Buying a new DDR2 RAM..suggestions?

justme101

" It'S iN tHe GaMe..."
So i have a considerably old RIG, the specs are in my signature, and it's running on only 2 GB of DDR2 memory. I used to game a lot but not so much now, so i am not in the mood for spending a lot to boost the setup. But at times i feel that adding another 2GB stick will at least do something good for it because i feel it is slow especially when i go to my music or movies folder, which is sorted according to date so that i have the latest song/movie first, it takes a lot of time to refresh and sort according to the setting as there are a lot of files (around 500 ion the music folder). So, will adding a RAM stick make any difference?

Also, as i said, i haven't completely left gaming. I do some CS:GO once in a while and if i have to restart the game in the middle of a match due to connectivity issue, it takes forever. so, i wonder if this purchase will help me with that.

Thank you, in anticipation for your valued advice.
 

nac

Aspiring Novelist
I added 2GB few years back (now total of 3GB). It's little faster, but not much.
 

thetechfreak

Legend Never Ends
I think you need a complete Config upgrade. Csgo is one of the most optimized games out there but DDR2 is just too slow. Loading for the first time particularly takes longer. Type fps_max 999 in console, might help loading times a bit.

Sent from my ONE E1003 using Tapatalk
 
OP
justme101

justme101

" It'S iN tHe GaMe..."
I think you need a complete Config upgrade. Csgo is one of the most optimized games out there but DDR2 is just too slow. Loading for the first time particularly takes longer. Type fps_max 999 in console, might help loading times a bit.

Sent from my ONE E1003 using Tapatalk

I don't have a problem with playing it. I easily get around 50-60 fps on customized settings. It's only the slowness of a couple of minutes which bothers me when i shut down the game and spending around 15-20K on a decent upgrade is not an option now. so, final opinion - should i buy a 2 GB DDR2 stick or not?
 

icebags

Technomancer
ddr2 is too expensive these days. i had 2GB ddr2 with E8400 processor, but decided to change the motherboard (<3K) to get 8GB ddr3 ram, 3 years ago. back in those cheappy days it was ~5k investment, with real big improvement.

however, right now, if you just want to play CS GO, then may be adding 2 more GB will bring in some improvement. the game map loading will be faster, may be few more frame rates. depending on what OS you use, it may improve your browsing experience as well, just because 2 GB is just too low.

however, if you have an optimized rig, low profile windows with low RAM usage at idle time, then 2gb should not be any problem most of the time.
 

thetechfreak

Legend Never Ends
I don't have a problem with playing it. I easily get around 50-60 fps on customized settings. It's only the slowness of a couple of minutes which bothers me when i shut down the game and spending around 15-20K on a decent upgrade is not an option now. so, final opinion - should i buy a 2 GB DDR2 stick or not?
Well, more RAM always helps. 2GB being less, go for the upgrade. But do upgrade that system. Csgo works well as its very well optimized.
 

thetechfreak

Legend Never Ends
^^ 2GB is just too less as he's gaming. I've noticed a world of difference when I upgraded to 8GB a while back.
 
OP
justme101

justme101

" It'S iN tHe GaMe..."
Well not always but in this case it certainly might help..
Also to OP go to msconfig check the startup processes,you have.
Remove any unnecessary ones.
This might be slowing down your PC since every reboot.

All that is done and no unnecessary startups there. I just remembered, i have new motherboard as i my old one fried. It's MSI G41M-P33 wth both DDR2 and DDR3 support. Should i go for a 4 GB DDR3 stick? Simply because it supports it. I would have looked around for the compatibility and stuff but there is a serious time crunch now. Would you guys mind looking this up for me?
 

shekharSHASHANK

Journeyman
All that is done and no unnecessary startups there. I just remembered, i have new motherboard as i my old one fried. It's MSI G41M-P33 wth both DDR2 and DDR3 support. Should i go for a 4 GB DDR3 stick? Simply because it supports it. I would have looked around for the compatibility and stuff but there is a serious time crunch now. Would you guys mind looking this up for me?
Sry i don't have much experience with low end mobos. If it supports DDR3 go for a 4gig RAM(single stick).
If it supports then.
Try getting a heigher frequency one compared to the one you have now.
 

icebags

Technomancer
All that is done and no unnecessary startups there. I just remembered, i have new motherboard as i my old one fried. It's MSI G41M-P33 wth both DDR2 and DDR3 support. Should i go for a 4 GB DDR3 stick? Simply because it supports it. I would have looked around for the compatibility and stuff but there is a serious time crunch now. Would you guys mind looking this up for me?

right, if your mobo supports DDR3, then just go for DDR3 eyes closed, as u will get 4GB at the price of 2GB DDR2 or may be less.

sell the old ram to olx, and forget about those days. :)

but before buying, go through the supported DDR3 ram specs for that mobo, note clock speeds (seems it supports 1333MHz), if doesnot support any particular model etc.

you may even get 2x DDR3 4GB corsair value rams if only that mobo supports it, and that setup will serve you well for many more years, unless you want to run some new demanding games at high settings.
 
OP
justme101

justme101

" It'S iN tHe GaMe..."
right, if your mobo supports DDR3, then just go for DDR3 eyes closed, as u will get 4GB at the price of 2GB DDR2 or may be less.

sell the old ram to olx, and forget about those days. :)

but before buying, go through the supported DDR3 ram specs for that mobo, note clock speeds (seems it supports 1333MHz), if doesnot support any particular model etc.

you may even get 2x DDR3 4GB corsair value rams if only that mobo supports it, and that setup will serve you well for many more years, unless you want to run some new demanding games at high settings.

I checked the memory compatibility and here is the complete list:

*www.msi.com/file/test_report/TR10_2301.pdf

It supports a max frequency of 1066 MHz which is quite old and only one Kingston module of 4GB (single stick) is verified to work. I see no use of buying 2x2 GB modules for DDR3 RAM with this frequency. I might as well try with a DDR2 RAM and see what happens.
 
OP
justme101

justme101

" It'S iN tHe GaMe..."
site says 1333 MHz (O.C) so, you may just get those 1333MHz ones.

I researched further and it says something about lower frequency RAMs being OCed to 1333. So, the information was not clear. Hence, i decided to give DDR2 a try and i got a Hynix 2GB DDR2 800 MHz at INR 850 only. Feeling a little improvement in terms of multi-tabbed browsing and loading windows explorer items which are custom sorted. So, not a deal breaker for now. Haven't tried CSGO as of yet. Will do it this weekend. Thanks for your time guys, all of you.
 

topgear

Super Moderator
Staff member
A note of caution while using DDr3 ram with G41 motherboards. Be cautious about ram bank size - it should not be more than 256MB on ie get ram modules with 16 chips [ 8 chips on both side ]. Also make very sure it's 1333 Mhz ram module. And don't use latest hynix 1333 Mhz 4GB ram modules - even though it has 16 chips it just don't work with G41 motherboards. So you better buy 2GB Hynix rams or 4GB DDr3 corsair 1333 Mhz modules are guaranteed to work with G41 Motherboards.
 
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