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    DDR2 3200 instead of 4200 Ram?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by ifie, Aug 7, 2005.

  1. ifie

    ifie Notebook Guru

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    Is there another type of ddr 2 ram? The reason i'm asking is because the factory installed ram on my laptop is classified as hynix 3200 by everest home edition, but i have only heard of ddr2 4200 ram which i upgraded to (Cosair value ram ddr2 4200)

    ddr and ddr2 have different pin configuration so it can't be ddr ram. Acer advertised it as ddr2 ram as well.
     
    ifie, Aug 7, 2005
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  2. KrispyKreme50

    KrispyKreme50 Notebook Evangelist

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    3200 refers to the MB/s it can transfer. DDR 2 400 mhz equals 3200 MB/s, while DDR2 533 mhz equals 4200 MB/s.
     
    KrispyKreme50, Aug 7, 2005
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  3. ifie

    ifie Notebook Guru

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    thanks

    so that means that acer is not using the best ddr2 ram in their centrino 915 laptops then!
     
    ifie, Aug 7, 2005
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  4. LaZzZy_Dude

    LaZzZy_Dude Notebook Evangelist

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    not just only acer, I know asus is doing that also
     
    LaZzZy_Dude, Aug 7, 2005
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  5. Onyx

    Onyx Notebook Guru

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    Even if the RAM modules are rated for 533Mhz speed, the FSB of Sonomas is 133Mhz (DDR=266Mhz), so you're not realising the full speed potential anyway. ie. Previous Banias/Dothans have a 100Mhz (DDR=200Mhz) FSB, but plenty of makers put PC2700 RAM in them just because PC2100 parts are obsolete and PC2700 RAM is cheaper to acquire. It doesn't mean the RAM runs at 166Mhz as the motherboards dosn't support those speeds.

    The rated speed of the RAM modules are NOT indicative of the speed it runs at. Even with DDR2-3200 RAM in your Sonoma laptop, your memory subsystem is running at full speed and will NOT be faster if you upgraded to DDR2-5400 or faster RAM modules.
     
    Onyx, Aug 7, 2005
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  6. qwester

    qwester Notebook Virtuoso

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    You are missing something!
    Banias/Dothan1 IS 100MHz and Sonoma (Dothan2) IS 133MHz ... but they operate at "quad" speed (FSB) ... so 400FSB, 533FSB respectively.

    RAM bus is not linked to cpu bus ... so you can have ram operating faster than your cpu bus, or slower.

    For sonoma platforms it is best to have 533MHz rams in single or dual channel ... makes no difference. Or 400MHz in DUAL channel. Because you want your ram bus to at least match cpu bus! and if you use built in graphics you're better of with your ram bus exceeding your cpu bus!
     
    qwester, Aug 8, 2005
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  7. pygo

    pygo Notebook Consultant

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    pygo, Aug 10, 2005
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  8. ifie

    ifie Notebook Guru

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    Can someone sum up the conclusion? So intel915 with 533mhz fsb will never be able to utilise the speed of 4200 ddr2 ram, so 3200 ddr2 would be more than adequate?

    Don't think i have seen 3200 ddr2 on any of the online store, ony 4200. So practically 4200 is the only ddr2 you can get then?
     
    ifie, Aug 10, 2005
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  9. pygo

    pygo Notebook Consultant

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    Can someone sum up the conclusion? So intel915 with 533mhz fsb will never be able to utilise the speed of 4200 ddr2 ram, so 3200 ddr2 would be more than adequate?

    Yes.

    Don't think i have seen 3200 ddr2 on any of the online store, ony 4200. So practically 4200 is the only ddr2 you can get then?

    Basically, that is what i am using in my Sonoma based notebooks as well.
     
    pygo, Aug 10, 2005
    #9