Thank you for the reply. I was really not worried about the voltage
issue UNLESS pc3200 ran on a lower voltage.
DDR RAM running at like 2.6v is an anolamy of the make/model (e.g.
perhaps, Kingston Hyperx or something). So most PC3200 RAM would be
the normal voltage - 2.5v
I haven't looked much, but I don't see RAM running at less than 2.5v.
From what I gather from Kony, the RAM that runs at more than 2.5v, is
badly designed RAM. I guess there's no technical reason to get DDR
RAM that runs on anything other than 2.5v
I know CPU chips get $$
because they are smaller and run on less voltage.
Lower voltage CPUs aren't necessarily smaller. The green circuit
board is still the same size, same number of pins. Perhaps the die
or core is smaller. But the advantage isn't that it can be smaller.
The advantage of lower voltage CPUs is that they consume less watts /
less power.
Power measured in watts, = current * voltage. P=IV. Less watts
serves 2 reasonable communities.
- Less watts /power. serves the laptop world who rather their battery
lasts like 6 hours instead of 3.
- Less watts/power means less HEAT. This serves the silent computer
crowd, who don't want fans wizzing fast making a load of noise.
There may also be some fashionable people that want a small computer.
They want a small case, so they want a power supply(you've seen the
size of ATX power supplies!). So a low power CPU helps their whole
machine consume less watts.
Nobody is demanding a small CPU. If they are smaller, they're not much
smaller . And they're small enough.
So, those are good reasons for lower voltage CPUs.
The fact that some RAM is higher voltage is another issue altogether.
From what I gather/remember from Kony, it's to do with bad design. No
advantage. I don't think lower voltage RAM exists, and there's no
need for to.
I did not want to
push the RAM voltage wise. <snip>
I know. I was just attempting to be more complete in the information I
provided. Whether it was relevant to your problem or not. It's
relevant to techies. You are to an extent, as are others reading.
Does it matter that my MB does not support dual
channel? I am guessing they work independently as a gig each. Does
this make sense? I have been out of the PC building mode for a few
years now ( lost too much sleep and too much hair) LOL
It's all compatible.
Dual channel is purely a feature of the motherboard (or chipset
perhaps, which is built into the motherboard).
If your MBRD doesn't support it you won't get the benefits. If it does
support it, then you should install 2 sticks of RAM instead of one, if
you care for the benefits. How big the benefits are, seems to depend,
I don't know what it depends on. So if the MBRD did support it, i'd
prob put in 2 instead of 1. I don't know if this extends to 4 being
better than 3. i.e. installing ram in pairs generally.
DDR RAM can be double sided or single sided(chips on one side of the
PCB but not the other). But I don't think that has anything to do with
how it jives with a dual channel MBRD.
AFAIK, the only issue with buying RAM and considering whether a MBRD
is dual channel or not. Is that if you want the benefits, the RAM
should be identical. (make,model,timings. just buy 2 (or pairs of?)
chips and make sure the guy sends identical ones!)
But I think you said that your MBRD doesn't support dual channel
anyway.
