Getting NF7-S, have 1x512 XMS3200 - what to do!?!?

When I bought my 512mb of Corsair XMS3200c2 v1.1 (bh-6, IIRC) over a year and a half ago (and paid an arm and a leg, thank-you-very-much) I didn't intend on going dual-channel or picking up another stick. Figured it would be fine to get me to "the next generation" of good stuff. Now I'm upgrading from my Kx7-333 to a NF7-S and want to run dual-channel. Only problem is, I've got no extra $$$ to pick up a 2nd 512mb stick.
I'm also getting a T-bred 1800+ and hope to run at 200mhz x11 24/7. Should I:

a) Keep the 512mb of XMS, use it single channel and be happy

b) Sell the XMS and pick up 2 sticks of Buffalo CH-5

c) Hunt down a stick just like the one I have and kill myself trying to afford it (already spending more than I'd like on the MoBo and CPU)

or

d) Use the stick I've got w/ 2x256mb sticks of something else w/ bh-6 chips. I don't know enough about dual-channel to know if this works. And if it does - does it hinder your ability to hit high-ish fsbs? I'd guess so, but I've seen it done in a few signitures.

Thanks for any suggestions. Feels good to be getting some new toys. . .

Hmm,. . .not sure I was thinking very clearly when I posted this last night. I'll have an NF7-S v2.0 and Mobile 2500+ by next week. I can either keep my single stick of XMS3200c2 v1.1 and just run single channel or get 2x256 of something like the Buffalo ch-5 at NewEgg.

Is it worth getting rid of the perfectly good Corsair just to be able to run dual channel?

No, buy a BH6 stick while you still can. I give it 2 more months b4 its gone forever. It may suck to spend that much, but it will be worth it.

DC is pretty worthless on AMD chips. I would just run what you have.

Okay - I'll stick with my single stick for now & keep an eye out for another one. I've been out-of-touch for the last year or so & had no idea how much impact DC had on daily use / gaming, etc. If I can't find another stick just like mine, do you think a stick of equivalent XMS w/ bh-6 chips would work, or is the nForce2 boards really sensitive on matching stick? Thanks for the advice!

p.s. - If anyone knows of a place that still has the Corsair XMS3200c2 v1.1, let me know!

{PMS}fishy said:

DC is pretty worthless on AMD chips. I would just run what you have.

Click to expand...

By whos standard...I personally like the DC 3200+/3100+ memory bandwidth over the Single 2400+/2300+ at the same FSB and ram timings...

You are one of the few still saying DC is useless when most of the other people that run DC wont go back to single channel...DC is NOT useless...

Does anyone have linkage to a good article or thread on DC vs. SC?

the gains of DC on amd platform is pretty close to useless-

view memtest and see the difference in bandwidth-

most you'll get is 300mb's more in DC-


thats a joke compared to the 2100mb's plus that the PIV platform offers-

if money was tight i'd say forget DC, but if you have the slots/money DC is fine but it really blings once you really start to open the ram up at like 240-250-

we all know theres only a handful of mobo's with NforceII ultra that allow those speeds-

glock19owner said:

By whos standard...I personally like the DC 3200+/3100+ memory bandwidth over the Single 2400+/2300+ at the same FSB and ram timings...

You are one of the few still saying DC is useless when most of the other people that run DC wont go back to single channel...DC is NOT useless...

Click to expand...

No WAY! I want to benchmarks and screenies. There is no way you get that kind of boost. No chance at all.

Vidgion -

Whats up in Ko-Ko-Mo? I grew up in Elkhart & lived in B-town and Indy before moving down here. Almost makes me miss all those stop-lights on 31S! Do you ever get together with the IU Gaming folks for their LanWar?

{PMS}fishy said:

DC is pretty worthless on AMD chips. I would just run what you have.

Click to expand...

^

Unless you really feel you need a gig of ram, depending on what you'll be using your computer for.

DC is pretty worthless on AMD chips. I would just run what you have.

Click to expand...

d00d what are you talking about!?!?!??!?!?!

My memory bandwith increased 50% when in DC.

view memtest and see the difference in bandwidth-

Click to expand...

I saw the increase with my own eyes!!!

My friend's A7N8X went from 771MB/s (single channel) to 1,688MB/s In DC.

I dont know what mine is (cuz Memtest86 wont load ), but its gotta atleast 1,800MB/s

Grumble-Grumble. Looks like somebody better put his girlfriend on eBay and find some Corsair XMS lovin'. . .

Sentential said:

d00d what are you talking about!?!?!??!?!?!

My memory bandwith increased 50% when in DC.



I saw the increase with my own eyes!!!

My friend's A7N8X went from 771MB/s (single channel) to 1,688MB/s In DC.

I dont know what mine is (cuz Memtest86 wont load ), but its gotta atleast 1,800MB/s

Click to expand...

NO WAY IS IT 50%.

How does your friend only have 1688 in DC? I was running more than that 2 years ago, on a KT266A MB. DC at high clock speeds is only worth a few %.

i agree with {PMS}fishy that on AMD systems DC is useless unless u have PC2100 ram and using the FSB:RAM ratio

i've only live here a couple years fred, its pretty dead here to me coming from lafayette which was alot of fun -

being married pretty much stops me from getting to meet new ppl too i suppose-

sentential, i'm willing to bet big bucks that on that amd platform you will not see a 50% increase in bandwidth-

you wont even get close to 50%, i find it sorta funny that someone would state that-

just run memtest and you'll see realtime system memory bandwidth or just run sandra w/o the buffer option and your floating point is your real bus bandwidth SC&DC-


cheers