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Good to mix PC3200 & 2700?

Forum Motherboards & Memory : Memory - Good to mix PC3200 & 2700?

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I'm using a pair of 256mb DDR PC3200, I also have one stick of 256mb PC2700, is it good to add this 2700 to my system? I'm gaining more memory, how about speed? Will it all drop to 2700? What do you think, good or bad to do this. Thanks.

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You could do one of two things. One, run the PC2700 RAM at 3200 speeds. Your PC2700 RAM prob wont be stable at these speeds and so the sy system will crash a lot (thats if it starts up at all that is).
Two, run both sticks at PC2700 speeds. YOu will loose some performance. Depending on your system config the performance decrease could be anywhere from 1-15% I would say. What CPU are you using?
I think option 2 is the best one, 512MB is the standard ammount of RAM nowadays.

Reply to jammydodger

My system is AMD XP 2200. I'm using two(a pair) 256 PC3200 right now, also have a extra 256 PC2700. If I install this pc2700, total will be 768mb, but mix speed. Good or bad?

Reply to haitang

Bad, unless it is high quality 2700 that can be overclocked to 3200.

You now have 512MB of PC 3200 in dual channel mode, to gain another 256MB of PC 2700, you would slow the system speed down about 20% and and the extra memory would only gain speed in mem hoggin apps or multi-tasking.
You should wait till you can get another pair.

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Reply to RichPLS

Dual channel can work with 3sticks in AMD systems since Nforce2 chipsets stagger latencies rather than combining buses.

The system would not slow down by 20% since the increase in memory speed from 333Mhz to 400Mhz is only 18% (and we all know a 18% increase in clock speed never means an 18% increase in real world performance).

If I were you I would try it out and see if there is any noticable performance increase. WARNING: Make sure you but the PC2700 in the first memory slot (this will default all the memory to PC2700 speeds) otherwise your computer will try and run the PC2700 at PC3200 speeds.

Reply to jammydodger

Your XP2200 uses a 133fsb. What is the RAM running at? PC3200 RAM can run at 133 or 166 in addition to its default of 200, and if it's running in synch with the CPU, you can add the PC2700 stick no problem because both will be running underclocked.

Mike.

Reply to fishmahn

2nd that.. if your bus speed is only 133 or 166. you will surely see a performance difference going from 512mb to 768mb

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Reply to mopeygoth

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