Will Faster RAM be Noticeable?

[Kent10]

Thanks so much Manta. This is a great forum. I have built my own computer before and I plan to do it again for my next computer. This forum has already been helpful in the short time I have explored it.

I'll give Everest Home a try. It looks interesting. I'll benchmark my memory and my son's and see what it tells me. His uses a different voltage I believe.

Yes the 2 gigs over 1 gig would be a bonus. I don't think I would use the extra too often but I do use Photoshop and Speech Dictation software that might use the additional memory.

I love the 24" monitor and the wide too. I could never go back.

Thanks, Kent

[Yellowhello]

Yeah, actually, I think that more RAM is going to make more of a difference than faster RAM. About the voltage issue, i don't know if Dell lets you change RAM voltage in their BIOS, so I think it would be safer to stick with getting 1.8v 2GB 800MHz RAM. Although that Crucial set you menitioned looks great.

[Kent10]

On Crucial's web site they indicate that the 2.2v 800MHz RAM is compatible with my machine. I sent them an e-mail to see if they know if it would run at 2.2 or default to 1.8. I can't change anything in the BIOS--I checked--and I have the latest. I will still try my son's RAM which I think is 2.2 and see what it reads in mine and that may also answer my question. Thanks, Kent

[Yellowhello]

If you can't change the RAM voltage, then the Crucial kit won't work (but you already knew that). Have a look at this kit.It runs at 1.9v, but it's pretty close. I don't know if the RAM if a tiny bit undervoltaged if that's OK. Will someone please verify?

[Kent10]

Thanks yellowhello. Crucial confirms on their website that the 2.2v works with the Dell 8400 so perhaps it can automatically adjust to the 2.2v on that motherboard. I didn't know it wouldn't work at all at 1.8v. I am awaiting a reply from them to see what they know. Kent

[Yellowhello]

Originally Posted by Kent10

Thanks yellowhello. Crucial confirms on their website that the 2.2v works with the Dell 8400 so perhaps it can automatically adjust to the 2.2v on that motherboard. I didn't know it wouldn't work at all at 1.8v. I am awaiting a reply from them to see what they know. Kent

Alright, well, if it works that's great. I'd take the Crucial kit over what I linked to anyday.

[RangerXLT8]

I doubt a dell system allows voltage adjustments for memory up to 2.2v.

IF it has an Intel XBX or XBX2 then maybe. What motherboard does it have?

[Kent10]

RangerXLT8: Is this enough info on the motherboard?
The motherboard is an Intel Model 0U7077
Chipset Model 925X/XE Host Bridge / DRAM Controller (B1 Step)
South Bridge 82801FB/FR (ICH6/ICH6R) LPC Interface Bridge
SMBus Intel Corporation 82801FB (ICH6) SMBus Controller @ECE0h

BTW, for those interested, I did try my son's RAM but unfortunately it, too, is 1.8v so that wouldn't tell me if 2.2v will work or not. His benchmarked slower than mine. It has slower timings but faster bandwidth.

I still haven't heard back from Crucial about whether this memory will work to its full potential in my system but perhaps it is difficult to answer.

Thanks, Kent

[gvblake22]

Prettymuch all higher-end RAM requiring 2.2V for operation at rated speeds/timings will defualt to slower timings and/or speeds and use 1.8V in order to at least boot up in motherboards that can't give that much voltage. So unless you look on the memory module yourself and see that it says 2.2v or you now exactly what they are, the memory will almost always default to 1.8V.

As for your particular motherboard, you havea 925X based motherboard and I think Ranger was talking about the 975X based motherboards ("Bad Axe") with the XBX or XBX2. The 975X chipset is a high-end, enthusiast chipset that usually has some extra features over the mainstream chipsets and older chipsets (like the 925X).

In response to your original question about RAM speed, I would say that it isn't going to yield a huge difference even if you managed to get DDR2-800 memory to work. I say that because the 925X chipset appears to only have support for DDR2-400 and DDR2-533 memory speeds, so DDR2-667 and DDR2-800 would be limited to DDR2-533 speeds (and thus be a waste of money).

If you want better performance, you should be looking at a faster processor, more RAM, or a better/faster hard drive. Your motherboard is aging and Intel has a bad reputation for limited processor support with older chipsets, so make sure any new processor you may be thinking about getting is supported by the 925X chipset (otherwise you would have to get a new motherboard).

[Kent10]

Very interesting. Thanks for the information, gvblake22. Kent