OCTOBER 2005 MA XIMUMPC 41
INSTALLING RAM THE RIGHT WAY
RAM is fragile—not so much physically as electronically. During the installation process, it’s essential to protect it from electrostatic
discharge (ESD), better known as static electricity. Keep your memory in the antistatic packaging until it’s time to install it.1
Before you remove the memory
from its packaging, make sure the
memory locking levers are in the open
position. You cannot insert memory into
a socket if the clips are closed.2
Before you insert the memory into
the socket, make sure the memory
is oriented correctly. The notch in the
memory must line up with the key in
the socket. Slide the memory into the
grooves of the locking levers.3
Some downward pressure is required
to install the memory, but don’t force
the memory too much. The clips should
swing from the open to the closed posi-
tion as the memory is inserted. If the
clips do not swing closed as you push
the memory into place, the memory is
probably not oriented properly.BENCHMARKS
It’s pretty obvious that more RAM will give you more
performance—but exactly how much? That’s what we set out to
fi nd by running benchmarks with 512MB (what we consider to
be the absolute minimum for an XP system), 1GB, and 2GB of
RAM. All benchmarks were run using an Athlon 64 system with an
nForce3 motherboard.THE BOTTOM LINE
Working with graphics applications, it’s clear that the more
RAM, the better. With games, however, results are a little more
complicated. As you can see from these tests, the amount of
memory has a relatively small effect on Doom 3’s Timedemo
benchmark. What appears to have more of an effect is the use
of dual-channel memory. Dual-channel memory provides faster
memory access than single-channel memory, enabling faster
memory performance.
From these benchmarks, we can conclude that gaming
systems should have at least 1GB of RAM. If your mobo supports
dual-channel memory, use
it! For example, to upgrade
from 256MB to 1GB on a
dual-channel system, use
a pair of matched 512MB
modules rather than a
single 1GB module. Finally,
if you use your PC for a
mixture of productivity
and creativity apps as
well as gaming, increasing
memory above 512MB
will get your work done
faster—so there’s more
time for play!GAMING BENCHMARK
DOOM 3 V1.1 1600X1200, 4X AA,
4X ANISOTROPIC FILTERING, HIGH
QUALITY, TIME DEMO DEMO1
512MB (single channel) 41 fps
1GB (dual channel) 45 fps
2GB (dual channel) 45 fpsGRAPHICS BENCHMARK
PHOTOSHOP CS2, MAXIMUM PC
SCRIPT, 1280X1024 RESOLUTION,
32-BIT COLOR
512MB (single channel) 358 seconds
1GB (dual channel) 307 seconds
2GB (dual channel) 274 secondsLET THERE
BE LIGHT
The LEDs on today’s
RAM aren’t just for
looks, they can actu-
ally give you system
information or, with
just a glance, tell you
if your PC has crashed,
as with this Corsair Pro
module.
http://www.corsair.comINFORMATION
AGE
Corsair’s XMS Xpert
Series modules offer the
world’s first program-
mable LED display, for
showing temperature,
voltage, frequency, mem-
ory activity, or a personal
10-digit message on
the top of each module.
http://www.corsair.comIN THE MIX
Crucial’s Ballistix modules
offer integrated aluminum
heat spreaders, low laten-
cies, and many speeds of
DDR and DDR2—PC3200
and PC4000 (DDR); PC2-
4200, PC2-5300, and PC2-
6400 (DDR2).
http://www.crucial.comBLING-BLING
ADDING MEMORY
Manufacturers are adding fancy heat spreaders, lights, and even
text displays to their high-end memory sticks for case modders
and power users.