Fast Ram vs. More Ram

[doczenith1]

Can anyone tell me which configuration would yield better performance for a system that is used for web surfing, gaming and occasional playing around in Photoshop with smaller sized files? I also multitask quite a bit too. I have a 1 gig tbird on a Soyo SY-K7VTA-B with a WD 400bb 20 gig/platter hd on win2k. I currently have a 128mb. CAS 2 PC 133 dimm installed running at 133 mhz. I have an extra 64mb. Corsair PC133 CAS 3 dimm laying around which if installed would force me to run my ram at CAS 3 instead of the CAS 2 its currently running at. Is the extra 64mb. worth the CAS 3? Currently my available ram is around 20000 and the System Cache is around 55000 which are typical numbers for me. Thanks for you help.


Doc

 

[Homicida]

i think win2k is very ram eating and 128mb are more than just not enough...
if u look at the prices u should run out to buy a few 100megs of ram *g*
if i were u and wouldnt have the money for new ram (which is quit sure because i never have any money *g*) i would put that 64mb in...
because CAS 2 or 3 does not seem to have big impact on system performance (on my system)...i think if u dont run benchmarks u will never be able to tell the difference...

 

[Guest]

The difference will be very slight. Even the slowest physical memory is still much faster than having to page out to virtual memory. So while your system may benchmark ever so slightly slower, its real world performance will improve. Do it.

---
Dave Farquhar
Author, <i>Optimizing Windows for Games, Graphics and Multimedia</i> (O'Reilly)
<A HREF="http://thesiliconunderground.editthispage.com" target="_new">http://thesiliconunderground.editthispage.com</A>

 

[Guest]

Windows 2000 uses about 64mb of physical memory just for itself and the basic processes. I have 192mb of RAM, which allows me to have almost 128mb dedicated for applications.

 

[doczenith1]

FYI....I ran Sisoft Sandra with my PC133 CAS dimm and the CAS 2 setting was only 5% faster than the CAS 3 setting, so, in goes the ram and down goes the CAS speed. Thanks again for you input.

Doc