$500 Budget For DDR2

[35Pete]

Geeks. What should it be? 4 GB of really good DDR2 Dual Channel (Corsair Dominator) or 2 GB of "best you can buy" DDR2 DC?

Vista, like XP, can only effectively use 3+ GB of active memory.

Suggestions?

Budget is $500 for RAM.

Looking for PC-6400.

[35Pete]

I'm thinking this... 2GB. Can alway add more later.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2285155&CatId=2264

Corsair Dual Channel 2048MB PC6400 DDR2 Memory
The TWIN2X2048-6400C4PRO is a 2048 MByte matched pair of DDR2 SDRAM DIMMs. This part delivers outstanding performance in the latest generation of DDR2-based motherboards. It has been tested extensively in multiple DDR2 platforms to ensure compatibility and performance at its rated speed. This memory has been verified to operate at 800MHz at the latencies of 4-4-4-12. As part of Corsair's XMS ProSeries, each module includes the high-efficiency aluminum XMS heatsink, and 24 activity LED's that show the level of memory activity

[35Pete]

Or this, 2 GB. Shifting more cash into cooling and case.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2583140&CatId=2264

[Woody]

Well... they look the same as far as speed and latency goes. Heat sinks and LEDs seem to be the only real difference I can see. I'd go with the later of the two.. and add on the 'special fan' later if needed. :niterider

[35Pete]

Scaled my budget down. This is what I dumped in my rig last night:

2 GB Corsair Dominator PC2-6400 CAS4 800 MHz DDR2 Dual Channel

Thermaltake Armor Case (sucks, took 4 hours to assemble. The Mechanical Engineer that designed it should be jailed).

ASUS EN8800GTX Video Card

Thermaltake Hardcano 12 Environmental Control Unit.

Ultra 7-1 Digital Media Drive

On hand, not installed yet: Thermatake Bigwater 775 Liquid Cooling System.

Shipping: AMD X2 6000+ 3.0 GHz Dual Core uP.
WD 320 GB SATA (Free with uP!)

[35Pete]

Gonna replace the Thermaltake case eventually. What a piece of crap. It takes me an hour to put a puter' together. This one took 4.

The design team should be jailed. The Video Card still doesn't seat well and the audio card doesn't either. Every task was like removing a dozen screws.

And the Cooler Master Supply DIED on me. Gotta take it back. Using a BFG Supply for now (the old one).

[treydawg]

that's a bummer especially after spending all that dough.

[Merc]

HS, that sucks Pete. I love this PSU http://www.pcpower.com/products/viewproduct.php?show=S75QB
Read the PC Perspective review on it. http://www.pcpower.com/products/reviews/PCP/index.html

That Big Water can be troublesome. Watch for leaks depending on what revision you receive. The early ones were a nightmare but I believe they have fixed the problem. It also is not the greatest cooler so keep the rad near a cooling source, like an A/C vent, if possible.

Thermaltake cases can be a real pain sometimes. I had one and all the little FP connectors were individual pins instead of a block. Drove me nuts.

That RAM is sweet. Micron chips overclock very well.

[35Pete]

HS, that sucks Pete. I love this PSU http://www.pcpower.com/products/viewproduct.php?show=S75QB
Read the PC Perspective review on it. http://www.pcpower.com/products/reviews/PCP/index.html

That Big Water can be troublesome. Watch for leaks depending on what revision you receive. The early ones were a nightmare but I believe they have fixed the problem. It also is not the greatest cooler so keep the rad near a cooling source, like an A/C vent, if possible.

Thermaltake cases can be a real pain sometimes. I had one and all the little FP connectors were individual pins instead of a block. Drove me nuts.

That RAM is sweet. Micron chips overclock very well.

I went with ASUS instead of BFG for the 8800GTX. Why? The reviews were outstanding. Plus it has Splendid (TM) video technology built in and I'll tell ya', watching videos on it is incredible. I noticed a SHOCKING difference between the 8800 GTX and the pair of 6800s in SLI. Not much performance difference between the PNY 2 GB 667 and the Corsair 800 MHz though. But then again I haven't tweaked yet! LOL ;)

I do understand the inefficiencies of multi-rail PSUs. But the Cooler Master has 6 +12V's rated at 18 amps each. And if you distribute them you'll get good usage. Plus I am a PSRR nut and multi-rail will beat single rail in that catagory. I'm a multi-rail guy.

My performance rating went from a sheepish 3.6 (video card limited) to a 5.0 out of 5.9. When the new uP arrives I should boost to 5.4 or so.

[mikgaes]

Could you translate this into English please?