Dual Channel question:

Ashtareth · Jul 29, 2003, 09:14 PM

Going to buy myself the abit nf7-s and wondering if its best to get 2x256 (pc3200) sticks (unsure what brand, etc) or just get a single 512 stick?

Also, what brands of memory can you reccomend and know where i can get them at a decent cost?

Dom · Jul 29, 2003, 09:16 PM

You have to have two sticks of RAM to run in dual channel mode.

Ashtareth · Jul 29, 2003, 09:18 PM

i knew that, just wondering if its better/faster to run in in dual channel, or with a single 512 stick (which i would prolly upgrade to 2x512 when i get the money)

Dom · Jul 29, 2003, 09:22 PM

Dual channel mode is overrated, you may get better OCing results with one stick of RAM also.

Ashtareth · Jul 29, 2003, 09:24 PM

what type should i get though? Geil, Corsair, Kingston, OCZ?? also, know where i could get it at a decent cost?

Dom · Jul 29, 2003, 09:26 PM

Corsair XMS or Kingston HyperX. http://newegg.com

Ashtareth · Jul 29, 2003, 09:37 PM

curious on the CL and CAS things (new to all this

) the lower the number the better, correct?

dipstick · Jul 29, 2003, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ashtareth
curious on the CL and CAS things (new to all this ) the lower the number the better, correct?

Yes, the lower the better on all mem timings. Also I don't think there's much OC'ing difference between 256mb and 512mb sticks. I've had extreme luck with all my crucial xms 512mb sticks, with their latest PC3700 hitting 500MHz on an Abit NF-S. I don't think OCing ahould hold you back from purchasing 512mb sticks if you can afford the insane amount of $$ they charge for them.

Gardinen · Aug 5, 2003, 01:56 PM

The Dual Channel on my rig didn't at all give 6GB of transfer as told to. I only gained about 200mb more of transfer with dual mode.
I've got the NF7 rev. 1.0 which is a motherboard which haven't got official support for dual channel mode. But it does say "dual channel enabled" in post, so I guess that I've got some sort of that.

It would be nice though to get opinions and results from someone with i newer mobo runnin' dual channel

DriveEuro · Aug 5, 2003, 05:16 PM

Dual channel only adds like 3-5% performance. You can overclock higher with one stick, as DOM stated. I'd just stick to 1 stick of PC3500 rather than PC3200.

Logla · Aug 5, 2003, 05:27 PM

My machine seems to run better in games when setup in single channel mode (I have 2x256 corsair XMS CL2)

Windows is faster in DCDDR but games faster in SCDDR. If I do a 3DMark benchmark I notice little or no difference.

Gardinen · Aug 5, 2003, 06:13 PM

hm...so one can say that Dual channel DDR is a bit overestimated then ??

Men I've got my thoughts on buying 1GB DDR ram. So according to your opinions, I'm going to buy one single GB stick

**Roadee** · Aug 5, 2003, 06:59 PM

It will cost you alot more to buy one single GB stick of memory with high speeds than it would buying a dual pack of 512mb sticks. The GB sticks of memory are pretty much reserved for server's and high end work stations.

If you dont mind me asking.....what are you going to do that would need 1gb of memory?? Unless you are doing high end graphics applications you really dont need it and wouldn't notice any improvement over a single stick of 512.....and at a lot lower over all cost. If you are going to do a major overclock then take the money that you would of used for that very expensive stick of 1gb and buy the best dual channel 2x512 kit you can......and for that money you could just about get PC4000 twin 512.

If you are just wanting that amount of memory, and aren't planning on overclocking, then just buy 2 quality sticks of 512mb PC3200 Corsair XMS, OCZ EL DDR, or Kingston Hyper-X. You may as well take advantage of the extra bancwidth that is offered with the dual channel, every little bit counts. Geil is hit or miss on the AMD platform, excellent for the Intel systems.

Also keep in mind.....you dont want to wait to awful long....memory prices are on the rise right now. Recent history has shown that prices drop from spring to the end of summer, then start rising rapidly up to the end of the year. "Christmas". You will most likely find your best deals using Pricewatch.com, just make sure you are getting your memory from a good retailer, like Newegg.com and other's, that have a good RMA policy.

Gardinen · Aug 5, 2003, 07:08 PM

Well I was only hypothetical saying that I was going to by me a 1 GB stick....until I saw the price in the store

.
I'm very satisfied with my 2*256 mb TwinMOS memorysticks at the moment. And that extra 256 mb of ram did really get my computer a whole new life. (I bought the extra mem about a week after I got the other computer parts after playing Battlefield

)

Jul 29, 2003, 09:14 PM	#1
Ashtareth DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 39 Rep Power: 0	Dual Channel question: Going to buy myself the abit nf7-s and wondering if its best to get 2x256 (pc3200) sticks (unsure what brand, etc) or just get a single 512 stick? Also, what brands of memory can you reccomend and know where i can get them at a decent cost?

