DDR/General Memory FAQ (2003)

[willboy]

For the Cas latency is 3 okay for Gaming?

[Propain]

Originally posted by willboy For the Cas latency is 3 okay for Gaming?

if your running pc3500 or pc4000 then its ok but for pc2700 youd be better off with something around 2 or 2.5 for gaming

[NewBuilder24]

New question (sorry if this question has already been asked, but I've looked through this thread and haven't really found the answer I've been looking for):

If I get MOBO(P4P800 Deluxe) with 4 memory slots and dual channel feature, if I install 4x512MB (2x 1GB dual channel kit), will I have 2GB RAM AND dual channel enabled at the same time?

[daveinsd]

I have not been here for awhile, but thanks are better late than never: thanks for the ddr/gen mem faq, floppyman, and the educational link to corsair, PiC.

[lostplanet]

this thread is excellent.well done floppyman and co

[idiot_y]

Quote: Newbuilder24-"If I get MOBO(P4P800 Deluxe) with 4 memory slots and dual channel feature, if I install 4x512MB (2x 1GB dual channel kit), will I have 2GB RAM AND dual channel enabled at the same time?"

as long as it's the same speed ram...ie pc3200 or ddr400

[Redfallon]

yes

[Gizmo]

Am I right in saying DC means Dual Channel?

[TwoRails]

Where I come from, DC = Direct Current. I don't recall seeing it as slang for dual channel (yet); where did you see that, DBG?

[Gizmo]

I don't remember seeing it anywhere as such, so I guess that was just a guess. But thanks for putting me right.

See? Being the basic newbie to this site, I've still yet to learn all of these acronyms

[bigandy]

Here are some acronyms for you DBG! It might take awhile to sift through them all .

[sammy1787_sms]

hi ive been told that your graphics card can add some of its memory on to the actual pc memory aswell i was wondering if this was true?

[Redfallon]

I don't think that is possible. However, the reverse is, if there is insufficient video memory on the card, the AGP aperature will allocate X amount of system RAM for textures to the video card. You set X in the BIOS. If I am incorrect on sammy's question someone feel free to correct

[speeddude2000]

i havbe a dual channel question. if there is a dual channel 1GB kit, will i be getting 1 gig dual channel or 512mb dual? also which is better: dual channel 512mb pc2700 or single pc3200.

ANOTHER question lol: if i have a 512 mb pc2700 ddr single right now, if i add another(same model) will it be 512mb ddr dual or 1 gig ddr dual?

[speeddude2000]

thanks in advance

[TwoRails]

Originally posted by speeddude2000 ... if i have a 512 mb pc2700 ddr single right now, if i add another(same model) will it be 512mb ddr dual or 1 gig ddr dual?

If you add a second stick, then you will have 1 gig. It will be dual channel if your motherboard supports it. Kits are 2 sticks, so a 1 gig "kit" is two 512 sticks.

[Cricket]

Originally posted by speeddude2000 i havbe a dual channel question. if there is a dual channel 1GB kit, will i be getting 1 gig dual channel or 512mb dual?

It means you'll be getting two 512MB sticks of RAM. Dual Channel DDR doesn't refer to the RAM, it refers to the memory data path on the motherboard. You need two sticks of RAM to enable the Dual Channel DDR performance feature.

Originally posted by speeddude2000 also which is better: dual channel 512mb PC2700 or single pc3200.

Do you mean two sticks of 256MB PC2700 in Dual Channel mode compared to one stick 512MB of PC3200 in single channel mode? It would depend on what speed the motherboard FSB is set to. If it's set to 166MHz (for the PC2700), the two sticks of PC2700 Dual Channel mode would perform better because the one stick of PC3200 would be running at PC2700 speeds. If the motherboard FSB is set to 200MHz (for the PC3200)...I don't know...I think the two sticks of PC2700 overclocked to PC3200 speeds would still perform better. But I'm just guessing.

Originally posted by speeddude2000 ANOTHER question lol: if i have a 512 mb pc2700 ddr single right now, if i add another(same model) will it be 512mb ddr dual or 1 gig ddr dual?

You'll have 1Gig of RAM running in Dual Channel mode.

Cricket

[speeddude2000]

ok so 2 512 mb sticks is better than 1 gig stick right?

[Cricket]

Originally posted by speeddude2000 ok so 2 512 mb sticks is better than 1 gig stick right?

Yes, if your motherboard supports the Dual Channel DDR feature. But the performance increase isn't that spectacular, so don't go expecting it to blow you away.

Cricket

[speeddude2000]

ok thanks everyone

[speeddude2000]

cricket-yes i meant if i have a 512 mb pc2700 stick right now, would it be better to get another pc2700 and run it in dual or to not use the stick(use for another comp) and buy a 1 gig pc3200.

so:

2 512MB pc2700 in dual

OR

1 1GB pc3200

whcih is better?

im guessing the 2 pc2700s right?

[Cricket]

It depends on whether the motherboard supports Dual Channel DDR and what motherboard FSB you're using. Since I don't know what you're trying to do, I really can't give you an answer.

Cricket

[speeddude2000]

asus p4p800 dlx. it supports dual and currently im using 800mhz fsb.

[Vigo]

I'd personally go with the second stick of 2700, the dual channel really seems to make a difference on benchmarks.

But why would you choose to buy a 1 gig chip? Why not just buy 2x512 3200? Its probably cheaper anyway. The mobo will be able to utilize the 3200 so 2x512 3200 is your best choice if you plan on buying new memory.

[fused]

Originally posted by Floppyman Yes, you need two identical sticks for it to work. HTH

how about my mobo support dual channel, but i only got 1 stick of ram.. will it work?

[speeddude2000]

no. you need 2 sticks of ram NO MATTER WHAT. .

[fused]

Originally posted by speeddude2000 no. you need 2 sticks of ram NO MATTER WHAT. .

no, i meant not the case of getting 5-20% performance. i was saying, that will my mobo works if i only have 1 stick of memory although my mobo support dual channel..

btw, if my mobo is 800FSB but what if my memory is PC2700 or lower than that. will my mobo run slower or not at all.. thanx..

[bigandy]

That just means that your MB can handle an 800MHz FSB. The more important question is what CPU are you running? If you're running a P4C (800MHz FSB), then its FSB will downclock to match the bus speed of your RAM. If you have a CPU with a 333MHz FSB, then your RAM speed and CPU FSB will be synchronous. And if you have a CPU with a FSB lower than 333, such as 266, then your RAM will downclock to match your CPU's FSB.

[budbd]

I took the link for learning of memory, and that was very informative.
I also learned maybe a few things about fsb. I have a Dell 4600 with a 2.8 ghz P4 533mhz fsb with four total memory slots. Originally, I figured it was going to be a waste of money to have it built with a hyperthreading technology P4 which was 800mhz fsb. From what I have read, I believe I could later put in a HT 800mhz fsb p4 chip, IF I NEEDED IT. Of course, I figured out I could go 4gigabytes of ram(if I could afford it, haha), but of course, one never knows what one might need in the future.
I have only 256 mgb of dual channel ram, and really for sure need more, and I figure I can maybe still add, say, two 256mgb ram chips and then still use my two 128 mgb ram chips to still use dual channel memory capabilities.

[Karnevil9]

If you were going to get two 256mbs ram chips why not use those to get dual channel? A 5 to 20 percent increase of 512mb is better than a 5 to 20 perenct increase of 256mb. Usually, unless you are doing video editing or other PC work that requires a lot of memory, 512mb is enough. You can get a good increase in performance just by installing one more 256mb ram card. Check you mobo manufacturer to make sure it will accept memory of different Mbs.