Is it really worth it for me to upgrade to DDR3

[CrysisComa]

ok im planning on building a new system and right now iv selected most of my parts

-AMD Phenom II BE 955 3.2ghz
-Amd 5770 1gb (Crossfire later)
-650w Antec PSU
-Windows 7 64Bit

i already have 4gb of DDR2 @800mhz from my current system
but is it worth it for me to spend an extra 100$ on DDR3? im on a very tight budget so if i dont really need it i would like to save the money.


im building this mostly for Crysis and Crysis 2, but will the DDR3 make much of a difference? the DDR3 im considering is Super Talent 240-pin PC3-8500 DDR3 1066MHz


this is the motherboard ill be getting if i go with DDR3
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5633666&sku=M452-6079


this is the one for DDR2
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130265&cm_re=am3_amd_motherboard-_-13-130-265-_-Product

 

[Alvin Smith]

Have you (seriously) checked the #pins and (exact) timings of your current DDR2 with the detailed specifications of that 2nd (DDR2) mobo, which you listed?

= Al =

 

[CrysisComa]

Have you (seriously) checked the #pins and (exact) timings of your current DDR2 with the detailed specifications of that 2nd (DDR2) mobo, which you listed?

= Al =

heres my current Ram. will this work on the DDR2 Mobo?


PC2-6400 MB/sec
Type 240 pin, DDR2 SDRAM

 

[lauxenburg]

DDR3 is nice because it runs on low voltages and and higher clocks, lower latencies. DDR2 does the job as well, but you will never see a new motherboard released with DDR2 and therefore you have to stick to slightly older boards. If you don't mind, DDR2 will be alright, but DDR3 does futureproof you a bit.

I am running DDR3 in my system and I am liking it.

 

[CrysisComa]

DDR3 is nice because it runs on low voltages and and higher clocks, lower latencies. DDR2 does the job as well, but you will never see a new motherboard released with DDR2 and therefore you have to stick to slightly older boards. If you don't mind, DDR2 will be alright, but DDR3 does futureproof you a bit.

I am running DDR3 in my system and I am liking it.

i definitely want something future proof but do you think within the next 2 years or so DDR2 will bottleneck the rest of my system for games? i know DDR3 is better but is it something that i should spend 100$ on?

 

[Alvin Smith]

heres my current Ram. will this work on the DDR2 Mobo?


PC2-6400 MB/sec
Type 240 pin, DDR2 SDRAM

I have "no eye deer" and I am not interested in doing the research ( lay-ZEE ! ) . . .

. . . I can say, "I do not know, off-hand" and that I would like to see ALL the x-x-x-x (xx) timings fall within "spec", for that board.

I just thought that it would be prudent to draw your attention to the possibility that said (existing) RAM *might* not be compatible with mobo#2, anyway.

The fact that you are asking me to verify proves that you are operating, to some degree, upon an assumption (correct or not).

So I was just not wanting to "brush over" that potential pitfall, to your ultimate detriment.

RAM is pretty cheap, right now, as a % of total system cost so, I would (wisely) advise you *NOT* to let $50 or $100 worth of RAM guide my decision on a major system upgrade, in any way ( ! ) .

Driving by looking in the rear-view mirror won't get you very far, down the road.

And, now, please stand as we sing Hymn #331.

= Al =

 

[shortstuff_mt]

DDR2 RAM is DDR2 RAM. There is no difference in the # of pins between DDR2 RAM. That MSI board is rated to run DDR2 RAM at up to 1066 MHz. Your old DDR2 800 RAM will work fine with that MSI motherboard if you don't want to spend the $100 on new RAM. I guess just for fun you could post the model number of your existing RAM, but I see no reason why it wouldn't work.

I would worry more about the BIOS revision of the board supporting your AM3 chip than about the RAM.

 

[CrysisComa]

DDR2 RAM is DDR2 RAM. There is no difference in the # of pins between DDR2 RAM. That MSI board is rated to run DDR2 RAM at up to 1066 MHz. Your old DDR2 800 RAM will work fine with that MSI motherboard if you don't want to spend the $100 on new RAM. I guess just for fun you could post the model number of your existing RAM, but I see no reason why it wouldn't work.

I would worry more about the BIOS revision of the board supporting your AM3 chip than about the RAM.

see im also leaning towards the DDR2 MB because it has two Pci-e x16 slots @ x16. while the other one has 2 but one is at x4. now do you think the Am3 Mb update is a problem? do these updates usually work or are they faulty alot?

 

[shortstuff_mt]

You certainly don't want a board that runs the second slot at 4x if you're planning on Crossfire down the road.

What update are your referring to? Are you talking about a BIOS update? Flashing the BIOS is very safe if you do it through the BIOS with a USB thumb drive. The problem is that the system may not even boot to allow you to update the BIOS if the CPU isn't supported. You should just check the MSI website to see if your CPU is supported by that board.

 

[CrysisComa]

You certainly don't want a board that runs the second slot at 4x if you're planning on Crossfire down the road.

What update are your referring to? Are you talking about a BIOS update? Flashing the BIOS is very safe if you do it through the BIOS with a USB thumb drive. The problem is that the system may not even boot to allow you to update the BIOS if the CPU isn't supported. You should just check the MSI website to see if your CPU is supported by that board.

ok i just checked and the Phenom ii 955 is supported so im good to go.

http://eu.msi.com/index.php?func=prodcpu2&prod_no=1856&maincat_no=1

 

[CrysisComa]

and now that i think about it spending 170$ on another 5770 that will only be running at x4 is kind of a waste. so i think im going to go with the DDR2 board

 

[lauxenburg]

i definitely want something future proof but do you think within the next 2 years or so DDR2 will bottleneck the rest of my system for games? i know DDR3 is better but is it something that i should spend 100$ on?

Well, to be quite frank with you...DDR2 prices are only about $5 off per GB right now. Meaning a 4GB DDR3 kit might cost $120 and DDR2 kit $100. It's not THAT much money if you think about your whole system and you can get a DDR3 board for about the same price as a DDR2.

 

[CrysisComa]

Well, to be quite frank with you...DDR2 prices are only about $5 off per GB right now. Meaning a 4GB DDR3 kit might cost $120 and DDR2 kit $100. It's not THAT much money if you think about your whole system and you can get a DDR3 board for about the same price as a DDR2.

i know that but the thing is i already HAVE the 4gb of ddr2 from my current computer so i wasnt sure it was such a necessity for me to buy all new Ram.

 

[Alvin Smith]

Well,
$100 ain't chicken feed and that much could bump you up a whole gpu series so, trusting ShorStuffs authority (da Man), then . . . "No Compunction".

= +1 = (then)

 

[CrysisComa]

Best answer selected by CrysisComa.