How long will this RAM last me? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

sailor · 04-29-2004, 01:56 PM

OK, so Newegg has a damn good deal going on for some pc3200 RAM. I need more RAM, and am thinking on jumping on it. However, I need to make sure that it will still be viable when I update the rest of my machine in 4 to 6 months. I dont know much about upcoming hardware, and just need to know that if I drop the money for this RAM now, it will still serve me just fine when the next generation of stuff comes out (PCI-X, new generation of Athlon 64s, etc). What do you think? Are they planning on changing to a new RAM spec? Will it still be reasonable fast stuff?

Thanks for any help...

Crack · 04-29-2004, 02:15 PM

Just make sure the stepping is even, and it's from a well know company... Kingston/Corsair... ect...

I would wait a bit if I were you though, PC3700/4000 prices will drop once the new boards are common place.

Just remember, if you get the PC3200 now, you will be stuck at 400MHz unless you OC, so get the best RAM you can afford..

One other thing, 512 of PC3200 is better that 1 GIG of PC2700..
I don't know how many people I have to tell this to everyday!

It should last you for a while, but to really take advantage of the 64 and PCI-X you will have to get new memory sooner or later.

RogueHunter65 · 04-29-2004, 03:50 PM

It also depends on how many Dimm slots you have. If you have spare slots that means you can get anything now and just add some later. Thats what i did but then again I have 4 slots.

Jolt · 04-29-2004, 04:12 PM

Look for motherboards using "DDR2" memory to hit the streets this summer. PC3200 will be outdated in 3 months, but is expected to remain in common use on some new boards for another year or so...probably.

sailor · 04-29-2004, 04:14 PM

It is Mushkin memory, so its good stuff. Im just wanting to make sure that some new standard of memory isnt gonna come out and leave me stuck--basically, I want this to be my memory for my next system as well, which I plan to build in 4-6 months.

sailor · 04-30-2004, 07:19 AM

Anyone? Any comments?

wraithhibn · 04-30-2004, 07:39 AM

As long as you dont plan on updating within a year, you should be fine. Make sure you get atleast 512 though.

LNCPapa · 04-30-2004, 09:26 AM

DDR2 isn't any faster that DDR at the same rated speed - in fact, it's probably slower. The big deal about DDR2 is that they will eventually be able to take the speeds much higher - but early samples show it to be no faster since they are currently only available at speeds DDR is capable of reaching.

sailor · 04-30-2004, 09:49 AM

OK, so Im thinking this stuff should be fine. It will be a gig of Mushkin pc3200, which is some pretty decent stuff. Certainly much better than the 512 of pc2100 that I am running right now.

Caphreak · 04-30-2004, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by crackprogram
One other thing, 512 of PC3200 is better that 1 GIG of PC2700..
I don't know how many people I have to tell this to everyday!

Can you offer some sort of proof on this? From my experience it matters what youre doing, so i dont think youre right in making an assumption as such.

kel · 04-30-2004, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by crackprogram
One other thing, 512 of PC3200 is better that 1 GIG of PC2700..
I don't know how many people I have to tell this to everyday!

That depends whether the applications you will be using the system for are bottlenecked by memory access or disk thrashing.

In my case one or preferably two gigs is far better even if it is half the speed because I multi-task quite a bit and run memory hungry things in the background.

jujueye · 04-30-2004, 05:40 PM

I think you'll be fine. Even though the next gen of computers is always faster, when it is introduced it always costs way too much. You'd have to wait to afford it. Just get the 3200 now. And enjoy it now.

Lasereth · 04-30-2004, 07:43 PM

The PC3200 is fine. I've heard good things about Mushkin as well.

The processors in the upcoming months will be too expensive to buy anyway. Right now, the fastest processors on the market are all running at a 200 MHz bus speed, perfectly synched with PC3200 RAM. Buying RAM faster than that will slow your system down unless you're overclocking. If you buy PC3200 now, it won't be outdated for years, simply because there are some incredibly powerful processors out there right now that still use PC3200 RAM.

512 MB of PC3200 is *not* better than 1 GB of PC2700 unless you're running it in sync with the FSB of your processor. If you have a 400 MHz FSB processor, then some games will run better with 512 MB of PC3200 (your benchmark scores will go way up), but if you're running a processor with 333 MHz FSB, then 1 GB of PC2700 would outperform 512 MB of PC3200 anyday. It just depends on what you care about: higher benchmark scores and FSB synchronization, or faster loading levels in games and better single player experiences.

