Can someone explain why PC4000 would be cheaper than PC3200???

KillrBuckeye · Jul 19, 2005

I am trying to decide what memory to get for my new rig, which will be based on an Asus A8V Deluxe motherboard. I like the idea of getting PC4000 memory because it will give me more overclocking headroom and at the same time be more "future-proof". However, I am really confused as to why 2x512MB of PC4000 would be cheaper than 2x512MB of PC3200, same brand. I realize that the timings are tighter on the PC3200, but does that really make up for the fact that its rated speed is 50 MHz lower than the PC4000? What advice would you give me?

PC3200:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820144332

PC4000:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820144517

TheGame240 · Jul 19, 2005

Not really sure. Sometimes they'll rate ram at 2T timings and fail to mention it. I found it on Geil's site and it doesn't mention that. It does say it's optimized for Intel chipsets so you might do a little extra research if you're planning on using it with a future AMD upgrade. http://www.geilusa.com/proddetail.asp?linenumber=24

speed bump · Jul 19, 2005

You messed up your links but looking at those I'm inclined to say they are both TCCD or TCC5 ram so who knows its the wackos at Geil.

Personally I would look at either OCZ or Mushkin ram it might be alittle more expensive than than the Geil but its definetly better quality and both those guys have awesome warrenties.

rseven · Jul 19, 2005

The difference in the price is based on the differenc in the chips. The PC3200 is a faster running chip and I suspect it's tcc5. The PC4000 I really don't know what it is, perhaps it's a hynix chip. Sometimes the DDR ratings don't mean as much as the timings and the chip set. I would suspect that the pc3200 would overclock better than that pc4000.
BTW there are some good stickies that address some of this here in the memory section of the forum. You may want to check them out.

ziggo0 · Jul 19, 2005

If they are TCC5 they have pretty much the same potential if not more than TCCD for overclockage

Janus67 · Jul 19, 2005

yes, but the TCC5 require more voltage than the TCCD.

also, killrbuckeye, i see you are from michigan, did you used to be a buckeye or something (like your's truly?)

KillrBuckeye · Jul 19, 2005

Thanks for all the replies, although now I'm even more confused than before! I think I may just end up going with PC3200 value RAM since Super Nade has told me that TCCD/5-based modules don't perform too well on the Asus A8V Deluxe. He said that Hynix chips are the way to go with this board, but last time I checked I could only find super expensive PC4400 modules using Hynix chips.

Janus67: Yes, I am a Buckeye... my career path is the only reason I ended up in this ****hole of a state. I grew up in a suburb of Columbus and attended OSU for my BS and MS.

Goateh · Jul 19, 2005

I don't mean to thread jack here, but that got me curious.. wth is a buckeye? :S

You could just do what I do.. buy random RAM and hope it works well

My pc2700 goes up to about 212fsb :S

KillrBuckeye · Jul 19, 2005

Goateh said:
I don't mean to thread jack here, but that got me curious.. wth is a buckeye? :S

You could just do what I do.. buy random RAM and hope it works well
My pc2700 goes up to about 212fsb :S

Hehe. A Buckeye is actually a nut from a Buckeye tree, the state tree of Ohio. It was given its name because it looks like the eye of a deer I guess. I've heard they are poisonous to humans if consumed. I know, it's a crappy mascot; however, it's better than the rodent that serves as the mascot of UM.

Anyhow, I've been happy with my Crucial PC2700... maybe I should just take my chances with some Crucial PC3200 for the new rig? :shrug:

larva · Jul 19, 2005

The real answer is numbers like PC3200 or PC4000 are purely arbitrary marketing terms. If you put a sticker on the side that says 'PC3200', it's 3200. If you put one that reads 'PC4000', it's PC4000. Almost all of the memory ICs used in current DDR modules are rated by their manufacturer as PC3200 (5ns) devices.

Goateh · Jul 19, 2005

KillrBuckeye said:
Hehe. A Buckeye is actually a nut from a Buckeye tree, the state tree of Ohio. It was given its name because it looks like the eye of a deer I guess. I've heard they are poisonous to humans if consumed. I know, it's a crappy mascot; however, it's better than the rodent that serves as the mascot of UM.

Anyhow, I've been happy with my Crucial PC2700... maybe I should just take my chances with some Crucial PC3200 for the new rig?

Well if you're happy with one type/brand why switch? There is risks with everything really, you could get the diamond in the rough... or the glassbead from the diamond necklass....

We had a cow as the mascot for our provincial rugby team, it was named mooloo... so yours doesn't seem that bad

larva said:
The real answer is numbers like PC3200 or PC4000 are purely arbitrary marketing terms. If you put a sticker on the side that says 'PC3200', it's 3200. If you put one that reads 'PC4000', it's PC4000. Almost all of the memory ICs used in current DDR modules are rated by their manufacturer as PC3200 (5ns) devices.

Aren't they all tested to get to that speed 'safely' or is that just complete crap? So they could build the same ram they use for pc4000 and then slap a pc2100 sticker on it (hypothetically)? :S

Drec · Jul 19, 2005

KillrBuckeye said:
and at the same time be more "future-proof".

DDR2 is the future....so it won't be very future proof at all.

rseven · Jul 19, 2005

or perhaps, ddr3? AMD may skip 2. It's all uncertain right now.

Drec · Jul 19, 2005

rseven said:
or perhaps, ddr3? AMD may skip 2. It's all uncertain right now.

i think that would be very expensive, i would be suprised if M2 did not use DDR2...We'll see though...

CCUABIDExORxDIE · Jul 19, 2005

ive heard M2 is gonna be single channel DDR2. and its gonna be ddr2-667 stock speed. meaning an htt of 333. the lowest multi will be 7x. but back on topic, the first pc3200 uses some weird chip, it was speculated to be tccd, but then it was unproven i think, but it mighta been like UTT or something. the pc4000 stuff is hynix D5, that was one of my choices when i was getting ram. D5 is good stuff.

NinjaZX6R · Jul 20, 2005

Those geil could very well be UTT. In that case, I wouldn't recommend them for the A8V anyway because they will need massive voltage to get them running well. To be honest, there are better choices than geil.

I guess the question has been answered already of why some pc4000 is cheaper than pc3200, but I will give my two cents anyway. It takes an expensive memory IC to run at 200mhz 2-2-2-5. It takes a crappy one to do 250mhz at 2.5-4-4-7. This reminds me of when my Hyper X PC3200 was replaced. I went and bought some Corsair XMS PC4000. Wow, what a joke. The timings sucked and they had no headroom. Went back to the hyper x, needless to say. The cost of memory is simply related to the cost of manufacturing it...you really do get what you pay for.

-Collin-

Can someone explain why PC4000 would be cheaper than PC3200???

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