]

Be an interesting benchmark, but I'm guessing the DDR, too.

__________________________________________________
<b><font color=red>Three great virtues of a programmer are: laziness, impatience, and hubris.</font color=red><b>

 

[dwellman]

Well, the DDR.

__________________________________________________
<b><font color=red>Three great virtues of a programmer are: laziness, impatience, and hubris.</font color=red><b>

 

[sparky853]

Actually, the mobo in question has slots for either DDR or SDR RAM. It just so happens that is has SDR in it at the moment.

Thanks anyways.

If I was as sexy as I was smart.....I'd still be ugly..DAMN
**Finally made Newbie...HAPPY DANCE..HAPPY DANCE..**

 

[Flinx]

That Mobo has 4 memory slots. 2 for PC 133 and 2 for DDR though u can only put one type in at a time.

The loving are the daring!

 

[TheMASK]

Hey sparky, that thot had actually crossed my mind...but i was too lazy to find it out myself.

<b>thinking of a good sig. till then...</b>

 

[TheMASK]

tnx flinx...

<b>thinking of a good sig. till then...</b>