Memory Question

[Nwbie]

Want to upgrade my memory

currently have:Gateway Media Center
Intel® Pentium® 4 processor
•Operates at 2.8 GHz, 800 MHz FSB
•2 × 1 MB L2 cache

Intel® 945G

•Installed: 1024 MB 533 MHz (PC4200) DDR2 memory (two 512 MB modules)
•Expandable to: 4 GB


looking at the web sites they all have different PC numbers as above - do I need to find the same PC4200 DDR2 memory- or does it even matter? Also, I have XP pro - is it advantageous to upgrade to 4GB or is it just a waste of money?


Thanks

NwBie

[Dragon]

You should be able to get something like this:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4517034&CatId=1872

Even 2Gig would be better than the 1 you have now.  I couldn't find any info on the MB to verify that it would be able to read at 800Mhz, but it should.


edit - what model # is the comp?

[Nwbie]

You should be able to get something like this:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4517034&CatId=1872

Even 2Gig would be better than the 1 you have now.  I couldn't find any info on the MB to verify that it would be able to read at 800Mhz, but it should.


edit - what model # is the comp?

5394Gateway GT5012 Media Center Computer
Model: GT5012

This is what shows in the sytem info report

Thanks

NwBie

[Dragon]

•Four 240-pin DDR2 SDRAM Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) sockets
•DDR2 667, DDR2 533, or DDR2 400 MHz DIMMs
•Expandable up to 4 GB total memory



My choice:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227078

[Nwbie]

•Four 240-pin DDR2 SDRAM Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) sockets
•DDR2 667, DDR2 533, or DDR2 400 MHz DIMMs
•Expandable up to 4 GB total memory



My choice:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227078

thanks dragon
is it worth it to get 4gb or is it just a waste of money to add that much ?

NwBie

[BaldEagl]

thanks dragon
is it worth it to get 4gb or is it just a waste of money to add that much ?

NwBie

If you have 2x512 now buy 2x1Gb more to go with it in the same speed (PC4200).  You'de get maybe another .5 Gb out of that last 1 Gb you bought if you got 4 but then you also wouldn't get to keep using what you already have.

[Dragon]

thanks dragon
is it worth it to get 4gb or is it just a waste of money to add that much ?

NwBie

It's 36 bucks.  I'd spend it.  Get all 4 Gb for 72 bucks


Or, as Bald suggested, just spend the 36 bucks on 2 GB of PC4200 and keep what you have for a total of 3GB.

[Nwbie]

It's 36 bucks.  I'd spend it.  Get all 4 Gb for 72 bucks


Or, as Bald suggested, just spend the 36 bucks on 2 GB of PC4200 and keep what you have for a total of 3GB.

thanks guys

any suggestions for a vid card for that system? don't want to deal with swapping out power supply, its the wife's puter and I will probably be getting a new system in early 2010, it has a 300w ps now. suggestions appreciated

NwBie

[Dragon]

# Add-In Card Slots
    
One PCI-E ×1
Two PCI Conventional
One PCI-Express ×16



This is what is available on that board, I'm not really all that good on VC's.  Maybe someone else can answer your question.

edit - forgot link in last post for the 4200 RAM 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134187

[BaldEagl]

About the fastest modern NVidia card you could get is a 9400GT which needs 300W.  Even the 9500 needs 350W.  The 9400 isn't that great a card. 

I'm not sure how AMD stacks up but I think you might do better there.  You might even do better looking for an older used NVidia card like the 7950.  I don't really know much about that particular era of NVidia cards so hopefully someone with more knowledge of them or current AMD offerings will chime in.

[Dragon]

In case it helps, link to full MB info page.

http://support.gateway.com/s/PC/R/GTModels/5394/5394sp3.shtml

[Chalenge]

Dont mix RAM if you buy different speed or different size RAM replace it all.

[BaldEagl]

Dont mix RAM if you buy different speed or different size RAM replace it all.

Why?  As long as it's in matched pairs and installed in the right slots running 2x1Gb + 2x512Mb won't hurt anything.  The one thing it will do is default to the highest latencies but they are probably already very close if not the same given the same speed RAM.

Even buying different speed RAM will simply default it to the lowest speed chip in use but you still won't lose DDR.

[Chalenge]

Mixing RAM types causes instability BSODs and application crashes.

[Nwbie]

About the fastest modern NVidia card you could get is a 9400GT which needs 300W.  Even the 9500 needs 350W.  The 9400 isn't that great a card. 

I'm not sure how AMD stacks up but I think you might do better there.  You might even do better looking for an older used NVidia card like the 7950.  I don't really know much about that particular era of NVidia cards so hopefully someone with more knowledge of them or current AMD offerings will chime in.

thanks for the suggestions, i realize i am limited to vid cards - just was looking if can play ah with details set to minimum - so it is at least playable for now - don't really care about the eye candy, as long as i can play with at least 30 fr i think i will be ok with it, never had a system in all the years including air warrior that could be set at maximum.. so i am kinda used to dealing with low end systems

thnx again guys

NwBie