DDR2 Question

  • Thread starter Thread starter Johanna
  • Start date Start date
J

Johanna

I am looking to get some more RAM (1GB) and am bewildered by all the
different configurations.
I don't know how to make sure I get the best RAM for me, without paying
over the odds.

I already have 1 GB (512x2) .I got these at different times. One is
Samsung, the other a cheap brand from PC World.

Now I want to use the Dual Ram functionality with the new RAM that I am
getting.
The most demanding application I use is Adobe Photohop when I do web
development which I am learning right now.

My motherboard manual didn't explicitly mention what RAM to get, so I
looked online for some reviews for my motherboard: Asrock 939 Dual
SATA2 (that's the popular board which can run AGP and PSI-e at the
same time). http://tomshardware.co.uk/2005/09/16/asrock_939dual/

I found that the reviewers were using DDR2 400 Mhz if I understood
correctly.
I don't know whether it matters what freqquency it is.
Tom's hardware used Corsair; one guy used OCZ Platinum (he had some
problems with that) and another said he was using value RAM which worked
very well.

I was looking at this site :
http://www.cclonline.com/product-categories.asp?category_id=105
then I realised that I wasn't sure what to get - what would be compatible.

I really don't want fancy RAM !
I just want good value, and for it to work in the machine....
I don't want to splash out on this at all as it is not a planned
purchase and as I am budget-girl right now as I am not working :-) !

Ideally I want' to get it right the first timel, so that I don't have to
exchange the RAM - that's such a hassle!

Can you help me with a recommendation?
Jo
 
I am looking to get some more RAM (1GB) and am bewildered by all the
different configurations.
I don't know how to make sure I get the best RAM for me, without paying
over the odds.

I already have 1 GB (512x2) .I got these at different times. One is
Samsung, the other a cheap brand from PC World.

Now I want to use the Dual Ram functionality with the new RAM that I am
getting.
The most demanding application I use is Adobe Photohop when I do web
development which I am learning right now.

My motherboard manual didn't explicitly mention what RAM to get, so I
looked online for some reviews for my motherboard: Asrock 939 Dual
SATA2 (that's the popular board which can run AGP and PSI-e at the
same time). http://tomshardware.co.uk/2005/09/16/asrock_939dual/

I found that the reviewers were using DDR2 400 Mhz if I understood
Click to expand...

You must've gotten that incorrect. As far as I know, no socket 939
boards use ddr2.
 
Chris Hill said:
You must've gotten that incorrect. As far as I know, no socket
939 boards use ddr2.
Click to expand...

Right.

If you're talking about the ASRock 939Dual-VSTA that has AGP and PCI
Express x16 video card slots.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813157097
(Click on Specifications)

That mainboard uses 184 pin PC3200 (DDR400), not DDR2.

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=80097-50

Buy two sticks and refer to the mainboard manual for which slots to
put them in.

Good luck and have fun.
 
Hi,
Thanks for the tip - perfect. It was that motherboard.
I. wasn't sure at all about what RAM to get - don't know the difference
between DDR and DDR2 actually. Thanks for checking for me though!

Just one thing: Isn't Corsair the "Gucci" of RAM...? I wanted GAP..... !

But the price was reasonable, so I don't think I'll fuss about it.
Seems the models on sale here in the UK are silver coloured rather than
black like on the link that you posted.

Jo
 
Re: >> I don't know whether it matters what freqquency it is...

