DDR Technology

[yangrossman]

Is it worth buying components with this new DDR technology ? I guess, I will need a specific memory, mainboard and chip.
I am just about to spend U$ 700in a Athlon 800, Asus k7v 133, DIMM 128MB 133, HD IBM Deskstar 7200 rpm. Should I spend more and buy everything with DDR ?
Thanks

 

[Ncogneto]

I think it may be beneficial to wait a couple of months. Wait untill the ddr chipset boards are out in full force, particularly the ali set of boards. See how they perform, then make an intellegent decission as to what to buy. If nothing else, you will be able to get the same components you just listed at a reduced price. There maybe a valid argument in actually buying your RAM at the current time however, for the prices are currently very low, and it may be true as many readers have suggested, when the ddr chipset boards do arrive in full, demand maybe great forceing the prices of ddr up. This is however somewhat like playing the stock market and is guess work at best.

 

[fractal]

You can either approach it as a 'bragging rights' or 'business decision'.

From a 'bragging rights' point of view, of course you should get DDR SDRAM. It is the latest greatest potentially great thing on the market. Everyone needs a DDR SDRAM system. I will add one to my pile of computers as soon as I can. I am not holding my breath, but it is definately on my list of things to buy.

From a business point of view, DDR SDRAM gives somewhere between 3 and 7% performance boost over conventional SDRAM running typical business applications. 5% is the difference between a 950 MHz processor and a 1.0 GHz processor. If you find yourself in the situation that the difference between a 950 MHz processor and a 1.0 GHz processor is more than the price difference of DDR SDRAM and a comparable DDR capable motherboard over a conventianal SDRAM platform, then by all means, go with the DDR SDRAM solution for equivalent performance at a lower price point.

In your case, the difference between a 800 MHz tbird and a 900 MHz tbird is less than the difference between DDR SDRAM and conventional SDRAM system. You are clearnly far, FAR better off going with a 15% faster CPU than 5% faster memory for your investment.

 

[Guest]

Well since all you want is a 800Mhz CPU, I don't think DDR matters that much as it was somewhat introduced to reduce the bandwidth bottleneck of the gigahertz CPUs anyway.

btw..Asus K7V? No you wouldn't want that, slot A motherboards are very obsolete now. Get an Asus A7V!!

 

[Ncogneto]

oops yeah he is right I get the two mixed up all the time.

A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing!

 

[smn198]

1.2 athlon DDR beats a 1.5 P4 (though not by much). Also the AMD760 chipset seems to not mind overclockinh the FSB as much as the 750 or KT133 did