Aug 5, 2003, 05:16 PM	#10
DriveEuro HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Gurnee Illinois Posts: 4,677 Rep Power: 0	Dual channel only adds like 3-5% performance. You can overclock higher with one stick, as DOM stated. I'd just stick to 1 stick of PC3500 rather than PC3200. __________________ [color=orange]ASUS P4P800 Deluxe [color=black]-[/color] 2.4C --> 3300mhz [color=black]-[/color] Mushkin PC3200 at 220 5-2-2-2 (cpu limited) [color=black]-[/color] BBAti 9800Pro at 430/375 [/color] [color=black]3[/color][color=gray]D[/color]M[color=black]a[/color][color=gray]r[/color]k[color=yellow]01[/color] [color=black]3[/color][color=gray]D[/color]M[color=black]a[/color][color=gray]r[/color]k[color=yellow]03[/color] 16001200 12801024

Aug 5, 2003, 06:59 PM	#13
Roadee Never forgotten Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Rest In peace, Joe. Posts: 2,198 Rep Power: 69	It will cost you alot more to buy one single GB stick of memory with high speeds than it would buying a dual pack of 512mb sticks. The GB sticks of memory are pretty much reserved for server's and high end work stations. If you dont mind me asking.....what are you going to do that would need 1gb of memory?? Unless you are doing high end graphics applications you really dont need it and wouldn't notice any improvement over a single stick of 512.....and at a lot lower over all cost. If you are going to do a major overclock then take the money that you would of used for that very expensive stick of 1gb and buy the best dual channel 2x512 kit you can......and for that money you could just about get PC4000 twin 512. If you are just wanting that amount of memory, and aren't planning on overclocking, then just buy 2 quality sticks of 512mb PC3200 Corsair XMS, OCZ EL DDR, or Kingston Hyper-X. You may as well take advantage of the extra bancwidth that is offered with the dual channel, every little bit counts. Geil is hit or miss on the AMD platform, excellent for the Intel systems. Also keep in mind.....you dont want to wait to awful long....memory prices are on the rise right now. Recent history has shown that prices drop from spring to the end of summer, then start rising rapidly up to the end of the year. "Christmas". You will most likely find your best deals using Pricewatch.com, just make sure you are getting your memory from a good retailer, like Newegg.com and other's, that have a good RMA policy. __________________ We are born naked, wet, and hungry. Then things get worse.

Jul 29, 2003, 09:16 PM	#2
Dom DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 12,940 Rep Power: 0	You have to have two sticks of RAM to run in dual channel mode.

Jul 29, 2003, 09:18 PM	Thread Starter #3
Ashtareth DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 39 Rep Power: 0	i knew that, just wondering if its better/faster to run in in dual channel, or with a single 512 stick (which i would prolly upgrade to 2x512 when i get the money)

Jul 29, 2003, 09:22 PM	#4
Dom DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 12,940 Rep Power: 0	Dual channel mode is overrated, you may get better OCing results with one stick of RAM also.

Jul 29, 2003, 09:24 PM	Thread Starter #5
Ashtareth DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 39 Rep Power: 0	what type should i get though? Geil, Corsair, Kingston, OCZ?? also, know where i could get it at a decent cost?

Jul 29, 2003, 09:26 PM	#6
Dom DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 12,940 Rep Power: 0	Corsair XMS or Kingston HyperX. http://newegg.com

Jul 29, 2003, 09:37 PM	Thread Starter #7
Ashtareth DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 39 Rep Power: 0	curious on the CL and CAS things (new to all this ) the lower the number the better, correct?

Aug 5, 2003, 01:56 PM	#9
Gardinen DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Trollhättan, Sweden Posts: 512 Rep Power: 0	The Dual Channel on my rig didn't at all give 6GB of transfer as told to. I only gained about 200mb more of transfer with dual mode. I've got the NF7 rev. 1.0 which is a motherboard which haven't got official support for dual channel mode. But it does say "dual channel enabled" in post, so I guess that I've got some sort of that. It would be nice though to get opinions and results from someone with i newer mobo runnin' dual channel

Aug 5, 2003, 05:27 PM	#11
Logla HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 3,311 Rep Power: 0	My machine seems to run better in games when setup in single channel mode (I have 2x256 corsair XMS CL2) Windows is faster in DCDDR but games faster in SCDDR. If I do a 3DMark benchmark I notice little or no difference.

Aug 5, 2003, 06:13 PM	#12
Gardinen DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Trollhättan, Sweden Posts: 512 Rep Power: 0	hm...so one can say that Dual channel DDR is a bit overestimated then ?? Men I've got my thoughts on buying 1GB DDR ram. So according to your opinions, I'm going to buy one single GB stick

Aug 5, 2003, 07:08 PM	#14
Gardinen DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Trollhättan, Sweden Posts: 512 Rep Power: 0	Well I was only hypothetical saying that I was going to by me a 1 GB stick....until I saw the price in the store . I'm very satisfied with my 2*256 mb TwinMOS memorysticks at the moment. And that extra 256 mb of ram did really get my computer a whole new life. (I bought the extra mem about a week after I got the other computer parts after playing Battlefield )