one or two sticks

I am thinking about getting some pc3500 RAM but should i get 2*256 or just one 512 stick?

if you are gonna run a Dual channel board, 2. if not, 1.

yeah i only have a kt333 board right now. So one would be better? If i end up gettinga new board i guess ill just get another 512

1 DIMM willl yield slightly better performance

IMHO,
one single bank memory module, can clock few MHz higher than
one double bank memory module, can clock few MHz higher than
two modules in single channel mode, can clock few MHz higher than
two moudles in dual channel mode

For AMD nfoce2, I found that for two memory modules, putting in as dual channel cannot be clocked as high as putting them in as non-dual channel, by a few MHz.

So for AMD MB, the few MHz gain by overclocking a single memory module along that line translates into higher memory bandwidth and 3D performance and outweighs the intrinsic advantages for dual channel memory modules.

This is just a tradeoff between the performance gain in overclocking (say 5-10 MHz), and the few % performance gain from dual channel (AMD NF2) and bank interleaving. It seems to me that the MHz gain by overclocking has a slight edge over the dual channel for AMD MB (exclude the NF2 version that has integrated video).

But if for non-overclockers or like manufacturers who run at a fixed frequency, then using two modules in dual channel and bank interleaving will clearly get the advantages mentioned above.

For Intel P4 quad pump dual channel, it is clear that using two modules win.

Currently, most modules are using 32Mx8 = 256 Mb DRAM chips, regardless of speed (6ns, 5 ns or 4.5 ns).

1 module with 1 bank overclocks the highest, currently it is 256 MB. But 256 MB is usually not enough to run smoothly in XP (too much paging).

256 MB = 1 bank in 1 module (which contains 8 chips on 1 side (nonECC))
512 MB = 2 banks in 1 module (which contains 16 chips on 2 sides (nonECC))

If you want 512 MB total, two choices:
2 modules 256 MB (1 bank/module) ---- prefer for Intel P4 for dual channel advantage
1 module 512 MB (2 bank) ---- prefer for AMD since dual channel no advantage yet !!!

If you want 1 GB total, you have to get 2 modules of 512 MB (no choice)


PS: Each 256 Mb DRAM chip is organized as 32Mx8. There are 8 bit I/O per chip. 8 DRAM chips form a bank. A module with one bank or two banks has 64 bit I/O.

ill cast my vote for the one stick seeing as you have a kt-333 board and can afford to get more mem if you get a new board (like Nforce2 or possible the KT400a wich is rumorud to possibly have dual channel DDR)

Now the question is which memory to go with.

http://www.googlegear.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=85013

http://www.googlegear.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=85013-3

go with the Corsair