Different speeds in Dual Channel

[FurBurglar]

I have seen similar posts, but not anything that addresses my question directly. I have 1GB (2x512) 3200 and 1GB (2x512) 2100. What happens if I run the 3200 in slots 1-2 and the 2100 in slots 3-4. Does all of the memory run at the slower 2100 speed? Am I better off to just stick with the 1GB of 3200? Someone please help me understand. Thanks!

[laserbeam]

I have seen similar posts, but not anything that addresses my question directly. I have 1GB (2x512) 3200 and 1GB (2x512) 2100. What happens if I run the 3200 in slots 1-2 and the 2100 in slots 3-4. Does all of the memory run at the slower 2100 speed? Am I better off to just stick with the 1GB of 3200? Someone please help me understand. Thanks!

In order to run at 3200 speeds (DDR 400) you'll be overclocking the other sticks of RAM. So, the likelihood of errors (the drag factor imposed by inferior memeory) increases significantly. Also remember, your memory doesn't tell the bios what FSB speed to set and therefore what speed to run the memory at. It only provides default settings for bootable memory timings.

Try mixing them up but I reckon you'll get far better performance, and overclock, by going with the 3200.

[LionKinG88]

Better stay with the 2x512 PC3200.
I got 2x512 PC3200 and 2x512 PC4000, so if I would put my PC3200 in too it would slow down.

[Muad"Dib"]

Ditto. Stay with the faster ram. If you put it all together your 3200 is going to run at your 2100 speed.

[quakefiend420]

i have mixed feelings on this one..depends on what you do with your computer

if all you do is game, stick with the pc3200 only

if you do video editing, or major photoshop, anything thats extrememly memory intensive, i might go ahead and use all 4 sticks and get what overclock you can out of the pc2100(memtest86 to make sure all is well) even though the ram is slower, having 2gb instead of 1 should make up for it, depending on what you're doing

it all depends on what you do with you comp as to whether you would get more benefit from more, slower memory, or less, faster memory

all i can really tell you is test both ways...see what works out better for you...besides, half the fun of being a geek is tweaking stuff, right? ;)