RDRAM vs DDR RAM

[Grey Area]

Help me! My head is full of specs and I can't decide what to do.

I have an old D850GBAL motherboard with a Pentium 4 1.7 GHz chip. I've ALREADY spend the cash on a full 1GB of PC800 RDRAM (1.2 if we're being picky - 2x512 and the original 2x128 that came with the chip) and I don't like the idea of just binning it and starting over on DDR.

I'm pleased with my old setup as it's nearly 3 years old and still runs most stuff. But what I really want now is a new full-on chip, probably Intel at 3.2 GHz with the new faster bus and the HT technology. Most of the boards out now for those chips only support the DDR RAM, but the SiS 659 Chipset is coming up shortly (hopefully via Asus) and that WILL support RDRAM - but I don't know if it will support my hoary old 16-bit PC800 RDRAM.

Too much information....overload....shutting down.

If anyone can help guide me through this mess I'd be grateful!

 

[dethangel]

get rid of the rd ram, ddr will soon be faster neways, rd ram will be scrapped soon

 

[mikesgroovin]

Well, most certainly, the best thing to do would be to contact the board manufac. in order to get the best answer.
But, even so, if you are going to spend the $ to get another board supporting a P4 3.0+ chip with the new SiS chipset, then why bottleneck it with PC800? I would just sell the RDRAM on eBay and then purchase a couple of 512MBs DDR400.....
DDR is MUCH faster and more reliable......

-Michael

 

[James]

Ya, and DDR is also much cooler compared to RDRam..

 

[Grey Area]

So, how much do you think I could get for the 512 PC800 RDRAM chips on ebay?

I'm still not convinced....going to decide not to decide. Will wait until the SiSR659 chipset mobo is released (and reviewed) and decide then. I take your point about the PC800 being a bottleneck, but at least if it works I could put off buying the new PC1200 RDRAM till later.

What I'd REALLY like is a board that can take RDRAM AND/OR DDR RAM, then I could at least upgrade the chip now and make the memory decision later. Still I suppose any form of convergence of ideas is anathema to the PC industry. They just want our money!

 

[Grey Area]

Just for completeness really. I finally decided on;

Pentium 4 3.0 GHz 800MHz FSB with hyperthreading
Asus P4C800-E Deluxe (Canterwood) motherboard
2 x Corsair Platinum TwinX 1024MB DDR XMS3700 CAS3
Thermaltake XaserIII V2000A Alu Case
Globalwin Super Silent 420W PFC ATX Power Supply

Then, because I had my spending head on, I went and forked out more cash for a Wireless Network System;

D-Link DI-624+ Super 54Mbps AirPlusXtremeG+ Wireless Broadband Router
2 x D-Link DWL-G520+ 54Mbps AirPlusXtremeG+ Wireless PCI Adapter

I'm indebted to everyone here for the advice, and also to the staff at Tekheads (www.tekheads.co.uk) for putting up with my interminable questions!

Now all i have to do is wait for it to get here. I HATE waiting.