Is it worth buying 500MHz RAM?
 

I am putting together a computer, and after looking at a large number of
motherboards it looks like all the current mobos only support 400MHz max
memory speed. Yet people are installing 500MHz RAM in these boards and
claiming faster speeds. Any validity to this claim? Or should I save some
cash and grab the 400MHz?

Thanks,
Croc

I am putting together a computer, and after looking at a large number of
motherboards it looks like all the current mobos only support 400MHz max
memory speed. Yet people are installing 500MHz RAM in these boards and
claiming faster speeds. Any validity to this claim? Or should I save some
cash and grab the 400MHz?

What CPU are you going to use and do you plan to overclock it?

For example: If you plan to overclock a 400FSB Athlon XP, or an 800FSB P4,
you may want to get the 500Mhz memory. However, if you plan to run that
Athlon XP or P4 at spec, then save your $$$ and get the 400Mhz.

--
LiveWire

Thanks Live, let me list my prospective components. I should add that the
last computer I built was an 800MHz. Lot of stuff has changed since then.

Here are the base components:

CHIEFTEC Server Chassis Model AX-01SLD
Enermax EG465AX-VE (W)FCA 431W Power Supply
Gigabyte GA-8IK1100 mobo, Intel 875P Canterwood
Intel Pentium 4 3.0CGHz 512k socket 478 Hyper-Threading 800 MHz FSB
Western Digital 200GB 7200 RPM EIDE HD
Guillemot Hercules ATI Radeon 9800 PRO 128MB DDR DVI/TV-out 8X AGP

Comments on any of that appreciated - I'm a game developer and need a fast,
expandable system. I'm considering ditching the IDE interface for the hard
drive, is it worth it?

I have two choices for memory, and this is one of the things causing me
confusion:

Corsair XMS PC-3200C2PT 400MHz
Corsair XMS PC-4000C2PT 500MHz

The motherboard claims 400MHz is the fastest memory it handles. So it seems
a waste to buy the more expensive memory. But hardware tweakers rave about
the 500. I have never overclocked in my life, but I might try one day ...
hard to tell. Right now I'm running on an 800MHz and just the jump to a
3.0GHz will be stunning.

Thanks for any feedback.

"LiveWire" wrote in message
news:zWq%a.156449$o%2.66182@sccrnsc02...
For example: If you plan to overclock a 400FSB Athlon XP, or an 800FSB
P4,
you may want to get the 500Mhz memory. However, if you plan to run that
Athlon XP or P4 at spec, then save your $$$ and get the 400Mhz.

I should probably be a bit more specific because the above only applies if
you are raising the FSB (over 200Mhz), not just increasing the CPU
multiplier, in which case the 400Mhz memory would still be fine.

--
LiveWire

Comments on any of that appreciated - I'm a game developer and need a
fast,
expandable system. I'm considering ditching the IDE interface for the hard
drive, is it worth it?

I think you've made some nice choices.

About the HD interface, are you looking into SATA or SCSI? All I've used
other than IDE drives is the WD SATA Raptor. In terms of speed, my opinion
is yes, the Raptor is worth it. However, even if you bought two of them
you'd be limited to about 73GB.

I have two choices for memory, and this is one of the things causing me
confusion:

Corsair XMS PC-3200C2PT 400MHz
Corsair XMS PC-4000C2PT 500MHz

The motherboard claims 400MHz is the fastest memory it handles.

Probably because that is the highest official standard for memory right now.

So it seems
a waste to buy the more expensive memory. But hardware tweakers rave about
the 500. I have never overclocked in my life, but I might try one day ...
hard to tell. Right now I'm running on an 800MHz and just the jump to a
3.0GHz will be stunning.

My opinion is that you should just go for the PC3200. From what I have
read, the 3.0 & 3.2Ghz P4's do not overclock as well as say the 2.4 or
2.6Ghz because it is closer to the speed "ceiling" of the 0.13 micron
technology. On the other hand, Corsair memory has been known to overclock
pretty well and will probably be able to handle any overclocking you decide
to do, *if* you even decide to do it.

Good Luck.

--
LiveWire