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Chosing memory

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The Coolest

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2001
Hey guys, I'm trying to see what memory would I buy if I had to. It can come to that I will have to get a stick of 256MB DDR to have 512 (getting more ram sent to me).
So I basically have 4 choices:
256MB Kingmax $50
256MB Kingmax TinyBGA $52.5
256MB Infineon $55
256MB Kingston $58

I know it doesn't seem like a big difference between them but still. The kingston, I suspect is their value RAM. All RAM is PC3200 CL2.5 rated.

I would need to know this for tommorow, because I'm going to visit that computer store. Please make your suggestions.
It seems like the kingmax tiny BGA should be a good RAM.

I also know that any RAM would max out the board I'm gonna use it in, but I still want to get the best one of the 4.
All opinions are appriciated
 
The kingmax tiny BGA is a good choise, I have a friend using 2 sticks of this ram @ 200fsb cas2.5
 
Yea I saw a couple of his posts when I did the search.

What I want to know is what should be the writings on the RAM that I should look for I'm hearing about all these BH-6 and BH-5 stuff. Doesn't tell me much. I know on some samsung RAM I can get the ns rating by looking at the last couple of characters on the writings on the chip. Is it similar with the kingmax and kingston RAM?
 
I also suggest going with twinmos.

edit: from the list I would take:1
1. Kingston
- OR -
2. Kingmax TinyBGA.

Suma.
 
I will try and ask them if they have twinmos available.
Is there a way to ID these BH-X modules? and how do they differ from normal RAM?

*Me is DDR RAM newb :eek:*
 
KingMax is good memory if your looking for super low voltage from a company that builds it's entire modules in-house. They get decent FSB, but won't fetch you CAS 2.0 timing (2.5-3-3). It's basically low-cost stable memory.

Winbond is a semi-conductor company that produces DRAM chips. They don't produce their own modules. Their BH-5 memory has been the chip of choice due to it's capabilities of running good fsb's at 2-2-2 timings. When voltage is raised, performance goes up significantly as well. Their CH-5 chip is a decent chip, but suffers from a lack of said performance equal to their older BH-5 design. It's still capable memory, and is used in most "performance" (XMS, most HyperX, OCZ, ect.) DDR.

BH-5 (and it's BH-6 counterpart) can be found in alot of the older memory (sold early 2003 up till around May/June). Most products have been switched over from Winbond BH-5 chips to Winbond CH-5 chips.

Memory in it's basics, is simple. Better the memory chip, better the performance. Deciding which chip is better usually occurs through expirience of fellow overclockers. Expirience then shows which chip "performs" the best. Low timings and high FSB are overclockers try to get with their memory. An optimum timing uses a tCL of 2.0, a tRCD of 2, a tRP of 2, and usually a tRAS of ~6.
 
Well, I see... I will look for the twinmos RAM, and will take a look at both the Kingston and Kingmax. I really want these tight timings as my mobo maxes out at 158MHz, so tighter timings should help performance some.
 
Most Twinmos now comes with Winbond CH-5 chips. Although you may find an older module with BH-5, it's unlikely.

The Kingston modules that have been shipping lately with Winbond BH-5 memory chips have been limited to HyperX 3000 and HyperX 3200 NON-A (NON-A means with a product code like KHX3200K2/512 and NOT KHX3200AK2/512).

CH-5 chips are capable of timings of tCL 2.0, tRCD 3, tRP 2 (2-3-2) at decent FSB, more if you raise voltage. Some are capable of running 2-2-2 at raised voltage, but there are also some compatibility problems.
 
The TwinMOS imported to Israel where myself and The Coolest live are only TMD chips, not Winbond.
I can insure you that, although if you want some CH-5 I'm selling PC3200 CH-5 (TwinMOS).
 
Well, I just got back, till tommorow morning. I got the Kingston RAM
It says Kingstone Value RAM 2.6v
KVR400x64C3/256
On the chips its printed:

Kingston 603996.05
D3208DL2T-5 0326PT01

Well, I understand this is no BH-5/CH-5 or whatever but as I understand its supposed to be 5ns?
Is this ram anygood?
 
I would prefer KingMax 5-ns memory to unknown Kingston Value-Select. Although it won't get you CAS Latency of 2.0, it does offer decent FSB overclock (200 to 225) at 2.5-3-3.

You might also want to check the DRAM code on Kingston's Value-Select PC2700, if you see any. It might be Hynix D43 "B" memory, although it might also be Hynix D43 "A" memory.
 
what about 158MHz? I don't think this board can take any more than this value. Any chance I can run it at tightest timings + 1T at 2.8v @ 158MHz?
 
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