Answer: the higher the frequency, the more expensive, so it does
matter.
Your ram WILL need to be DDR2. 400 Mhz used to be expensive, state of
the art, but is now quite the opposite, so you should be able to get
some for a good value. Part of the problem with choosing the RAM, and
I blame this on the idiotic nerd guys who are responsible for marketing
the stuff, is that there are two different systems for denoting the
speed of the ram. On the one hand we have terms like "400 MHz" and on
the other hand we have terms like "PC3200". For some reason
motherboard manufacturers specify the ram speed in MHz and the ram
manufacturers tend to use PCXXXX. The key piece of information you
need, is a crosswalk that goes from MHz to PCXXXX terms, so here is the
missing link: 400 MHz = PC3200. 333 MHZ = PC2700. 200 MHZ = PC2100?
I would recomend the 400MHZ PC3200 RAM personally, but you could use
any speed DDR2 ram, but above 400 MHz and you are wasting money, and
below 333MHz, well, whats the point, unless you want to make your
computer slow on purpose...

Can someone else fill in the crosswalk above 400 MHz? My knowledge
base stops there!

- Paul W.
 
This is incorrect.


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From: "Paul William" <pwilliam gmail.com>
Newsgroups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
Subject: Re: DDR2 Question
Date: 4 Oct 2006 12:30:34 -0700
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Xref: prodigy.net alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt:476075

Re: >> I don't know whether it matters what freqquency it is...

Answer: the higher the frequency, the more expensive, so it does
matter.
Your ram WILL need to be DDR2. 400 Mhz used to be expensive, state of
the art, but is now quite the opposite, so you should be able to get
some for a good value. Part of the problem with choosing the RAM, and
I blame this on the idiotic nerd guys who are responsible for marketing
the stuff, is that there are two different systems for denoting the
speed of the ram. On the one hand we have terms like "400 MHz" and on
the other hand we have terms like "PC3200". For some reason
motherboard manufacturers specify the ram speed in MHz and the ram
manufacturers tend to use PCXXXX. The key piece of information you
need, is a crosswalk that goes from MHz to PCXXXX terms, so here is the
missing link: 400 MHz = PC3200. 333 MHZ = PC2700. 200 MHZ = PC2100?
I would recomend the 400MHZ PC3200 RAM personally, but you could use
any speed DDR2 ram, but above 400 MHz and you are wasting money, and
below 333MHz, well, whats the point, unless you want to make your
computer slow on purpose...

Can someone else fill in the crosswalk above 400 MHz? My knowledge
base stops there!

- Paul W.
 
You're welcome.

By the way. You probably won't notice much if any increase in speed
until your applications use up the first gigabyte of memory.

The number of pins and the circuit board shape are major differences
between DDR2 and DDR RAM. You cannot plug DDR2 RAM into a DDR RAM
slot.
 
Mr. Brian Allen said:
I'm receiving that board from Newegg today.
Click to expand...

The updated version of the same board.

Which CPU?
Can't wait.
Click to expand...

I'd like to hear how it works out for you. I decided to go 939 but
without AGP and to struggle with my spare PCI video card for a
while. There is at least one other 939 mainboard that uses AGP, but
I think yours is the only combo AGP and PCI Express.

Good luck.
 
Thanks for the helpful explanations (About the frequency to PCxxx was
helpful)
I know exactly what I am looking for now! Just want to find a dealer
that can sell it along with the hard drive that I need.

Just one question: what are these performance related series of numbers,
like 2-3-3-6
that are listed alongside the RAM?

Are they important, if so, how?
What is good - what is not good in relation to these figures?

Jo
 
Good choice for mobo!
I got a bit put off when everybody in this group were bad-mouthing
Asrock earlier - but could all these magazine and site reviewers really
be wrong? They love that board! It's just that Asrock isn't a famous name..

I would liken it to the experience of finding a super nice skirt at a
budget shop. ;-) So what if it's not a cool designer, if it looks great
and is good quality?

I found the board reasonably easy to use, but I had to refer to the map
of the board a lot. Not all the connectors are so logically placed.
That's my only complaint. I guess some boards have very stylish colour
coded connectors etc - this one does not. Instead it has some funny
little comments engraved on the board - you'll see.

But I am sure it will serve me well for several years to come, and it
offers a lot of flexibility instead of forcing me into a premature
upgrade of things like my high spec graphics card.

