Help Memory Advice

[old.user4556]

Gents,

I'm on 2 GB and i've just jumped to Win 7 64 bit and I need a rake of more memory for photo editing - copying and pasting 50 MB TIFFs in several layers can lunch a good 500-800 MB easily.

My mobo and CPU are as follows:

- ASUS P5Q-E, says "DDR2 1200 Support" on the box
- Inter Core 2 Duo 3 GHz 'Wolfdale'

I'm not looking for super advanced stuff (fast timings for overclocking), I just need robust and trustworthy memory.

Looking for 4GB, but would go to 8GB if my mobo would allow it.

Recommendations?

Edit - can I buy two lots of this?

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-192-CS&groupid=701&catid=8&subcat=817

 

[Ch3tan]

Is your current memory 2 * 2gb sticks, or 1*2gb ? How many slots are free?

 

[old.user4556]

Current memory setup is 2GB in total, 2 x 1 GB sticks. I have four slots, two free.

Current memory make is Corsair CM2X1024 6400C5DHX (that's probably the retail kit name, it came as a pack of 2 x 1GB) and in smaller print on each individual stick it says:

XMS2 6400 1024MB 800 MHz 5-5-5-18

HTH?

 

[Ch3tan]

Well the cheaper option would be to keep your current memory, and get 4gb more to make 6 in total. You could get 2 * 2gb ddr2 6400 sticks, and then if you want to upgrade in future to 8, you can dump the 2* 1gb sticks later.

Not sure how much you'll notice having faster ddr 2 than the 800mhz stuff you've got, that's advice for someone else to give, I only ever research when I'm buying a new pc (so not that often these days)

 

[old.user4556]

Maybe I'm out of touch since my AMD days, but is it ok to mix memory like that on these newer Intel boards?

I could get almost identical spec 2 x 2 GB as follows:

Corsair XMS2 4GB (2x2GB) DDR2 PC2-6400C5 TwinX Dual Channel (TWIN2X4096-6400C5C) [TWIN2X4096-6400C5C] Memory DDR2 - PC2-6400

I'd expect 6 GB will give me what I need, that gives plenty of memory to Windows and Photoshop.

 

[Bob007]

looking at the specs for the board you listed, you can use up to 16g in 4x4gig. I'd prob either go for 2x2gig now and 2x2gig later bring it to 8gig. Leave your 2x1gigs in till you get the extra 2x2's or go full out and get 4x2's and replace the lot.

4x4's be nice tho, pricey tho

 

[Kryten]

I'm using 6GB without problems on pretty much the same board - certainly a help over 4GB with my VMing.

The boards are a little picky at times with ram though so polease be careful what you choose. OCZ, Crucial (but not Ballistix) and Corsair stuff is mostly all spot on for it.