And so it begins again, this time with Intel's new Core2Duo

[red930]

Unless one is going for one of the higher end cpu's, the highest cost in the system these days is definately Ram. The good thing is you can easily get away with a lower cost 1gig kit, and bide your time waiting for prices on the high speed low latency 2gig kits to come down out of the frick'en clouds lol! :eek:

 

Actually you can get a 2x1GB kit of DDR2-667 that will hit over DDR2-900 for under $200, just gotta know what to look for.

 

Kinda wish I had known THAT as well...between the $400+ for my ram and almost $600 for the E6700...man I coulda saved $400 if I just stepped down a bit on both.

 

But you're right, depending on the motherboard this stuff really might become well worth it.

[dab]

Same boat here TDV. Well I'm using a 2:3 ratio with my PC8000, because the core at around 3ghz is fast enough. I love seeing my mem running at 500+! And really, this kit will come in handy later, when we need 500fsb 1:1

 

I'm thinking about picking up some 6400 cl3 TEAM Xtreem for my next rig, but it's even more than the cl5 pc8000!!

[Guest LithoTech]

This is doing my head in.

 

Most people, who know me, know that I love AMD CPU’s as if it were my own hart. Well due to Angry posting all of this crap about C2D's and trying to reason with me that AMD now suck compared to C2D’s etc... (our lovely convocations on MSN) My Brain suddenly thought of something, why do you always get the best pc's and the best configuration out of them all the time? I am really annoyed that you get to have this configuration and normal people do not.

 

Well news for you, I have had enough!!!!! (Sorry AMD. Ill be back!!!)

 

I am now going to get off my dam but and buy the exact configuration of your machine RIGHT NOW!!! (The case still needs to be decided about) Then I will configure it the same way that you have it.

 

 

Then there will be 3 people out there that have a supper dopper machine. lol Nothing will get in my way.

 

LOL, PM me if you are going to part out your old system, I might be interested in a component or two!

 

I don't think AMD's suck at all. Back when AM2 first came out, people were saying, "Hold onto your 939 system for now unless you are upgrading anyway...", because the performance boost wasn't much and not worth the switch to DDR2 ram anb a new mobo.

 

People were completely content with their super-fast 939 systems, and none of the benches they saw of AM2 systems were tempting them to make the switch.

 

Enter Conroe and with benchmarks that literally squashed 939 or AM2 and the floodgates opened.

 

Still, with reduced cpu prices on AMD's part, a lot of folks simply jumped into the dual core arena -- me being one.

 

In the lower end, mainstream market, I think AMD still rules the post. The Sempron cpu runs a lot cooler than Intel's counterparts, clocks like a crazy mofo (currently priming a Sempy 3000 at 270HTT for 2.4ghz on stock volts and a 512mb stick of Mushkin SP3200 2.5-3-3-7 @ 220mhz using the 166 divider). These chips are seriously cheap, as well the socket 754 motherboards can be had for a song. Add the fact that with current ram prices, you only need a single stick of ram since a dual channel kit will gain you nothing in performance, you save even more money. These systems are quite fast and responsive, and are an easy sell to people that aren't even looking to upgrade their P3 system because it "does everything they need it to as is". Yet when they see, and try out one of these systems, and realise they can have one for a couple-or-three hundred bucks, they rethink how slow and old their P3 is.

 

With AM2 this is even better, since you can start with a Sempy, and drop in a dual core any time you want in the future. Also, dual channel DDR2 will now work with the Sempy, giving a decent boost in performance. Or with current ram prices, start off with a single low cost stick and buy into a dual channel kit later when prices settle out more. The motherboard will cost a few extra bucks for the initial system, but worth it if the budget allows.

 

It is obvious, the upgrade path for an AM2 starter system has a much brighter future than the same on the Intel platform. At least until we see some lower end mainstream Conroe type parts. Even so, buying into such an Intel system usually means a new mobo when you do upgrade because the chipset won't support whatever the hell they release down the road. Not so with AMD.