-Lasereth

Caphreak · 04-30-2004, 10:19 PM

Thats true, IF and ONLY IF you NEVER go above 512mb usage. As soon as you have to cache one thing to your hard drive, performance goes down significantly. I run tons of applications in the background, and my fps in a benchmark game (i use wolf et) is almost cut in half if i use faster ram. So basically, if you run programs in the background, more > faster, but if you only run one program at a time faster is sometimes > more. If it were up to me, id always choose more over faster. Then clock your proc to your memory. A small loss in clock speed is worth syncing to your memory.

sailor · 05-01-2004, 06:02 AM

OK, I bought it. $90 a stick for that stuff was too good to pass up, especially with prices like they are now. I also bought a new case and PSU to go with it

Crack · 05-01-2004, 08:29 AM

Ok, Ok, let me justify my statements here, obviously it would be better to have 1gig of PC2700 if your FSB speed is 333MHz, but the AMD XP 3200+ runs at 400MHz, if you put PC2700 in your machine, you bottle-neck at 333MHz, I don't care if you have 6Gigs of 333MHz PC2700, your Machine will only run at 333MHz, if you don't care that you are only losing 66MHz, then fine, get the PC2700. Personally, I run a (non-OCed) barton 2500+, it would do me absolutely no good to use PC3200, but if I went below 2700, and got a gig of PC2100 (266MHz) then my system would suffer from the performance hit.
Upgrading your computer is all about looking for the "Bottle-neck" be that your RAM, MOBO, Processer, or your Video card, and replacing what is holding you back.

Caphreak · 05-01-2004, 10:49 AM

however, if you took that 1 gig of pc2100, and your 2500+ barton, and set your fsb to 266mhz, and your multiplier so that the clock speed remained close to the same, youd see a performace increase over having 512 pc2700 + standard barton config.

Or if your motherboard supported ram/cpu speed differentials.

04-29-2004, 01:56 PM	#1 (permalink)
sailor beauty in the breakdown Location: Chapel Hill, NC	How long will this RAM last me? OK, so Newegg has a damn good deal going on for some pc3200 RAM. I need more RAM, and am thinking on jumping on it. However, I need to make sure that it will still be viable when I update the rest of my machine in 4 to 6 months. I dont know much about upcoming hardware, and just need to know that if I drop the money for this RAM now, it will still serve me just fine when the next generation of stuff comes out (PCI-X, new generation of Athlon 64s, etc). What do you think? Are they planning on changing to a new RAM spec? Will it still be reasonable fast stuff? Thanks for any help... __________________ "Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws." --Plato

04-29-2004, 02:15 PM	#2 (permalink)
Crack Misanthropic Location: Ohio! yay!	Just make sure the stepping is even, and it's from a well know company... Kingston/Corsair... ect... I would wait a bit if I were you though, PC3700/4000 prices will drop once the new boards are common place. Just remember, if you get the PC3200 now, you will be stuck at 400MHz unless you OC, so get the best RAM you can afford.. One other thing, 512 of PC3200 is better that 1 GIG of PC2700.. I don't know how many people I have to tell this to everyday! It should last you for a while, but to really take advantage of the 64 and PCI-X you will have to get new memory sooner or later. __________________ Crack, you and I are long overdue for a vicious bout of mansex. ~Halx

04-29-2004, 03:50 PM	#3 (permalink)
RogueHunter65 Insane Location: Boston, MA	It also depends on how many Dimm slots you have. If you have spare slots that means you can get anything now and just add some later. Thats what i did but then again I have 4 slots. __________________ I suffer from amnesia and deja vu at the same time... I think I have forgotten this before

04-29-2004, 04:14 PM	#5 (permalink)
sailor beauty in the breakdown Location: Chapel Hill, NC	It is Mushkin memory, so its good stuff. Im just wanting to make sure that some new standard of memory isnt gonna come out and leave me stuck--basically, I want this to be my memory for my next system as well, which I plan to build in 4-6 months. __________________ "Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws." --Plato

04-30-2004, 07:19 AM	#6 (permalink)
sailor beauty in the breakdown Location: Chapel Hill, NC	Anyone? Any comments? __________________ "Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws." --Plato

04-29-2004, 04:12 PM	#4 (permalink)
Jolt Insane Location: Over here	Look for motherboards using "DDR2" memory to hit the streets this summer. PC3200 will be outdated in 3 months, but is expected to remain in common use on some new boards for another year or so...probably.

04-30-2004, 07:39 AM	#7 (permalink)
wraithhibn Dopefish Location: the 'Ville	As long as you dont plan on updating within a year, you should be fine. Make sure you get atleast 512 though. __________________ If you won't dress like the Victoria Secret girls, don't expect us to act like soap opera guys.

