Choices, choices... help me decide please!

So here's the deal. I'm looking to upgrade my ram to something a bit better... I would like some input on which one you think would best fit me, please.

My System:
AMD XP 1800+ (AGKGA "Y") w/Alpha PAL8045 & AS3
Shuttle AK35GTR w/Maxtor ATA133 60GB HDD (probably will go RAID 0 with 2 of these)
256mb Crucial PC2100 DDR CL2.5
Turtle Beach Santa Cruz sound card
--- That's it right now for hardware, it's still in progress.

Now, I want to upgrade to some true PC2700 DDR. I need something that will overclock well and is fully compatible with my hardware. I'll be using Windows XP Professional and mostly use my PC for gaming.

I would like to hear some of your suggestions please! Money is not really an object for this upgrade.

Also, I would like more than 256mb. What is the better combo-ram wise- for overclocking? 1x512, 2x256, 4x64(kidding)... etc. ?

MAJOR Thanks in advance!

i'd go with some samsung pc2700 but if money is of no
concern get some corsair XMS3200

i would personally go with 2x256 but it depends on what you
are doing. the ak35 has 4 dimm slots so you don't really have
to worry about that. with 1x512 the density may make the ram
slower. i'm no ram expert but that's me opinion.

I would go the Samsung route as well but would instead go ahead and get the PC3000. No price difference to speak of depending on where you get it and gives you more room in the future.

As far as 2 X 256 or one 512 goes...that's up in the air. A single stick can cause a minor performance hit over 2 sticks at times, but not in all cases...and it is only a minor hit at most. Upside is that it is usually a bit easier when overclocking when using a single stick.

Jon said:

I would go the Samsung route as well but would instead go ahead and get the PC3000. No price difference to speak of depending on where you get it and gives you more room in the future.

As far as 2 X 256 or one 512 goes...that's up in the air. A single stick can cause a minor performance hit over 2 sticks at times, but not in all cases...and it is only a minor hit at most. Upside is that it is usually a bit easier when overclocking when using a single stick.

Click to expand...

I thought using a single stick of 512 wasn't as good as using a single of 256?

Should I get 512? Should I just stay with 256? I thought Corsair or TwinMOS were better than Samsung now? I'm not much on memory, I know Crucial use to be/still is, good.

I guess i'll look into some of that Samsung PC3000, see what all the specs are. I would really like something that hits CAS2 nicely at high FSB.

I looked in a few places, can't find any PC3000 made by Samsung. Anyone know where they sell these or are they even out yet?

DEFINITLY go w/ Corsair if u can afford it

So, Corsair XMS3200? I heard Corsair was really good. Still don't know if I should go with 256 or 512mb. If I do go 512, do I do 2x256 or 1x512?

The Mushkin pc3000 uses high end pc2700 samsung chips guaranteed (by mushkin of course ) to run at pc3000 speed.

If you can afford the Corsair, then by all means go w/ the corsair.

One word of caution if you go w/ 256mb samsung pc2700, make sure you get the single-sided stick. Most of the retailers are selling the doudble-sided sticks and the Samsung website says their pc2700 memory are only single-sided.

Hope you can maintain your sanity w/ all these options.

I'll save some of what little sanity I have left and just get some Corsair XMS3200. Since the only Corsair XMS3200 I have seen comes in a single 512 stick, guess i'll go 1x512.

Thanks to everyone that guided me towards this decision!

good luck with it morbid!