i want 2 gigs but.....

[quasar923]

i want to have 2 gigs of ram for my new rig of a 8800 gts by fox conn either a e6700 or e6600 depending on price in end of august, 600wat psu, antec 900 case, asus p5b deluxe mobo, and for my ram so far i have chosen 1 gig 2x512 mushkin extreme performance 1066. ive herd that it is best to have 2 gigs of ram when having the c2d for best performance i am alredy spending around 1200 1300$ on this and i would like to spend less or no more than this. so for my other gig of ram i am planning to get 1 gig of patriot extreme performance 800 ram for 80 bucks but i was wondering if that would lessen my overclocking ability or slow down my system what would be the best thing to do??

[ex_reven]

i dont know anything about running different brands of ram together, but im guessing that so long as the frequencies (mhz) and the latencies are the same it should work.

Obviously, wait for a few more opinions though. Some might think it best to run matching pairs of ram, others might not think it necessary.

Sounds like a good new rig :toast:

[Boneface]

I guess it would be better to get 2x1gigs ram for dual channel

[Thermopylae_480]

Running different brands is really not an issue. If you get one module that has different specs that the others, they will all run at the lowest common spec. So just make sure no matter what brand you get. They all have the same latency and clock speeds.

[randomperson21]

make sure you do 4x512 or 2x1gb, otherwise you won't be running dual channel == sad speeds. 2x512 + 1x1gb would work, but would not be as fast.

[largon]

2x512MB + 1x1GB does run in dual channel on Intel boards.
On AMD it's a no-go.

[randomperson21]

really? that seems odd... but i'm running amd, haven't had any intel experience on that.

[ex_reven]

im interested, how does that work exactly?

[largon]

It's not that odd actually. It's just a limitation in AMD IMC, Intel MCHs don't have this limitation.

DDR memory DIMMs are 64bit wide "ranks" ie. 64bits can be written/read in one clock in single DIMM.
Dual channel = 2 modules are accessed simultaenously = 2x64bit = 128bit.

Intel MCHs can address 2 evenly sized modules as one channel and a third module as big as the 2 others in total as the other channel.
The only requisite is that both channels have the same size memory pool, be it 2* 1n or 1* 2n.

[tkpenalty]

So then... I can get 2x512MB Brand A 667 and get another pair of 2x512GB Brand B 667 and it can dual channel rite? (2.5GB is max, until windows XP's performance starts dropping). So... how about the latencies?

[Pinchy]

All clock speeds and latiencies dont matter; its just that the better RAM will downclock/loosen timings to match the other one.

E.G.

RAM 1 - 2x512mb 4-4-4-12, 800Mhz
RAM 2 - 2x512mb, 5-5-5-15, 667Mhz.

Output: 4x512mb, 5-5-5-15, 667Mhz.


So in other words, its not worth getting a really good kit and a crappy one, or the good kit will downgrade to the crappy one's specs.

[largon]

tkpenalty,
Sure, 4x512Mb does DC easily.
Your i975X should handle them without fiddling with latencies.

[Pinchy]

Wouldnt it quad channel?

[largon]

I wish it would do quad channel (256bit).
But then you'd need a memory controller that supports QC and a horribly complex board.

And there ofcourse are no desktop boards that support QC.

[Pinchy]

I wish it would do quad channel (256bit).
But then you'd need a memory controller that supports QC and a horribly complex board.

And there ofcourse are no desktop boards that support QC.

I read it somewhere....must have been bs :p

[quasar923]

ok should i get 1 gig of the ram i want first in one stick and then when i have more money or see a demand for more ram should i get another 1 gig stick of the same ram or get 2x512 to start then get another 2x512 or get a 1 gig then a 512 and then another 512 later?

[JC316]

To be perfectly honest, I would spend the dough on the RAM. I bought a killer CPU, yet I cant OC it to it's full potential because of my cheap ass ram.

[Chewy]

well I beleive if you mix up your ram your overclcoking will not be as good.. I also heard that if you fill up the 4 slots you wont get as high of a clock than if you just filled up 2.

Since your going to buy still I think you should just get 2x1gig, sounds like your buying all your ram at the same time so your best to just get some good quality well priced (on sale maybe) 2x1gig duel channel ram.

if you already bought the muskin than buy 2 more sticks of that! so you can get better overclocking than mixing ram.

I think you should get matching pairs of ram (duel channel/matched) not single sticks.

[Agility]

I did rather you buy the 1gig ram and leave it there. Then save up and buy another 1gig ram (Provided u can buy it again within a month)

[quasar923]

yea i was thinking of starting with one gig then getting another i dont wanna spend 1400 at once bc now im at 1000 with out a gpu bc il be keeping my current one for now and with one gig of the mishiking extream 1066 ram.

[Sasqui]

i want to have 2 gigs of ram for my new rig of a 8800 gts by fox conn either a e6700 or e6600 depending on price in end of august, 600wat psu, antec 900 case, asus p5b deluxe mobo, and for my ram so far i have chosen 1 gig 2x512 mushkin extreme performance 1066. ive herd that it is best to have 2 gigs of ram when having the c2d for best performance i am alredy spending around 1200 1300$ on this and i would like to spend less or no more than this. so for my other gig of ram i am planning to get 1 gig of patriot extreme performance 800 ram for 80 bucks but i was wondering if that would lessen my overclocking ability or slow down my system what would be the best thing to do??

Totally go for 2 gig DDR2 800 even if you chose a cheaper, lower latency pair, you'll be better off in the long run for the reasons you mention - overclocking, but don't forget capacity. Remember that memory dividers on the 965 motherboards can only raise the memory speed, not lower it. On top of that, there are plently of games and apps that will fill up 1 gig and you'll be swapping to HDD. F.E.A.R. is one of those games.

Mixing memory of diffent latencies has it's issues, but there's also voltages if you are overclocking... so not a good idea if you can avoid it.

[quasar923]

but if i get 2 gigs of 800 ram instead of 2 gigs of 1066 ram i wont be able to oc as well will i?