pc3500 vs pc3700

[chibb_s]

performance wise what do you think would better given this setup:

p4 2.6c
asus p4c800 e dlux
slk900 w 92mm delta

1024mb of corsair xms pc3500

or

512mb of ocz el gold PC-3700

i want to push my processor to the max, i figure if every thing works out for me i should be able to hit 3.5 to 3.6.

with pc3500 i hope be able to hit 270-275 fsb and with the mem at 5:4 is 430-435.

with the pc3700 i could run the mem at 1:1 at a fsb of 250-255, but if i wanted to hit 3.5-3.6 id have to use the 5:4 divider and the mem would be under clocked.

then again i could hit a wall with the processor and only be able to do 3.2-3.3 and the pc3700 would be better and i would save about $250. in theory i should be able to hit the speeds i want to but im anticipating i will only get 3.3-3.4, and i totally could be talking out of my ass:D.

which do you thing would give a better overall performance?

[timmyqwest]

if it were me i'd get a gig of ram before getting a lesser amount of ram of the same kind with an overclocked lable

[unixadm]

I'd get 4 sticks of OCZ PC3700. Believe me, I've got 3gb worth of DDR here, Corsair, Geil, etc. None work well with the 5:4 divider. OCZ build this memory around the i875 and after talking with them directly they said that if it didn't work like they would say, they would personally make it right. No other memory place has offered that level of service to me, so I ordered up 2 twin packs of Gold PC3700. They also assured me that I could get DDR500 out of these modules, no problem. The performance actually benifits you by having all 4 slots populated as well - as I really wanted 512mb sticks initially.

I get it on Thursday and it's going in a P4C800-E. My 2.4C is at 3.3 with the stock vcore (actually 1.48 under load). I'm just waiting on some good memory so I can get up to 300mhz FSB hopefully. Crosses Fingers.

Oh and I am using 2 512mb sticks of Corsair XMS3500C2. It's fine up to about DDR440 or so using the 5:4 divider - then begins erroring no matter the voltage or memory settings.

[method().man]

This kind of question can't really be reliably answered by anyone on these boards since we all lack sufficient statistical data to make an informed judgement either way - especially with the two sticks you mentioned (because they are rated so closely in performance). Expecting any clockspeed over what the component is rated for, however, is a recipe for disappointment. There are no guarantees for overclocking and I think it would be a gross misjudgement for ANYONE to tell you that you'll hit a speed higher than what the component is rated for just from personal experience.

The fellow who posted above me illustrates this point perfectly. He's telling you to get OCZ memory from personal experience, yet later in his post, he reveals that he hasn't even received the memory yet! Also, owning only one set of a company's RAM hardly constitutes rock solid evidence to the overclockability of a certain product. The best thing you can do is perform searches on these boards (and elsewhere on the web); make an educated guess as to the performance charactersistics of the RAM you're interested in; and just pray for the best. About the only thing we as overclockers can do in these important purchase situation is absorb as much knowledge as possible to help sway the odds in our favor - listening to fanboys or people with only anecdotal evidence is not only ignorant but is also an act of putting too much hope into something that doesn't deserve it.

[Vatt]

Originally posted by unixadm
Oh and I am using 2 512mb sticks of Corsair XMS3500C2. It's fine up to about DDR440 or so using the 5:4 divider - then begins erroring no matter the voltage or memory settings.
my Corsair 2x512MB XMS3500 will not work higher with 5:4 upto DDR450, but it needs 3.1v for that.
I thought it is the mobo that is the limiting factor here, but you think it could be the RAM?
I have tested the RAM upto DDR 476 with 1:1 divider, so I thought it would work with 5:4 upto the same speeds...
but now you are saying it is the RAM... you at DDR 440, me at DDR 450

Could 2x256MB be better than 2x512MB or does that not make a difference?

[chibb_s]

thanks for the input guys. i think im going to get the corsair stuff first and see how far i can push it and if i hit a wall ill try to return it and get the ocz.

[method().man]

Originally posted by chibb_s
thanks for the input guys. i think im going to get the corsair stuff first and see how far i can push it and if i hit a wall ill try to return it and get the ocz.

Hmm, well, if you that kind of thing normally, I would suggest that you don't mention it on these boards and some people will get a bit upset. Returning something because it doesn't overclock to your expectations isn't exactly the most ethical thing to do. Returns and RMAs are there to facillitate people with real problems with their hardware. You'd be returning hardware because it didn't do what the manufacturer never promised - and in the case of overclocking would probably recomend against. RMAs cost vendors and the manufacturers a lot of money. I don't want to get into a philosophical argument with you and if you've wrestled over this issue and still feel ok with it, then fine. However, I hope you realize that people who do return things because of missed overclocking expectations simply raise the costs of hardware for the rest of us and makes warranties and such that much harder for these businesses to implement.

[chibb_s]

chances are i wouldnt return it, id probably just try to find away to make do. it would prolly be a last resort if i returned it.

[marklar]

Corsair are really up for RMAs. The staff on their support forum try and help people to overclock and if it won't perform they tell them to RMA. However, if you have memory rated at 466DDR and you complain that you can't get it over 500 you won't get much sympathy.

I recommend you look at Anandtech's memory reviews here (http://www.anandtech.com/memory/index.html)

[method().man]

Originally posted by chibb_s
chances are i wouldnt return it, id probably just try to find away to make do. it would prolly be a last resort if i returned it.

Btw, I don't want to come off sounding like a condescending, preachy, d*ckwad ;). So if I did, sorry.

[chibb_s]

np. also btw if it was clear before when i said id return it if i hit a wall i ment if i hit a wall with the processor, and was only able to oc to 3.2ghz or so i would return the pc3500 and get the 3700 so i could run 1:1 for what i think(hope) would be better performance.

[cypher_138]

Originally posted by chibb_s
thanks for the input guys. i think im going to get the corsair stuff first and see how far i can push it and if i hit a wall ill try to return it and get the ocz.
The XMS3500 runs the same as my Crucial 3200. I sent mine back. Save yourself the hassel and just get the Gold. Go check Corsairs site. It's filled with people on 865/875 chipsets having issues, including myself.

[cypher_138]

I almost forgot. Essential told me they've been flooded with RMAs on this chipset with XMS 3500/3700. Corsairs stance is to blame the way the MB was ploted out and Intels MCH. I'll get a full refund from Essential, but it will take roughly 15 days for accounting to process it. Luckily I have extra RAM to see me through this.