04-30-2004, 09:26 AM	#8 (permalink)
LNCPapa Crazy Location: Notre Dame	DDR2 isn't any faster that DDR at the same rated speed - in fact, it's probably slower. The big deal about DDR2 is that they will eventually be able to take the speeds much higher - but early samples show it to be no faster since they are currently only available at speeds DDR is capable of reaching. __________________ No mercy for the bandwidth impaired

04-30-2004, 09:49 AM	#9 (permalink)
sailor beauty in the breakdown Location: Chapel Hill, NC	OK, so Im thinking this stuff should be fine. It will be a gig of Mushkin pc3200, which is some pretty decent stuff. Certainly much better than the 512 of pc2100 that I am running right now. __________________ "Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws." --Plato

04-30-2004, 05:40 PM	#12 (permalink)
jujueye alpaca lunch for the trip Location: in my computer	I think you'll be fine. Even though the next gen of computers is always faster, when it is introduced it always costs way too much. You'd have to wait to afford it. Just get the 3200 now. And enjoy it now.

04-30-2004, 07:43 PM	#13 (permalink)
Lasereth Knight of the Old Republic Location: Winston-Salem, NC	The PC3200 is fine. I've heard good things about Mushkin as well. The processors in the upcoming months will be too expensive to buy anyway. Right now, the fastest processors on the market are all running at a 200 MHz bus speed, perfectly synched with PC3200 RAM. Buying RAM faster than that will slow your system down unless you're overclocking. If you buy PC3200 now, it won't be outdated for years, simply because there are some incredibly powerful processors out there right now that still use PC3200 RAM. 512 MB of PC3200 is not better than 1 GB of PC2700 unless you're running it in sync with the FSB of your processor. If you have a 400 MHz FSB processor, then some games will run better with 512 MB of PC3200 (your benchmark scores will go way up), but if you're running a processor with 333 MHz FSB, then 1 GB of PC2700 would outperform 512 MB of PC3200 anyday. It just depends on what you care about: higher benchmark scores and FSB synchronization, or faster loading levels in games and better single player experiences. -Lasereth __________________ "A Darwinian attacks his theory, seeking to find flaws. An ID believer defends his theory, seeking to conceal flaws." -Roger Ebert

04-30-2004, 10:19 PM	#14 (permalink)
Caphreak Insane Location: Ames, IA	Thats true, IF and ONLY IF you NEVER go above 512mb usage. As soon as you have to cache one thing to your hard drive, performance goes down significantly. I run tons of applications in the background, and my fps in a benchmark game (i use wolf et) is almost cut in half if i use faster ram. So basically, if you run programs in the background, more > faster, but if you only run one program at a time faster is sometimes > more. If it were up to me, id always choose more over faster. Then clock your proc to your memory. A small loss in clock speed is worth syncing to your memory.

05-01-2004, 06:02 AM	#15 (permalink)
sailor beauty in the breakdown Location: Chapel Hill, NC	OK, I bought it. $90 a stick for that stuff was too good to pass up, especially with prices like they are now. I also bought a new case and PSU to go with it __________________ "Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws." --Plato

05-01-2004, 08:29 AM	#16 (permalink)
Crack Misanthropic Location: Ohio! yay!	Ok, Ok, let me justify my statements here, obviously it would be better to have 1gig of PC2700 if your FSB speed is 333MHz, but the AMD XP 3200+ runs at 400MHz, if you put PC2700 in your machine, you bottle-neck at 333MHz, I don't care if you have 6Gigs of 333MHz PC2700, your Machine will only run at 333MHz, if you don't care that you are only losing 66MHz, then fine, get the PC2700. Personally, I run a (non-OCed) barton 2500+, it would do me absolutely no good to use PC3200, but if I went below 2700, and got a gig of PC2100 (266MHz) then my system would suffer from the performance hit. Upgrading your computer is all about looking for the "Bottle-neck" be that your RAM, MOBO, Processer, or your Video card, and replacing what is holding you back. __________________ Crack, you and I are long overdue for a vicious bout of mansex. ~Halx

05-01-2004, 10:49 AM	#17 (permalink)
Caphreak Insane Location: Ames, IA	however, if you took that 1 gig of pc2100, and your 2500+ barton, and set your fsb to 266mhz, and your multiplier so that the clock speed remained close to the same, youd see a performace increase over having 512 pc2700 + standard barton config. Or if your motherboard supported ram/cpu speed differentials.