Need Memory, Plz Help

[raven]

I need to get new memory but im am totaly lost when it comes to all these speeds, Cas, Timings and EL, Platinum, Gold, Performance etc. All I know is that i should be looking for BH-5 chips. And i have no idea how to tell if a Chip has it or not.

The only Ram that i can find in local stores are OCZ Ram and maybe just a handful of corsair XMS. I am just looking to pick up two sticks of 256 meg chips but dont know anything about what speeds are the best to get with what timings and CAS Latency.

The Ram i am looking at are as follows:

Corsair:
TWINX512-3200C2 2x256MB PC3200 $208
TWINX512-3200LL 2x256MB PC3200 $225
TWINX512-3700 2x256MB PC3700 $222

OCZ
2x256MB PC3200 Dual Channel Kit EL-DDR Enhanced Latency $200
2x256MB PC3200 Dual Channel Kit EL-DDR Platinum Edition $210
2x256MB PC3500 Dual Channel Kit EL-DDR Enhanced Latency $245
2x256MB PC3500 Dual Channel Kit EL-DDR Platinum Edition $275
2x256MB PC3700 DDR466 Dual Channel Kit Gold Series $300
2x256MB PC4000 DDR500 Dual Channel Kit Gold Series $300
PC3200-EL 2x256MB *PLATINUM* DUAL CHANNEL (512MB KIT) - OCZ $203
PC3200-EL *ECC/REG* 2x256MB Dual Channel (512MB KIT) - OCZ $244
PC3500-EL 2x256MB *PLATINUM* DUAL CHANNEL (512MB KIT) - OCZ $237
PC3500-EL *GOLD* 2x256MB Dual Channel (512MB KIT) - OCZ $203
OCZ PC3700-EL *GOLD* DUAL CHANNEL 2x256MB (512MB KIT) $289
OCZ PC4000-EL 2x256MB *COPPER* DUAL CHANNEL (512MB KIT) $238
PC4200 *PERFORMANCE* 2x256MB Dual Channel (512MB KIT) - OCZ $246



All these prices are Canadian mind you. I listed all the chips i can get because i am totaly lost with all of these choices to make. weather to get Corsair or OCZ, or GOLD or Platinum or EL-DDR , my head just starts hurting when thinking about it.

BTW, this will be going into an ABIT IC7-G with a 2.8C processor.

Raven

 

[Speed_Mechanic2]

The only memory listed above that promises, or should even have, Winbond BH-5 chips is the OCZ PC-3500 Platinum (PC-3200 Platinum uses Winbond CH-5 chips). If you can find Corsair XMS PC3500 it may also have Winbond BH-5 chips.

PC3500-EL 2x256MB *PLATINUM* DUAL CHANNEL (512MB KIT) - OCZ $237 CAD ($179 USD) is a bit expansive, but as long as it is the Platinum PC3500 kit, does promise Winbond BH-5 chips.

The Latency Timing settings you want is a CAS Latency of 2.0, RAS-to-CAS Delay of 2, RAS Precharge of 2, and a RAS Pulse Width (tRAS) of 6 (2-2-2-6 in order for your Abit). The PC3500 Platinum promises 2-3-2-6 timings at 217MHz, a conservative promise, but is more then capable of running 2-2-2-6 at this speed. With a 2.8C, ideally, you will want your memory to run as close (or higher) to 230MHz as you can get (allowing operation 1:1; w/o high cooling on your 2.8C needed for DDR433 5:4). This will probably require raising voltage, perhaps over what the Abit motherboard allows for (getting into Volt mod territory there). If some of that was confusing, I don't blame you, it's a bit rambling on.

Basically, with a 2.8C on an Abit IC7-G, you have a couple of good options. You can run memory at:
Ideally ~228MHz+ 1:1 (giving you DDR456 w/ 3.2GHz+)
Or ~200MHz+ 5:4 (giving you DDR400 w/ 3.5GHz)
Or ~216MHz+ 5:4 (giving you DDR433 w/ 3.7GHz+) - Requires Very Good Cooling

 

[raven]

awsome, im calling in a few min to put my memory on hold for tomorrow. Hopefully i can pick it up then.

i can just feel that this will turn out to be awsome

thanks Speed_Mechanic2