Memory Frequncy/Laency & Dual Channel DDR

[Haydn1971]

Hi folks

Be gentle with me, it's my first post on here...

I've just upped my memory from 2x512MB Corsair Value Select PC3200 with a CAS of 3.0 @ 200Mhz by adding 2x512MB Corsair Value Select PC3200 with a CAS of 2.5 @ 200Mhz. I have a Asus P5GDC Deluxe that supports Dual Channel DDR & DDR2, however CPUID is reporting that my memory is running at 160.6Mhz with a CAS @ 2.5. I've tried swapping the sticks around in the relative A1/A2/B1/B2 slots, but to no result....

a, Is this a "feature" of my motherboard ?
b, Am I better off with 160Mhz @ 2.5 or 200Mhz @ 3.0 ?
c, Is there any way of upping the speed to 200MHz @ 3.0 CAS without swapping the memory for new ?
d, Just how much realistically would I gain by having the memory at 200Mhz @ 2.5 CAS over what I have now ?
e, Just how much realistically would i gain by moving to 2x 1GB sticks of Dual Channel DDR2 ?

I like the odd game, mostly FPS like HL2/Q4/FEAR, maybe 10% of my time, use office applications for my job about 30% of my time and internet use the rest...

The "processing bits" of my rig are...
Intel Pentium 4 540, 3.2GHz 0.13m Prescott core with 1Mb cache
Asus P5GDC Deluxe motherboard - BIOS 1005.002 - BIOS Date 26th Sep 2004
2x512MB Corsair Value Select PC3200 with a CAS of 3.0 @ 200Mhz
2x512MB Corsair Value Select PC3200 with a CAS of 2.5 @ 200MHz
XFX 256Mb nVidia 7800GT PCI-E video card
2x Seagate SATA Barracuda hard disks, 120GB boot & 200GB Data drive
Running with Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2

Your help would be appreciated !

 

[pickxx]

I know on some boards if you fill all 4 slots it will lower the speeds....but i dont know if your board does this or not.

its MUCH better to have DDR200 at Cas 3 then 160 at Cas 2.5

WHy did you get the 2nd GB of RAM? it wont make much difference in gaming, or office apps or internet.....If you get two sticks instead of 4, yu will be able to have DDR2 timings but your computer isn't just going to magically be faster. For what you're doing it would be roughtly the same.

 

[russell]

Dual channel memory architecture
2 x 240-pin DIMM sockets support max. 2GB DDR2 533/400 non-ECC memory
4 x 184-pin DIMM Sockets support max. 4GB DDR 400/333 non-ECC memory
(Note: DDR and DDR2 memory can not be used simultaneously)

Are all four sticks DDR and not mixed with DDR2?

 

[Haydn1971]

its MUCH better to have DDR200 at Cas 3 then 160 at Cas 2.5

OK, thanks :¬)

WHy did you get the 2nd GB of RAM? it wont make much difference in gaming, or office apps or internet.....If you get two sticks instead of 4, yu will be able to have DDR2 timings but your computer isn't just going to magically be faster. For what you're doing it would be roughtly the same.

My office apps include AutoCAD, Photoshop and in the past 3DSMAX, I'm a Freelance Civil Engineer, I have very large and complex CAD files and dabble with visualisations for public consultations.... The extra memory wasn't really for outright speed, more ease of editing larger files and also, I couldn't think of anything else my other half could buy me for xmas :¬)

 

[Haydn1971]

2x512MB Corsair Value Select PC3200 with a CAS of 3.0 @ 200Mhz
2x512MB Corsair Value Select PC3200 with a CAS of 2.5 @ 200MHz

Are all four sticks DDR and not mixed with DDR2?

Yes, all four sticks are DDR not DDR2

 

[pickxx]

My office apps include AutoCAD, Photoshop and in the past 3DSMAX

lol.....just a little something FYI....when you say office apps most people think of word/excell/powerpoint/outlook and such.....CAD programs need to be listed seperately...lol

2GB for CAD is good....2GB for word, retarded.

 

[Haydn1971]

lol.....just a little something FYI....when you say office apps most people think of word/excell/powerpoint/outlook and such.....CAD programs need to be listed seperately...lol

I did say I was a Civil Engineer :¬) CAD/3DS are the tools of my trade... I won't even go into details of traffic modelling microsimulation !

 

[pickxx]

Not in your first post....But thats alright.....no harm done.

 

[RichPLS]

You Might Be an Engineer If…

... choosing to buy flowers for your girlfriend or upgrading your RAM is a moral dilemma.

... you take a cruise so you can go on a personal tour of the engine room.

... in college you thought Spring Break was metal fatigue failure.

... the sales people at the local computer store can't answer any of your questions.

... at an air show you know how fast the skydivers are falling.

... you bought your wife a new CD-ROM drive for her birthday.

... you can quote scenes from any Monty Python movie.

... you can type 70 words per minute but can't read your own handwriting.

... you comment to your wife that her straight hair is nice and parallel.

... you sit backwards on the Disneyland rides to see how they do the special effects.

... you have saved every power cord from all your broken appliances.

... you have more friends on the Internet than in real life.

... you know what < stands for.

... you look forward to Christmas so you can put the kids' toys together.

... you see a good design and still have to change it.

... you spent more on your calculator than you did on your wedding ring.

... you still own a slide rule and know how to use it.

... you think that people yawning around you are sleep deprived.

... you window shop at Radio Shack.

....your laptop computer costs more than your car.

... your wife hasn't the foggiest idea of what you do at work.

... you've already calculated how much you make per second.

... you've tried to repair a $5 radio.

 

[fishmahn]

ROFL...

Hmm.... [/worried look] What if you're not an engineer and you fit most of these situations? :? 8O

Mike.