Still not quite sure what that mysterious future cpu port is supposed to
do? Would be nice if it turned out to be useful.

Jo
 
You are referring to what is probably the add-in card which can be
used to install a more advanced AM2 socket processor. I guess it
used to cost about $40us when it was available. It seems cumbersome
to me.


Johanna said:
Good choice for mobo!
I got a bit put off when everybody in this group were bad-mouthing
Asrock earlier -
Click to expand...

Not everybody.
 
This is all wrong. You're posting naming conventions for DDR memory, but
talking about DDR2 memory. If we're talking about DDR2, then:
DDR2-533=PC2-4200
DDR2-667=PC2-5300
DDR2-800=PC2-6400

Don't buy 184-pin DDR memory for a 240-pin DDR2 board. Hope this clears
this up somewhat.
 
Which CPU?

Single core XP 4000+.
I'd like to hear how it works out for you. I decided to go 939 but
without AGP and to struggle with my spare PCI video card for a
while. There is at least one other 939 mainboard that uses AGP, but
I think yours is the only combo AGP and PCI Express.
Click to expand...

939 mainboards are basically halfway between using AGP and PCI. This is the
only combo I found. 939 is a dying breed because of the DDR memory.
Everything is moving to AM2 and DDR2.
 
Mr. Brian Allen said:
939 is a dying breed because of the DDR memory.
Click to expand...

Would be more attractive if it were faster. While reading, I kept
getting this feeling "oh no, it's going to be another boring
upgrade".
Everything is moving to AM2 and DDR2.
Click to expand...

I figured the socket 939 Opteron 152, and later the PCI Express 16
video, on a PCI Express mainboard will provide enough upgrades for
awhile. Later maybe I'll upgrade from 1 GB of DDR 400 RAM by adding
two modules if that's possible without losing RAM speed, not sure
about that. Or maybe just replace the two modules so the
hand-me-down system will include RAM.

Good luck and have fun.
 
Johanna said:
Good choice for mobo!
I got a bit put off when everybody in this group were bad-mouthing
Asrock earlier - but could all these magazine and site reviewers really
be wrong? They love that board! It's just that Asrock isn't a famous name..

I would liken it to the experience of finding a super nice skirt at a
budget shop. ;-) So what if it's not a cool designer, if it looks great
and is good quality?

I found the board reasonably easy to use, but I had to refer to the map
of the board a lot. Not all the connectors are so logically placed.
That's my only complaint. I guess some boards have very stylish colour
coded connectors etc - this one does not. Instead it has some funny
little comments engraved on the board - you'll see.

But I am sure it will serve me well for several years to come, and it
offers a lot of flexibility instead of forcing me into a premature
upgrade of things like my high spec graphics card.

Still not quite sure what that mysterious future cpu port is supposed to
do? Would be nice if it turned out to be useful.

Jo
Click to expand...

I have read one comment about an Asrock board, where someone
managed to rip a SATA connector right off the motherboard.
Apparently the SATA connector was of poor construction.
Just be careful not to tug on it :-)

The S939 board takes an AM2 adapter module, for use with
AM2 processors and accompanying new DDR2 memory. The
adapter is pretty cheap, and if you have any plans to
use an AM2 processor with the motherboard, buy the
adapter right away while you can still get it. The one
downside of that kind of adapter, is you may not be
able to fit any arbitrary aftermarket AM2 CPU cooler
while using the adapter. The orientation of the adapter
will place limits on the size of the cooler.

Paul
 
Johanna said:
Just one question: what are these performance related series of numbers,
like 2-3-3-6
that are listed alongside the RAM?

Are they important, if so, how?
Click to expand...

Answer: for your application, they aren't important. If you were going
to want to "Overclock" your computer, they become interesting, as they
denote how fast the RAM are, or aren't. Just get any DDR PC3200 400
Mhz ram, and start computing. - Paul W
 
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