What Ram should I get? Core 2 Duo

[Guest BFG]

Hey guys, I am getting some new ram pretty soon and was wondering what you guys thought was good. I was planning on going with some GSkill or ocz, but I wanted your opinions. I am probably just getting some ddr2 800. My budget is about $250. Thanks,

 

-BFG

[godlyatheist]

any of the ddr2 800 with cas4 timing are good. so gskill, ocz, corsair, patriot, super talent. they are all less than $250 too.

[Branjo]

I was recently pointed towards Buffalo Firestix for my C2D build. I cannot find a bad review anywhere, or even the sticks in stock. They are said to hit DDR1100. now thats an overclock from DDR800. If they are instock at the time my taxes come, im getting these for sure. If not then OCZ platinum rev 2 will do nicely.

[CPDMF]

I picked up this pair of G.Skill for my secondary rig.

 

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?...N82E16820231114

 

I am very happy with them so far. Hit DDR1000 at 2.15v 4 5 4 timings.

[Kingfisher]

My OCZ plat rev 2 can reach 1050 mhz @ 5-5-5-15 2.25v.

Great stuff that OCZ.

Looks like you have several choices here and all are solid performers.

I agree that DDR2-800 is a wise choice for 2 GB sets. Prices are not too bad and they seem to like being overclocked.

I enjoy OCZ's EVP on these sticks and OCZ Ryder and Andy here to help with support/tech advice.

 

OCZ EVP (Extended Voltage Protection) is a feature that allows performance enthusiasts to use a VDIMM of 2.2V ± 5% without invalidating their OCZ Lifetime Warranty.

[Chump]

I was recently pointed towards Buffalo Firestix for my C2D build. I cannot find a bad review anywhere, or even the sticks in stock. They are said to hit DDR1100. now thats an overclock from DDR800. If they are instock at the time my taxes come, im getting these for sure. If not then OCZ platinum rev 2 will do nicely.

 

I got some Firestix & they rock.

 

BTW the SPD is DDR533 & DDR667 as thats what the Micron D9GMH chips are rated at on 1.8v. Buffalo just mark them up at DR800 @ 2.1v

 

Yes mine can do 1100mhz so thats an even more amazing overclock 667-1100mhz

 

This guy has them in stock in the USA

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Buffalo-Firestick-DD...VQQcmdZViewItem

 

Or you could order them direct from Buffalo & wait for them.

http://www.shopatbuffalotech.com/cart/home...ection=0&page=3

 

I think any DDR2 with Micron D9 chips will blow your socks off D9 is like the DDR2 version of TCCD imo.

 

I got the Firestix because they are guaranteed Micron D9.

 

Newegg have these too but you will have to wait for stock.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList....ENE&N=0&Ntk=all

[mothow]

I just got these .they are D9 and they rock so far

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16820227159

 

 

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/1518/ddr21000ix2.jpg

[UncleDavid218]

I just got these .they are D9 and they rock so far

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16820227159

 

http://www.diy-street.com/forum/showthread.php?t=75163

 

I second!

[Guest BFG]

Wow I will defiantly be getting that ocz. Thanks for the heads up guys!

[politbureau]

If you ever plan on using an nVidia chipset (650/680i) than I'm in love with the new EPP sticks...

 

I have the OCZ PC2-8500 Reaper HPCs (link), and they work great. It's the same Micron D9 chips as the Gold 8800, but features EPP for automatic setting of RAM timings on nVidia chipsets.

 

I'm not sure how the Gold 8800 performs, but I took mine all the way to 1118MHz at 4-4-4-15 with 2.3v. At 5-5-5-15, I've hit 1200MHz (so far) with 2.2v, and 1218MHz with 2.3v, but there may be more headroom with some tweaking EVP on these is 2.4v +/-5% (ie 2.5v).

 

The Reapers are better known as their SLI counterpart, the PC2-8500 SLI-Ready kit (link), but they are the exact same sticks, minus the SLI certification (according to RyderOCZ ).

 

You can get the SLI version off Buy.com for $199 right now using the google checkout (link), but they may be cheaper elsewhere... Still, 4GB for $400... that's 10 cents a MB !

 

Cheers!

 

EDIT: FYI, after some (brief) investigation:

 

OCZ Gold PC2-8800: 1100MHZ, 5-6-6-15 @ 2.2v

OCZ PC2-8500 SLI : 1066MHz, 5-5-5-15 @ 2.1v

 

No a big difference, IMHO, and it seems to me like the SLIs are tweaked a little tighter with less voltage, meaning more headroom...

[Chump]

I have also got the OCZ PC2 8500 SLI kit & its excellent it may just be down to the PCB but they run faster with less volts than my Firestix.

 

The other thing I have noticed is they either work or they don't unlike my Firestix that will boot & then fail until you give them more voltage.

 

I would like to point out that if anyone is going to push this RAM up to 2.5v that it is rated to they should cool it properly or It will die for sure these run hot even at 2.1v.

 

OCZ make an XTC cooler specially for cooling there RAM.

[politbureau]

I have also got the OCZ PC2 8500 SLI kit & its excellent it may just be down to the PCB but they run faster with less volts than my Firestix.

 

The other thing I have noticed is they either work or they don't unlike my Firestix that will boot & then fail until you give them more voltage.

 

I would like to point out that if anyone is going to push this RAM up to 2.5v that it is rated to they should cool it properly or It will die for sure these run hot even at 2.1v.

 

OCZ make an XTC cooler specially for cooling there RAM.

Yeah, and if you plan on hardcore overclocking past 2.3v, the Reapers have the "Heat Pipe Conduit" which supposedly dissipates heat a bit better.

 

I'm not sure about Chump's SLIs, but my Reapers run cool to the touch at 2.3v. And apparently OCZ is planning on bundling a taller bracket with the XTC Cooler for use with the Reapers. In the meantime, I have 2x80mm fans blowing onto them to keep them as cool as possible.

 

Cheers