Needed: Help

[johnhardy1]

Ok honestly ....I'm better off with the AMD 3200 (2.0ghz) venice chip than with the Prescott 630 (3.0ghz) chip? The AMD has a 512mb cache and the Intel has 2MB. I can also use the faster DDR2 memory with the Intel but for some reason the Athlon 64 chip is going to perform better in games.
I realize so many people wouldnt feel that way if it were absolutely wrong but I'd love to be shown why this is true. Proof. Is this only true perhaps if I OC the AMD?
Ive done numerous google searches and still cant find a good review/test that explains it very well. Can anyone point me to something?

I hate to ask such newbie questions like this but it's been years since I've built anything and I need to get up to speed.

One more, whats the deal with dual channel memory?
If I buy 1 gig (2x512mb) to start with can I later on add 2gb (2x1gb) with out problems? SHould certain sticks go into certain slots? Do all the sticks need to be the same latency or timing or both? Whats the deal?!?!?

Thanks for helping me through this confusing buying decision.

-John

 

[ownage]

AMDs are better at gaming because of the shorter pipelines. Prescotts use a 31-stage pipeline. Since gaming has a lot of branches to it, everytime it branches, the pipelines need to be flushed out. It takes longer for a 31-staged pipeline to get flushed out than a 21-staged pipeline. Thats why. And dual channel memory needs to be in the same colored slots. You can always at 2x1GB, but you need to take out the 2x512mb. When overclocking, the slots do matter. Some chips like the orange slots, others like the yellow. (In reference to the DFI UT LP boards). Dual channel sticks need to have the same latencies and speed.

 

[johnhardy1]

THanks ownage. THat helps alot. So your saying I cant have the 2 -512 sticks plus have 2 -1gb sticks at the same time.....your saying to do dual channel I can only have 2 matching sticks with the other 2 slots empty??

Or are you saying all 4 sticks need to be exactly the same or what???


Thanks again,
John

 

[abowlofrice]

for the first question, im not really sure, but for memory, if u want to go REAL dual channel, the timing have to be the same.

in your case, you start with 2x512 with dual channel, then u can add another 2x1gig with same timing for it (if your mother board support 4 dimms)

 

[ownage]

You can have 2x512MB and 2x1GB running at the same time. But they have to been in seperate channels. But they need to be running the same timings and voltage.