a bit about RAM....

[Diabetic]

Hey folks, I'm looking at prices of RAM and some PC3200 sticks are going quite cheap. My question is, can RAM be combined? I.E:

1gb of PC2700 RAM and 512mb of PC3200 RAM in one PC

Can this be done? Do all sticks of RAM have to be the same make, etc. ?

Also, will my current mobo, Gigabyte GA-7N400-L (upgrading soon but want more ram now) be able to run PC3200 ram?

 

[Trifid]

It will work fine, just be underclocked to PC2700 but I think that is what your FSB is, so it doesn't matter.

You don't really need the extra ram though. I have 1.5gb's and there is barely any difference.

 

[m3trj]

Any make of RAM can work together as long as it is the same type. Also if you have PC3200 and PC2700, then like Trifid said, they will both be downclocked to PC2700.

And yeah you don't really want more than a gig of RAM.

 

[Diabetic]

How much of a performance boost is PC3200 over PC2700?

 

[majistic]

Spend the extra few bucks and get PC3200, will be worth it.

 

[Trifid]

There is no point in getting the 3200, as your FSB is 333, so your ram will be underclcoked to PC2700 speeds(DDR333.)

 

[Diabetic]

But when I upgrade my mobo to a Socket 939 compliant one I'll see the difference if i choose to use PC3200 won't I?

 

[Trifid]

Yeah, it will be a huge bottleneck using the PC2700.

(PC 2700 transfers data at 2.7gb/s and PC3200 transfers at 3.2gb/s.)

 

[m3trj]

Yeah so just get the PC3200, even if you don't use it now you'll have it for when you get your next motherboard, and it'll work properly providing you don't use your PC2700 with it.