RAM Configuration on Vostro 1500

Hi guys. I'm getting myself a Vostro 1500, taking advantage of the $500 off on $1249+ deal currently on. In trying to keep the system as close to 1249, here is what I've configured.

C2D T7250
XP Home
120 GB HDD
8600M GT
Webcam
Bluetooth
WXGA+
Intel 3945
2 year warranty
Carrying Case: Swiss Gear IMPULSE
Belkin surge protector

The default config comes with 1 GB (2 SODIMMs) pre-installed. How do you think I should upgrade it?
1x512MB (original) + 1x2GB ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145172
Or
2x1GB ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16820134554

 

Get the smallest amount they offer and beef everything else up. You can get cheaper RAM elsewhere.

 

That's exactly what I'm trying to do here. I simply want to know which config. will offer better performance. Also, will matching a 2GB stick with the existing 512MB stick create compatibility issues?

 

Get the 2x512mb and then buy yourself 2 sticks of 1gb or 2 sticks of 2gb, depending on how heavy of a user you are.

Not at all, you can run any imaginable combination out there just fine.

 

get 1 x 2gb and stick it with 512mb

 

Ramp up your CPU to the T7500. I was able to get my Vostro 1500 with (upgrades highlighted):

T7500 (2.2 Ghz)
WSXGA+ display (1680x1050)
160 GB HD (I know I could have upgraded it later, but it was only $75 to get here)
Intel Wireless ABG
8600M GT
9 cell battery

Came out to $752. I then picked up a Mushkin 4 GB kit on newegg for what'll be $76 after rebate. No matter what config you run it in it'll be dual channel--1 x 2 GB & 1 x 512 MB would be asynchronous, but the performance difference between that and synchronous 2 x 2 GB would be no more than 2-4% at most.

 

Will the extra 200 MHz and 2MB cache make a significant difference in games and in general? I currently am on an Inspiron 9300 with the Pentium M730 (1.73 GHz, 2MB cache) and don't multi-task much. The max I do is Firefox with about 7-8 tabs, iTunes and Word. I always turn off everything before starting a game.
For RAM the only problem I want to avoid is manufacturer, batch or capacity mismatch issues.

Also, this system is simply an intermediate measure till the time Nehalem is out. As such I'm not too keen on spending too much on it. I intend to give this to my dad when I buy a system next year and he'll never need to use the T7250, let alone the T7500.

 

No, you probably wont notice any difference between the two processor. The CPU is plenty powerful for basic tasks you mention and most games are more reliant on the GPU.

I suggest keeping the T7250 and getting a stick of 2GB(it will be easier to upgrade to 4GB if the need arises in the future but as adinu mention, ram is cheap and its nice to have plenty of ram).

Most sticks of 200pin DDR2 sodimm will work without any problems. Sometimes you get bad sticks or compatiblity issues but thats were the warranty on the ram comes in

 

One more question. Will 2x1GB (dual channel) perform better than 1x2GB (single channel)?

 

Yes it will.

 

...by like 4%. You have to take that into account, the performance gains are negligible at best.

 

I didn't notice a loss in performance when I went from 2x512 to 512/2048.

I actually got faster by not using VRAM.

 

Thanks everyone. Looks like 512+2 is the way to go.