[Guest LithoTech]

Actually you can get a 2x1GB kit of DDR2-667 that will hit over DDR2-900 for under $200, just gotta know what to look for.

 

Kinda wish I had known THAT as well...between the $400+ for my ram and almost $600 for the E6700...man I coulda saved $400 if I just stepped down a bit on both.

 

But you're right, depending on the motherboard this stuff really might become well worth it.

 

Wow, what ram exactly is that?

 

Gotta remember I am in Canada, and it's possible that there is more of a price increase than just exchange.

 

Not long ago here, many 2GB kits were under $200, and only the premium kits were over the $200 mark, with very few approaching the $300 mark.

 

Now, almost every 2GB kit is at least $300 or just under, with the premium kits fetching $400-600.

 

Some examples taken from NCIX.com simply because I get a lot of stuff from there and know that the price range will be reasonably good if not the best in Canada:

 

DDR2

 

$330 ($315 with a mail-in rebate) Mushkin EM PC2-6400 2GB 2X1GB DDR2-800 CL5-5-5-12

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku...IN&promoid=1064

 

$310 ($285 with MIR) OCZ Platinum XTC PC2-6400 2GB 2X1GB DDR2-800 CL4-5-4-15

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku...gy&promoid=1064

 

$300 ($275 with MIR) OCZ Gold XTC PC2-6400 2GB 2X1GB DDR2-800 CL5-5-5-12

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku...gy&promoid=1064

 

Wow, a 1GB kit for under $200! Woot! /ugggh

$188 ($178 with MIR) OCZ Value Series PC2-5400 1GB 2X512MB DDR2-667 CL5-5-5-15

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku...CZ%20Technology

 

This is better...

$161 ($151 with MIR) OCZ GX XTC PC2-5400 1GB 2X512MB DDR2 CL4-4-4-12

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku...CZ%20Technology

 

 

 

Premium

 

$429 Team Xtreem PC2-8000 2GB 2X1GB DDR2-1000 CL 5-5-5-15

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku...m%20Group%20Inc.

 

$390 G.SKILL F2-6400PHU2-2GBHZ PC2-6400 2GB 2X1GB DDR2-800 CL4-4-4-12

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku...facture=G.SKILL

 

 

 

Comparrison

 

Only weeks ago, these were $129 at another supplier:

 

$171 G.SKILL F2-6400PHU2-1GBNR PC2-6400 1GB 2X512MB DDR2-800 CL5-5-5-15

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku...facture=G.SKILL

 

Again, only weeks ago, these were only $110

$160m G.Skill Extreme F2-5400PHU2-1GBLA 4-4-4-12

http://www.anitec.ca/product/7038/g.skill_..._5400_ddr2_kit/

 

 

 

DDR

 

$275 ($260 with MIR) OCZ Performance PC3200 2GB 2X1GB DDR400 CL3-3-3-8

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku...gy&promoid=1064

 

 

It's a sad state here, and one can only hope it improves soon because if it gets worse then the whole industry will suffer.

 

I'm already seeing a lot of prebuilt systems shipping with only 256mb ram, obviously because the old standard of at least 512mb or 1GB jacks the cost of the system through the roof.

 

I'm also seeing some 512mb dual channel (2 x 256mb) kits appearing again:

 

$97 Mushkin XP3200 PC3200 512MB 2X256MB DDR400 CL2-2-2

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku...facture=MUSHKIN

 

Actually good stuff, BH-5 if I am not mistaken. I wouldn't mind knowing for sure, as I might pick up a kit of this for a budget performance system, something to get them off and running with dual channel, good timings, overclockability and performance, and still under $100. Probably better to go to the used market for this, but as I said I think these are a good kit except for the small density.

 

.

[dab]

Try the other TEAM ram at 357 bang for buck love

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=20991

[raju]

Try the other TEAM ram at 357 bang for buck love

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=20991

 

 

I can second that, the kit I use is Team Group 667mhz 2gig 3-3-3-8 kit, uses d9gmh, can hit well over ddr 1000 aith around 2.30-2..35.

