memory question

[Krum]

The stick of RAM I have has PC3200 CL 2.5 written on the side. I know what pc3200 is but what is the CL 2.5? Is that the clock multiplier or something?

[Martoch]

Welcome to TechIMO!


Easy reading found here

Mike

[Krum]

Thanks for the welcome, Mike! Nothing like a little crash course in memory design to get the old brain spinning. I think I kind of get it. But from what I'm seeing my chip (rated at 2.5 CL) could be identical to a CL 3 chip since they round up to the next highest whole number in the calculation examples given. The reason I'm asking is that I saw another good quality chip rated at CL 3 and was thinking of adding it in and was wondering about compatability issues, especially if I overclock. If I understand correctly, two different CAS latencies would spell trouble! Am I right?

Oops, just looked at the second link you gave after spending an hour tryin to understand CLK, RAS, and CAS. Feel much better now. My brain cells were turnin to mush. I guess adding in a CL3 chip would just slow down the CL 2.5 rather than explode it.

[Martoch]

Click here and skip down to the part about CAS Latency and Overclocking...it even points to some test results.


ALWAYS stick with a brand name chip! Corsair, Crucial, Mushkin, Micron, Kingston, and so on...

Sorry for the first confusing link, even MY brain is mush now...


It's GONE!

[Krum]

Thanks again, Mike. One more question......i have an ASUS A7N8X deluxe mobo that says it supports "dual channel DDR 400 Mhz RAM". I noticed on a vendor website that they had "dual channel optimized RAM". Is that the best kind to buy? I though I just had to put in PC3200 DIMM's in the correct socket sequence to take advantage of dual channel features?

[Martoch]

Originally posted by Krum
I noticed on a vendor website that they had "dual channel optimized RAM". Is that the best kind to buy?

Would you mind posting up that link?

[Krum]

Here it is, Mike---http://pcwonderinc.com/ddrpcmemmod2.html