8GB 5300 or 4GB 6400?!?!

[garen45]

Hey guys I want to upgrade my ram but have a quick question and would really like some expert advice, I currently have 2 GB of DDR2 6400 ram and would like to update. I am running Windows 7 64bit and might upgrade to Windows 8 64bit. I want to know if I should get 8GB of PC5300 ram or 4GB of PC6400 ram because my motherboard is an Intel DG965WH and can't handle more than those 2 configurations. The rest of my PC specs are below:

Intel DG965WH Motherboard
1.6ghz Intel Core 2 Duo
2GB DDR2 PC6400 Ram
ATI 1650 Extreme 512mb GDDR3 Graphics Card
SB Fatality Soundcard

I have a 2 monitor setup and Outlook is always running on one. I usually use Word, Photoshop and do some light video editing.

Let me know what you guys suggest...

Also if I get the 8GB PC6400 ram will my computer post and load windows but lower the ram to PC5300 or will it not work at all or be unstable?

 

[epobirs]

That generation chipset didn't have the bandwidth for 8 GB of PC6400. I had a Core 2 Duo system with an Intel board that had four DIMM slots but had to settle for 6 GB of PC6400. My experience was that the board wasn't smart enough to downgrade the RAM speed on its own to allow it to boot.

However, this was mostly because I started off with PC6400. I'd have built with PC5300 if I'd known how soon I'd be switching over to 64-bit and wanting all the RAM I could get.

For most activity you'll see more benefit from the larger but slower volume of RAM. The speed difference would only produce a notable difference in a narrow range of uses but the greater RAM will make a difference for a LOT of apps. Especially if you have Outlook open all of the time.

But that whole system is pretty dated. Have you considered how much more you would get by instead applying the money towards a new machine? Once a machine gets past a certain age the value of upgrades vs. a new system becomes hard to justify.

 

[garen45]

Wow thanks for the in-depth reply... I have considered getting a new system over and over again but I am holding off for another year until I graduate college. I want to build something pretty insane (dual processor, 32gb RAM, 2xNvidia 690). It's just been a dream of mine to build something like that for a while but regardless whether I actually go trough with that or not, my computer is holding up for my needs pretty well right now (I'm really flustered with school) and I'm hoping to find some cheap memory on craigslist and use it for a while.

One last question... If i find 2 different brands of RAM for example 2x2gb PNY PC5300 and 2x2GB OCZ PC5300 would that work or will i encounter any problems?

 

[garen45]

Best answer selected by garen45.

 

[popatim]

Your motherbd will run the ram at the cpu's fsb speed or the ram speed , whichever is slower. If you install ddr2-800 speed ram and your processor has a 667fsb then the ram will be run at 667.

So theres no point getting the higher speed ram if your processors fsb is not 800.