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    Questions about CPU, RAM, etc..

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by dagamer34, May 31, 2006.

  1. dagamer34

    dagamer34 Notebook Evangelist NBR Reviewer

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    So I got my laptop in Jan. and I've always suspected that it isn't running as fast as it should be. After running CPU-Z, I find out that my RAM has been running at 400Mhz because it's got a FSB :DRAM ratio of 1:1. While I had originally planned to upgrade my CPU to something much faster much later on(Pentium M 760), I'm thinking about doing it much sooner if I there are any benefits out of upgrading, besides the higher clock frequency, to a 533Mhz FSB chip.

    So ultimately, is going from 400Mhz -> 533Mhz FSB actually going to do anything? My specs are in my sig.


    Also, I've got mismatched sticks of RAM in my comp. In slot #1 is one of the original HP 256MB sticks that I got with latencies of (3:3:9:12) and in slot #2, i've got a 1GB Transcend stick running at (3:3:8:11). Is Windows using my 256MB stick before my 1GB stick first because it's in slot #1, as I would only like to use that POS stick whenever my 1GB stick is full. Would switching them do any good? Also, is having 2 sticks of RAM with different latencies affecting anything?

    Thanks for helping!
     
    dagamer34, May 31, 2006
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  2. doughy

    doughy Notebook Consultant

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    1) I think going to a faster fsb cpu will help slightly in games fps, you wont notice any difference in office applications i wouldnt think. It could help converting video files and media faster.

    2) your memory is going to run at the speeds of the slowest stick eg: the hp ram has slower timings so the motherboard will use those. When you say will Windows use the stick in slot one first the answer is no. It will use both at the same time but as they are of different types and capacity you will not be running in dual channel mode.

    hope this helps
     
    doughy, May 31, 2006
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  3. satch

    satch Notebook Guru

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    theoretically, yes.

    practically? probably not.
     
    satch, May 31, 2006
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  4. dagamer34

    dagamer34 Notebook Evangelist NBR Reviewer

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    Oh, really? *sigh*

    Are there any useful upgrades left for my laptop then?
     
    dagamer34, Jun 2, 2006
    #4