I don’t remember seeing so much variation in memory the last time I bought a computer.
They’re all Corsair DDR 3200(400) 1 GB(2x512) TWINX1024-3200. I have to choose between:
C2PRO
C2PT
LLPRO
PT
XL
XLPRO
XLPT
LL
There’s about $100 price difference within the group, so there must be fairly substantial difference. What is it? I haven’t had a lot of luck googling. I get lots of stuff about a specific one, but nothing comparing them or even saying what exactly the difference is.
I don’t know what all of the letters represent, specifically, but I’d bet money that the major difference between all of them is the CAS latency. Look on the sites that have these different models, and see if the really expensive ones have a CAS of 2-2-2-5 while the cheap ones are like 3-3-3-8. I don’t know if you want an explanation of what it all means, and if you do I’ll do my best to post it, but the rule is lower is “faster.” However, just like buying a car, if all you’re going to do is take the kids to the mall, you don’t need a Ferrari. Likewise, if all you’re going to do is write word documents and check email, 3-3-3-8 is fine. In fact, according to an article I just read, unless you have a super-duper-ultra high end machine and you want to get every possible frame-per-second out of Half Life 2, odds are you won’t notice any difference at all between a CAS of 2.5 and 3 (the first number in the series is usually the measuring stick) or between 2.5 and 2. The difference, If I remember correctly, is about 3%!! Hundreds of dollars more for 3%!!! It was an eye opening experience. I’ll try to find the article. I think it was in Toms Hardware Guide.
Llama is on the right track. But Corsair does not only offer modules of various speeds (i.e. CAS timings) but also different heat spreaders.
For 1024 MB modules, the model no’s mean:
XLxx = fastest, with a CAS timing of 2-2-2-5
LLxx = CAS 2-3-2-6
C2xx = CAS 2-3-3-6
PTxx = CAS 2-3-2-8
PT means Platinum Heat Spreader, PRO means “Black XMS ProSeries” Heat Spreader, and all other have Black /normal/ Heat Spreaders.
Basically, the “ProSeries” is an aluminium-based heat sink which is supposed to be better than the regular ones. More info here: http://www.corsairmicro.com/corsair/pr/ProSeries_Press_Release.pdf
If you overclock, those CAS levels mean everthing. If not, get the cheapest RAM you can that meets your needs.
PC2700 or PC3200, 512Mb should be plenty for just about 98% of all computer users. 1024Mb (1Gig) would absolutle fit the bill for any demanding, non-OC, person.
For much, much more information on overclockingand memory (the OCForums).
Thanks, that’s just what I needed. 512 would be enough for now, but I’m going to go ahead with the gig since it seems that every new version of every program uses more and more resources every time they change it and every new game seems to use more than the last.