BF2 memory help

[Chris C]

I got a athlonXP 3200+ with 1gig of ddr 400 ram and a x800xt card. I was thinking of getting another 512 ram and newegg has the same stuff im using now for $39. The question is my mobo only has 3 ram slots and I remember when i got it years ago dual channel ram would only work in the first two slots so does that mean putting in a 3rd would stop the dual channel from working? Any BF2 players out there think 1.5 would work better for me? Just seamed like a cheap upgrade so I can get a bit smother running for bf2. Im not a hardware guy so thanks for any help.

[BlitzPuppet]

dual channel only works when you have even number modules of the same size.

for example: 2 512 ram sticks would be DDR, as would 2 1GB ram sticks

example of them not being in DDR:

3 512s, 1 512 stick and 1 GB stick

if you want to go DDR make sure you don't mix sizes, and make sure you have even number sticks.

[bchur83]

Since it is on a AXP, not running in DC will not hurt your performance. Besides, with BF2, you will be much better off with 1.5GB in single channel, than with 1GB in DC.

[CGR]

Definately go with more memory. BF2 is a memory hog... I went from 1gb to 2gb and it was a night/day increase. No more of that annoying stuttering.

[NettieZoom]

Go for more ram for sure, though i would try to get 2GB rather then 1.5gb if at all possible.

Even on most modern setups dual channel only speeds things up like 5-10% in games, in other apps dual channel will give a bigger boost though.
Going to 1.5-2GB of ram will give you a huge boost.

[hUMANbEATbOX]

dual channel only works when you have even number modules of the same size.

for example: 2 512 ram sticks would be DDR, as would 2 1GB ram sticks

example of them not being in DDR:

3 512s, 1 512 stick and 1 GB stick

if you want to go DDR make sure you don't mix sizes, and make sure you have even number sticks.

you are getting DDR confused with Dual Channel. you can run DDR or DDR2 ram in single channel, by running an odd number of sticks.

DDR ram means that it is Double Data Rate. consider pc-133 ram that runs at 133mhz. this is SDR. DDR ram, rated at ddr-266 also runs at 133mhz, but it can 'execute' 2 'operations' per cycle, so it is 'rated' at 266 (just 266 mind you, not 266mhz).

DDR and DDR2 ram runs in Dual channel, by having an even amount paired modules, running in the appropriate slots on the mobo.

just clarifying...you had it correct, just got the terms confused. ;)

[golfking222]

Do you have 2 512s making the 1gb? Or is it just 1 gb stick? If it's just 1gb stick then I recommend just buying another 1gb stick, same model would probably help if you could find the same one.

[Chris C]

Thanks for the help. I went ahead and ordered another stick. Ya I got 2X512 right now so there was not a cheap way to hit 2gb. Im just trying to make this comp last a bit longer until I make the switch to DX10.

[SteveLord]

um...im pretty sure dual channel can still be achieved with 3 sticks.......swear i saw it somewhere.

[hUMANbEATbOX]

um...im pretty sure dual channel can still be achieved with 3 sticks.......swear i saw it somewhere.
nope. impossible.

[BlitzPuppet]

you are getting DDR confused with Dual Channel. you can run DDR or DDR2 ram in single channel, by running an odd number of sticks.

DDR ram means that it is Double Data Rate. consider pc-133 ram that runs at 133mhz. this is SDR. DDR ram, rated at ddr-266 also runs at 133mhz, but it can 'execute' 2 'operations' per cycle, so it is 'rated' at 266 (just 266 mind you, not 266mhz).

DDR and DDR2 ram runs in Dual channel, by having an even amount paired modules, running in the appropriate slots on the mobo.

just clarifying...you had it correct, just got the terms confused. ;)

caught me there, I meant dual channel, I slapped that together as I was about to head out the door :P. Thanks!

[SteveLord]

nope. impossible.

i must have misread something in one of my older AMD boards then. =\

[SteveLord]

AH HA! YOU CAN USE 3 STICKS FOR DUAL CHANNEL!'

Pg 51 of my Bad Axe2 manual. 2-256 sticks and 1-512 stick.

[>HyperlogiK<]

nope. impossible.

I'm pretty sure that on NF2 Ultra/Ultra 400 boards the first 2 DIMMs are channel 1 and the the third is channel 2. Thus you can mix 2x 512MB with 1x 1024MB and run DC. It definitely doesn't work on socket 939/AM2 boards though.

[jenko]

AH HA! YOU CAN USE 3 STICKS FOR DUAL CHANNEL!'

Pg 51 of my Bad Axe2 manual. 2-256 sticks and 1-512 stick.

That may be the case as each memmory controller has an equal amount of ram i.e channel 1 has 512mb and channel 2 has 512mb., but your comparing a modern intel mobo with a AMD socket A mobo.
With his rig more ram is hell of alot better then Dual channel or 1T.

[SteveLord]

That may be the case as each memmory controller has an equal amount of ram i.e channel 1 has 512mb and channel 2 has 512mb., but your comparing a modern intel mobo with a AMD socket A mobo.
With his rig more ram is hell of alot better then Dual channel or 1T.

The point is that I proved its NOT impossible.

And even though I cant download the exact manual thanks to ASUS's poor site....here's a review confirming that it was viable through older AMD boards. Specifically this one from ASUS which I did own myself.

The A7N8X manual lists the following possible combinations of memory slots to enable Dual-Channel operation: 1 and 3, 2 and 3, or 1, 2 and 3. The DIMM slots on the board are split up and color-coded. Two are bunched together and are colored blue; these are DIMM slots 1 and 2 and they represent memory channel 1. The third is the plain black color of DIMM connectors and is slightly removed from the first channel; this is DIMM 3 and is the only DIMM slots in the second memory channel.

http://gear.ign.com/articles/382/382632p1.html

[avesta]

To be honest, having 1.5GB of memory over 1GB of memory might not yield better results for you, depending on what settings you are playing at.

I do know when you set textures above 'medium', it is a killer for RAM.
I play bf2 at 1280x1024, 4xAA, 8xAF, everything on highest except textures, lighting, and dynamic lighting, and I have 1GB of RAM and an x800xt. I get an average of 60-70 FPS, but never dip below 30.