RAM me baby!

[Pol]

In general you should never use different types of RAM at the same time. When using more modules, they should always have the same latency and speed.

It doesn't hurt if they are from the same vendor,same type and same series too

Ahkay, well then maybe I'll remove the two 512Mb chips, since they run at a slower speed than the new ones... Will that be better than using the 3Gb total, you think?

Yes. Otherwise your system will be working with slowest compatible settings. Rarely it may even do errors. Mostly I still prefer solution when I have only one module in the board or these two were sold like pair - for dual channel.

[Kalah]

I know all this. Here's the lowdown:

I bought my PC with 1Gb RAM, 2x512Mb dual channel - running faster than a single 1Gb chip.
I then bought another chip, 1Gb with a higher max running speed than the other two, but running at the same since they're all in at once.
Now I've bought one more, the exact same type as the first 1Gb chip - except it's a little faster (it cost exactly the same as the slower one).

Question: Is maximum efficiency achieved by simply installing the new 1Gb chip along with these others, or by removing the two 512Mb chips first and then using just the two single 1Gb chips?

[Veldrynus]

I'm still with 256Mb...

[Pol]

Can these two 1GB modules works together like dual channel? If so it will be ideal solution. Else you may try to install them all assuming that you have four banks and test pc on stability and performance same you may do just with those 2GB and compare these 2GB of fast memory to 3 of slow, mostly faster is better and these two may be also a bit more stable for you.

Another question is how much are those other modules slower.

Else:
For stablity is mostly used memtest but hopefully this won't be the case, in princip the test is left to run over day or two.

For pure benchmark it can be SiSoftSandra or Aida or Everest and many others will serve you too.

Don't worry Vel my linux machine has also only 256 and the windows one only twice time more, no plans for expanding.

[asandir]

I think what's being said is to try it and see, cause at the end of the day, it really depends on lots of factors, and the end result is a little difficult to predict

[MistWeaver]

I bought my PC with 1Gb RAM, 2x512Mb dual channel - running faster than a single 1Gb chip.
I then bought another chip, 1Gb with a higher max running speed than the other two, but running at the same since they're all in at once.
Now I've bought one more, the exact same type as the first 1Gb chip - except it's a little faster (it cost exactly the same as the slower one).

Question: Is maximum efficiency achieved by simply installing the new 1Gb chip along with these others, or by removing the two 512Mb chips first and then using just the two single 1Gb chips?

If you have Windows XP/2000 or less, then better perfomance will be achieved if to leave only 2x1gb modules running in dual channel (place them in the same slots where 2x512 modules were (just in case)).

But if you have any Vista - install all 3gb, because, like I said, Vista can eat up to 800 mb just for itself.

Also install "SiSoft Sandra" and run Memory benchmark to see the speed difference, if somehow it won't be big, then you'll have to find source of that (dual mode not working, as most possible).

[Kalah]

Thanks, I'll try that. The chips just arrived (ten minutes ago), so I installed everything just to see the "3GB" text in the configuration. Guess I'll take the stuff back out again.

[Kalah]

O....kay. Chips are in, and the setup says they're running Dual Interleaved, at a speed of 533 MHz. So that's faster than the originals, and also two 1Gb chips being able to run at the same time. Cool.

I'll guess I have to wait and see if there's any noticeable effect.

[asandir]

well that's a pretty decent result, hope it's noticeable

[Kalah]

So... anybody want my old chips?

[ThunderTitan]

So, you'd really mail them to me if i did?

[Kalah]

Well, what are they worth to ya?
They're two 512 Mb chips running at 400 MHz, so not exactly top of the line, but quite usable.

[MistWeaver]

Well, what are they worth to ya?
They're two 512 Mb chips running at 400 MHz, so not exactly top of the line, but quite usable.

I would recommend using DDRX XXX SDRAM designation. Because "running at XXX MHz" can be interpreted differently and thats not the "actual" MHz. They are using this just as marketing move, showing that DDR 400 is as fast as simple SDRAM would be at 400MHz, but actualy its working on 200MHz.

So, "running at 400 MHz" can be either DDR 400 SDRAM or DDR2 400 SDRAM.

[Kalah]

DDR2 2x512Mb PC3200, I believe.

[ThunderTitan]

Well, what are they worth to ya?

I have some old stamps?!

Does DDR2 work with DDR?

[MistWeaver]

Does DDR2 work with DDR?

Well even if your MB support both types, you cant use both types at the same time.

Btw, here is example: orange ones are for DDR2

Well, what are they worth to ya?

I have some old stamps?!

[ThunderTitan]

Well even if your MB support both types, you cant use both types at the same time.

Figured it was something like that. How much is 1gb Ram (DDR PC3200) now? And is it cheaper then 2 512 ones?

[MistWeaver]

Figured it was something like that. How much is 1gb Ram (DDR PC3200) now? And is it cheaper then 2 512 ones?

1) That depends on two factors. The main is quality, the other (and less significant) country. For example in my country prices for 512 PC3200 DDR 400 vary from 30$ to 100$.

2) Usually the price of one module is a bit lower than sum of two others with twice less capacity (with equal quality, of course)

EDIT: about the second. That applies to memory modules that were on market for a while. For example like in your case - 1x1gb vs 2x512mb. But for the brand new capacities, it may be opposite I think..

[ThunderTitan]

So i'm better off with a 1gb one.

[asandir]

probably .... but it depends on what slots your mb has avail, and a number of other factors (what ram you are currently using ... etc, etc)