 

It works quite well with the Infinity and with the PRO I tested.

 

regards

Raja

[red930]

Wow, what ram exactly is that?

 

Newegg hasn't had my ram for some time now, dunno why...

 

But anyways, mines the Mushkin Redline XP2-8000 4-5-4-11 stuff. Right now I'm running it a 4-4-4-9 DDR2-930 or so ith no problems, I had it 3-3-3-8 at 2.65 volts pretty stable but decided that probably wasn't worth it, though its cold enough in here the volts don't matter much.

 

http://www.mushkin.com/doc/products/memory_detail.asp?id=361

 

I think I got it for $450...it woulda been $75 cheaper but i forgot to mail in the rebate in time. But it looks like there must not be much available since Mushkin has it listed for well over $500 on their site. No clue what that is in Canadian though.

[OldGuy]

Take a look at this page and look at the disparity in pricing...even though I paid 350.00 for my Geils two weeks ago they work flawlessly in this board right on up to their rated specs...Only 304.00 compared to the others right now.

 

CAS4 DDR2 1000 modules

 

Good stuff...

[red930]

Take a look at this page and look at the disparity in pricing...even though I paid 350.00 for my Geils two weeks ago they work flawlessly in this board right on up to their rated specs...Only 304.00 compared to the others right now.

 

CAS4 DDR2 1000 modules

 

Good stuff...

 

Makes you wonder why anybody would use anything else at that speed.

 

Wonder if the chips are different.

[Novartic_]

LOL, PM me if you are going to part out your old system, I might be interested in a component or two!

 

lol. Sorry mate, the system in m bio is not my personal machine. I needed to put it there so that I did not brake any rules in the forum lol.

 

As im at home now I will mod it to the correct spec. I seem to remember having it there before but i think some **** idiot removed it as it was sooo old for his liking lol. PMSL.

[Polizei]

Actually you can get a 2x1GB kit of DDR2-667 that will hit over DDR2-900 for under $200, just gotta know what to look for.

 

But you're right, depending on the motherboard this stuff really might become well worth it.

 

Ive said it a million times, the Corsair RAM Ive got is Awesome, DDR2-675 @ 928MHz. I couldnt ask for more out of $168 RAM that I bought not even 2 months ago from NewEgg.

 

I consider myself lucky because there isnt any way I would pay for 2GB of RAM at these prices.

 

No idea where you can get 2GB for under $200, but if you can, jump on it before it jumps even higher!

[Guest LithoTech]

Newegg hasn't had my ram for some time now, dunno why...

 

But anyways, mines the Mushkin Redline XP2-8000 4-5-4-11 stuff. Right now I'm running it a 4-4-4-9 DDR2-930 or so ith no problems, I had it 3-3-3-8 at 2.65 volts pretty stable but decided that probably wasn't worth it, though its cold enough in here the volts don't matter much.

 

http://www.mushkin.com/doc/products/memory_detail.asp?id=361

 

I think I got it for $450...it woulda been $75 cheaper but i forgot to mail in the rebate in time. But it looks like there must not be much available since Mushkin has it listed for well over $500 on their site. No clue what that is in Canadian though.

 

Nice stuff! Closest thing at ncix is XP2 PC2-6400 2GB 2X1GB DDR2-800 CL 4-4-3-10 for $498.73 special order. Note says "ETA: Limited QTY - ETA Mid August" so there may not be more coming in.

 

Mushkin Site shows $549.25. The US dollar is stronger today at about 88 cents per loonie. I take a little bigger hit with a purchase, but calculate with at 1.1356 for today: $623.72 plus taxes and shipping. That'll buy a nice E6300 and Infinity with a HD and DVD tossed in and maybe even a half decent case. Good ram though I bet, real nice working with it pretty much worry free that it'll do anything you throw at it.