Help replacing my outdated 2x256 Corsair XMS 2700

Hello all. Well xmas has passed and I got a new sound card, Creative X-Fi, and money to replace my current ram, which is bottlenecking my rig the most. I was initially going for a 2x512 kit... to be more exact, the PQI Turbo DDR2 533 modules. After reading a bit I'm starting to think I want a 2x1024 kit because I do multitask pretty often and I'd like to not have to upgrade the ram again for quite a while.

I really do not want to go over $150; what I have in mind so far is:

pqi TURBO 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 533 (PC2 4200) Unbuffered Dual Channel Kit System

and CORSAIR ValueSelect 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 533 (PC2 4200) Unbuffered Dual Channel

The PQI is CL3 about $134 with a MIR, and the Corsair is like $148, has slightly better reviews, and is CL4.

I'm in a pickle here as to which route to go... I'm pretty sure I want to go for 2GB, unless I'd definitely be safe with 1GB... which 2GB kit would you guys choose if you were in my shoes? Thanks.

I had to rma 2 sets of PQI DDR, so I'm not a big fan of their products. I would go with the Corsair based on my experiences. Good luck with whatever you get.

for 99 u can get corsairs valueselect at frys today in ddr and ddr2 (2gigs)

Ummm I was wondering exactly which Mobo you have? Is it the 915P-TAG? You cant use DDR2 memory in that mobo. In the manual it might say dd2 ddr3 and ddr4 but thats the slot each stick goes into. Not the type memory you can use. I wanted be sure because when I read you have pc2700 in it I knew you couldnt use the new DDR2 stuff.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145560

I just ordered some of that stuff after reading a bunch of good reviews on it. You could do what I plan on doing and buy one gig stick now and then save up some more money and eventually get another gig stick later...beats buying 2x512mb sticks if you ever plan on upgrading.

Ummm I was wondering exactly which Mobo you have? Is it the 915P-TAG? You cant use DDR2 memory in that mobo. In the manual it might say dd2 ddr3 and ddr4 but thats the slot each stick goes into. Not the type memory you can use. I wanted be sure because when I read you have pc2700 in it I knew you couldnt use the new DDR2 stuff.

Click to expand...

No, it's not the TAG. I have the one that supports PC2700/PC3200/PC2 4200. Thanks for the Fry's info... I think I'm going to order from them.

Well I didn't make it in time for the Frys deal... they were sold out. So now I can either do the Corsair for about $146 shipped from zipzoomfly (Monarch had them for about $131 shipped but they are out of stock as well) or I can do the PQI from newegg for $170 shipped - $20 MIR = $150.

Would I notice any real time performance difference between the CL3 and the CL4 in the Corsair?

My friend has a gig of the PQI Turbo PC2 4200 stuff and it works fine for him... but I've had my Corsair memory for years and years now and it's always treated me right... crap I'm back to the drawing board.

Well I ordered the corsair from zipzoomfly.