Question about RAM....2 sticks or 4 sticks....

[lordhutt]

Getting ready to build a new PC with one of the primary uses being video editing.

A quick breakdown of the major components is

Motherboard: DFI’s nF4 SLI-DR
Chip: Athlon 3500
Video:Nvidia 6800GT 256 meg ram
Audio: One of the Creative Labs Audigy 2or4 cards.
HD: 250 GB SATA internal (probably 2)
Ram: 2 gig DDR PC3200

Now my question is this.
I can get 2 pairs of ram (4 512 meg sticks) for approx. $220
I can get 1 pair (2 - 1gig sticks) for about $350

One hell of a price difference for the same amount and kind of ram.
From what I understand using all 4 ram ports will make it run slower that if I only use 2 of them....like from 400mhz to 333mhz.

The question....is it worth the extra $130? Will I notice the difference?

Thanks for help or info.
-Andy

[reboot]

Bullshirt. Ram will run at whatever speed it's rated at, on the BUS speed it's rated for.
2 sticks or 4 makes NO difference.
Where did you get that idea?
Is it worth the 130? I would say no.
Will you notice the diff? WHAT DIFF?

[studtrooper]

It will only make a difference if you plan on overclocking. If so, the less sticks the better. Otherwise, fill 'dem slots up!

[glockjs]

btw wait a couple weeks to buy the cpu...the venice core will be out. get the two sticks and OC the crap out of it

[reboot]

It will only make a difference if you plan on overclocking. If so, the less sticks the better. Otherwise, fill 'dem slots up!

Please explain to me why 4 sticks, instead of two, will make ANY difference when OCing? Have you got proof? Links?

[glockjs]

It will only make a difference if you plan on overclocking. If so, the less sticks the better. Otherwise, fill 'dem slots up!

Please explain to me why 4 sticks, instead of two, will make ANY difference when OCing? Have you got proof? Links?

ask Cobra. he's experienced it first hand. i think by creating another channel (another pare) the cpu has more to handle which isnt good since you are already pushing it above what it's supposed to do. but i could be talking out of my ass again somebody around here has the definative answer anyways

[studtrooper]

It will only make a difference if you plan on overclocking. If so, the less sticks the better. Otherwise, fill 'dem slots up!

Please explain to me why 4 sticks, instead of two, will make ANY difference when OCing? Have you got proof? Links?

No need to get all hot and bothered about it. Just think about it for a second. Not all memory chips are made alike. If ONE chip can't stand the heat of what all the other chips are taking, it holds everyone else back. Same principle on a dual processor machine. So, one could logically deduce that more does not make the merrier in this case.

Personally, this has held me back. I have had 4x 256MB PC3200 moduals (all the same) that could only do 215FSB. Took all but one out and with the same timings, I got 223FSB out of it.

I've read over countless OC'ing forums that this is the general rule. Do what you like...

[rallynavvie]

Or just get quality RAM like BH-6 and not worry about it either way

If that rig is for video editing save yourself some cash and get a cheaper video card. That extra money can be spent somewhere else for the better.

[reboot]

Or just get quality RAM like BH-6 and not worry about it either way

Exactly. I have 5 computers, and 3 are OC'd. The other two aren't worth it
In all 3, there are 6 ram sticks of 512mb each (Infineon chips, sequential #'s). I can switch and swap any way I like, and it makes no difference. The amount of OCing depends more on the CPU and mobo chipset.

[studtrooper]

Or just get quality RAM like BH-6 and not worry about it either way

If only... BH-6 is no longer in production. Man that was some amazing stuff

[bazooka]

From what I understand using all 4 ram ports will make it run slower that if I only use 2 of them.

That is not true.

[lordhutt]

Well, I definately will not be overclocking....don't want to be bothered....if I want a faster pc I will just buy a faster processor

someone asked where I heard this....

***Quote from AnandTech Sli Motherboard review***

> Tests with 4 DS DIMMs on an AMD Athlon 64 system are more demanding, since AMD specifies DDR333 for this combination. However, most AMD Athlon 64 motherboards combined with recent AMD processors (the memory controller is on the AMD CPU) have been able to handle 4 DIMMs at DDR400

************************************************** *****

What would you say are the better quality ram companies?

rallynavvie, I will still go with the better card as it will most likely see some gaming as well

Thanks for the replies everyone.

[glockjs]

What would you say are the better quality ram companies?

my opinion(nobody get all flamey about it)

OCZ, G.Skill, Corsair, PQI in that order. high speed w/ low timings

[rallynavvie]

You can still find BH-6, and if you're lucky the sod doesn't know just what kind of PC3200 he's selling.

I use Mushkin RAM in all my systems. If I couldn't get that I'd probably move to Corsair then OCZ. Buffalo is quality stuff too.

[reboot]

I don't care who soldered the chips on the board, I go for Infineon. Not the fastest overclocking chips, but more reliable and stable, according to all my tests using http://www.memtest86.com/

[smarkgraf]

Hi all,

lordhutt, if you are not planning on OC'ing, go for the cheaper option. Reboot is correct, for the default speed it should not make a difference given the same RAM timing.

Everything I have read, indicates that you can overclock further with less sticks of ram. From a hardware standpoint this makes sence. When you add more sticks to a system the busses have a higher capacitive load. There for it takes more time to drive the signals high or low. This in turn affects how fast reads or writes can occur. This is at a given RAM timing ie 2-2-2-5. If you relax the timing, you can up the clock rate to a certain point.

Just FYI, I am a hardware engineer. I am not trying to sound like a know-it-all, just passing along some info.

Steve

[reboot]

When you add more sticks to a system the busses have a higher capacitive load. There for it takes more time to drive the signals high or low.

Aren't we talking nanoseconds here?

[studtrooper]

Speaking of good memory, check out what OCZ came out with HERE. Hmm... 2-2-2-8 at 3.3v, looks like I need a new mobo!

[smarkgraf]

Reboot

At 200mhz FSB DDR, the data is changing on every edge of the clock(2.5ns). Depending on the processor bus cycle timing, even a few tenths of nanoseconds change can affect the operation. I have seen boards where populating an additional chip has caused the processor to stop working properly.

Steve

[lordhutt]

yeah, I have zero intention of overclocking so I think I am going to go with the cheaper alternative.

Thanks for the help, All.