Dual Channel

[Radical Dreamer]

Ok, im wanting to get a dual channel DDR mobo, my question is this. Do I absolutely have to get memory thats dual channel specific? Or can I just get 2 Sticks or crucial 3200?

Secondly, whats a good dual channel board with SATA, preferably with IDE RAID, AGP 8x and in the $100-140 price range

[Major Kong]

I've heard good things about the:
ASUS A7N8X-Deluxe
Abit AN7
MSI K7N2 Delta-ILSR

I think price wise the Abit is the best bang for the buck. The Asus "seems" to be the most popular.

As to your first question I know zipzoomfly is offering Corsair TWINX 1024-3200C2PT 1GB DDR400 XMS3200 Dual-Channel Memory w/Platinum Heat Spreader Kits for $208. This is their description:
The TWINX1024-3200C2PT is a 1 GByte matched memory pair specifically designed for motherboards using chipsets with dual memory channels.Current dual channel chipsets include the Intel 865PE/G and 875P,and the Nvidia nForce2 Ultra.This memory kit consists of two CMX512-3200C2 DDR400 CAS-2 memory modules that have been tested together on either an 875P or an nForce2 Ultra dual channel DDR motherboard.This memory has been verified to operate at 200MHz (2-3-3).TWINX memory kits are designed to provide the ultimate in performance and stability in dual channel boards. (Actually they have a 1 GB "Industry Grade" Corsair Kit for $150).
I honestly don't see why two 512 meg PC3200 sticks from crucial wouldn't provide the same performance.

[TripleRLtd]

... I know zipzoomfly

Major...you know zipzoomfly? What is it you're doing up there in the Arctic during your off time?

[Major Kong]

Major...you know zipzoomfly? What is it you're doing up there in the Arctic during your off time?

I fix and build! Due to the nature of my full-time job I took down my "shingle" when we moved up here to Alaska from Tucson. That being said the neighbors know I "dabble", so when I rotate home I always have a PC or 2 waiting to be looked at. I've only built a handful of PC's since I've been up here, mostly for family, but I've built a few for neighbors. The word really got out over Christmas and I was kept semi-busy with little "can you help me" questions. All of them were minor.

I deal with zipzoomfly because they have by far the most reasonable shipping charges to Alaska (along with crucial) + I have found the prices there to be very, very competitive. They're an excellent company to deal with. One of the biggest things I miss about Tucson is that if I didn't have something I could run down to a local supplier and get it, or go up to Tempe to Fry's Electronics and wade through the chaff to find the diamond I needed. Unfortunately up here there is one pretty good local vendor that I try to deal with as much as I can, but at times he's a goodly % higher than zipzoomfly even after shipping. My only other choices are Best Buy or (gasp) CompUSA. I also deal a little online with Spartan Technologies who has treated me more than fair too.

[TripleRLtd]

I fix and build! Due to the nature of my full-time job I took down my "shingle" when we moved up here to Alaska from Tucson. That being said the neighbors know I "dabble", so when I rotate home I always have a PC or 2 waiting to be looked at. I've only built a handful of PC's since I've been up here, mostly for family, but I've built a few for neighbors. The word really got out over Christmas and I was kept semi-busy with little "can you help me" questions. All of them were minor.

I deal with zipzoomfly because they have by far the most reasonable shipping charges to Alaska (along with crucial) + I have found the prices there to be very, very competitive. They're an excellent company to deal with. One of the biggest things I miss about Tucson is that if I didn't have something I could run down to a local supplier and get it, or go up to Tempe to Fry's Electronics and wade through the chaff to find the diamond I needed. Unfortunately up here there is one pretty good local vendor that I try to deal with as much as I can, but at times he's a goodly % higher than zipzoomfly even after shipping. My only other choices are Best Buy or (gasp) CompUSA. I also deal a little online with Spartan Technologies who has treated me more than fair too.

J/K Major: "zipzoomfly" seemed such an easy "target" for a bomb run, if ya know what I mean. It almost sounds like "Moose Drool" as a drink! Ya_know what I mean? Anyway, yeah, I can't even imagine how hard it is for you to get good service up there. And, believe me, I know what ya mean about being those "can you help me" questions. That, in fact, is my biggest problem!!! I can't say no!!!. I do more "gratis" work than paid for work...but then again, there is noone to blame for that then myself.

[confus-ed]

Ok, im wanting to get a dual channel DDR mobo, my question is this. Do I absolutely have to get memory thats dual channel specific? Or can I just get 2 Sticks or crucial 3200?

Secondly, whats a good dual channel board with SATA, preferably with IDE RAID, AGP 8x and in the $100-140 price range

We seem to have been sidetracked somewhat onto how hard it is to get stuff to Alaska ...

So for question one, my experience is any old matched pair works ... so far!

Suggestions :- Ausus A7N8X-D, EPOX EP-8RDA3+ .. pretty much everyone 'does one' though ...

& as a btw ... I'm not over convinced about any of these 'onboard' raid cards speed wise or useability .. infact just not convinced at all given 'risk' .. my advice 'currently & in general' is to forget sata raid & spend the most you can on single 10,000 rpm drive, instead of two 7,200s in a raid (sata or not), both about the same performance wise, but a single drive & the saving on a non raid motherboard, add up !

[Platypus]

my experience is any old matched pair works ... so far!

And mine, slight as it is. That was the advice of my supplier, and some ordinary Samsung stuff is working fine in my 865 board, just two of the same DIMM.

Of course the situation might be different if you were pushing things, like overclocking, but it always is...

[Stalemate]

I'm using Corsair XMS PC3200 sticks on my Asus A7N8X-Deluxe (unmatched) and they work just fine.

[slgrieb]

Il like the A7N8X Deluxe because of the audio. Asus implements the NForce Soundstorm, while most others use cheaper ALS, C-Media, etc. Very high quality board and a 3 year warranty. So far as memory, it doesn't have to be dual channel specific. I really like Kingston HyperX memory. 100% tested with latency of 2-2-2-6. Unlike Corsair, you don't need a second mortgage to buy it. Exceptional value, and the heat spreaders are a lovely shade of blue.

[format c:]

I had the OCZ matched pair of 3200 on the MXI Neo 2 with the 865 PE chipset and nothing but grief
Memtest 86 showed the memory giving errors so my vendor replaced it with Cosair matched memory sticks, One of the sales people told me he just has two of the same microm 3200 sticks in his system and it was fine
I still had stablity problems with the Neo 2 board, I went and got the Asus p4c800, it has the 875 chipset, Much better board, No more monthly formats
I think Asus puts out a better product, they may not color their PCB but they work

[Radical Dreamer]

Does Intel make any boards that are dual capable?

[DocPC]

Yup.....D865GBFLK is one.....