1.25GB Single channel vs 1GB Dual Channel 400MHz DDR1 RAM

[MetalheadGautham]

I am considering a basic upgrade to my rig.

My System Configuration:
Intel Pentium 4 "Prescott" 2.66GHz (no HT)
256MB DDR1 400MHz RAM
Intel D915GLVG Motherboard
Onboard Intel GMA 900 GPU
Onboard RealTek ALC 880 Audio
Samsung 80GB HDD

I am planning to buy an extra GB of RAM so that I can run KDE4.1 and other RAM intensive apps.

I have 2 slots for DDR RAM, and one slot is occupied by a 256MB DDR1 400MHz stick. I want to know if I will get better performance by inserting 1GB in the other slot, or by removing current stick and going 512MB + 512MB dual channel.

My motherboard has no expansion slots except two PCI slots and a PCIe x1 slot, and I have onboard GMA 900 Graphics. You can see that gaming is clearly not my priority, yet I older run games like Unreal Tournament 2004, Urban Terror, Quake 3, etc on linux and GTA 3/VC/SA, Halo, Counter Strike and DoTA on windows. But I care more about performance while compiling, opening lots of tabs in firefox, multitasking, etc than about gaming, unless I get a really huge boost while gaming.

On linux, I currently manage to game at minimum settings on Urban Terror with 100FPS by launching it on archlinux from startx command by placing urban terror in .xinitrc. I know its somewhat cheap, but the performance boost is huge. I got a good boost by changing the VRAM in the BIOS from 8mb to 32mb and launching the game this crazy way to save resources.

Other than gaming, I plan to shift to Gentoo 64bit and do a lot of compiling. I often do things like listening to music, running a download client, running firefox, running a bittorrent client, etc at the same time. And I might be migrating to Vista Basic from XP Professional.

Please advice, as I am going to buy the ram very soon.

[ashu888ashu888]

^^

well, a DUAL channel is always recommended if ur mobo supports RAM sticks in DUAL channel mode..

but since u also write abt changing ur OS from XP Pro to Vista then a higher ram is always recommended, coz say a game will need jus 1 GB RAM wen the OS is WIN XP PRO but the same game wud require 1.5 or a 2GB RAM if the OS is Vista..(i knw u must also be knowing this fact)..

well, me too do the very same things tat u do as u said here:

I often do things like listening to music, running a download client, running firefox, running a bittorrent client, etc at the same time

I use FF, listen to music on Winamp and on my 5.1 speakers, use uTORRENT all of these simultaneously on my 2 GB DDR-I RAm connected as (512+512+512+512 in Dual channel)and Win XP PRO SP3 + Vista tansformation pack and there is jus NOT a single glitch while doin these tasks..

infact, i sumtimes work on NetBeans 5.5.1 too..simultaneously..
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Hey, y not goin for a 1GB+1GB=2GB of DDR-I (400Mhz) RAM and using them in DUAL Channel ?? I knw tat it will be expensive (Rs.1700/- each RAM module of 1 GB) but believe me it will be worth IF U ARE ON DUAL CHANNEL and with 2 GB RAM..
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Cheers n e-peace...

[MetalheadGautham]

Well, I was going through some benchmarks on dual channel from the time dual channel was first introduced.
I noticed that average performance boost is 5-20%.
So I am starting to feel 25% more ram can compensate for that.

And yeah, I think 2GB Dual Channel is the worst thing I can do to my rig. I could instead sell my CPU/Mobo/RAM for around 2.5K-3K, and add that 1.7+1.7K and get a better rig.

Anyway, how is Hynix DDR1 400MHz RAM ?

[skippednote]

^
yes best ddr 1 ram's. Got these for my older computer and they work without any glitch

[ashu888ashu888]

^^

yup, i agree, hynix are a real good performer and lasts long really long (ting tong..)

[MetalheadGautham]

Rs. 1500 incl tax and bill and 2 year warranty for hynix 1gb ddr400 good ???

[Cool Joe]

^^ Better get Zion DDR400 Mhz RAM. It's cheaper, more reliable, and it comes with a 3 year warranty.

BTW, if you're planning to migrate to Vista, then you'll need a full upgrade of mobo+RAM+gfx card.

[comp@ddict]

^^

yup, i agree, hynix are a real good performer and lasts long really long (ting tong..)

Din noe hynix is good

when i read it on my DDR1 ram sticks, I though

"what the sam heck brand is this?"

but now I know it's gud enug so...

[ashu888ashu888]

^^

so be assured now..and relieved too

[comp@ddict]

^^thnx again

[MetalheadGautham]

^^ Better get Zion DDR400 Mhz RAM. It's cheaper, more reliable, and it comes with a 3 year warranty.

BTW, if you're planning to migrate to Vista, then you'll need a full upgrade of mobo+RAM+gfx card.

What does Zion cost ?
And if vista basic fails to work, I will just ditch my XP professional for XP home.

[Cool Joe]

Oh sorry I made a goof up. Zion is costlier than Hynix.
I don't know the exact price BTW.

[sagar_coolx]

k ppl i have amd 3200+ on asus a8n-mobo,supports dual channel ddr1 and has 4 ram slots..
i already have a gig of ram in dual channel(512+512)
and i also understand that both the sticks should be same for dual channel...now what if i wanna add 2 more 512m sticks?will it work(dual channel mode) if the pair is different from the earlier pair?

[ashu888ashu888]

^^ the pair being different in wat sense ??

Jus make sure that all 4 RAMs (2 older and 2 newer) hv the same frequency...(say all are 400 Mhz or 266 or 333 Mhz).. rest, the brand does not makes any difference.. (also i guess) the latency matter too (correct me if im wrong)...
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Cheers n e-peace...

[Cool Joe]

There won't be any problems as long as all the RAM sticks run at the same frequency and same timings.

[MetalheadGautham]

Hmm... what kind of packaging does hynix come with ?