Intel BOXDG965WHMKR and RAM Compatibility?

I am waiting for this Intel mb to come in the mail. I want to buy 2GB
of RAM to start off with.

I am looking at either (2) 1GB Kingston 6400 modules for $120 or (2)
1GB Corsair 6400 modules for $80.

Price seems like a "no-brainer" but I'm more familiar with Kingston
than Corsair. This is also the first time I've built a system with
this particular motherboard.

Any experience with this or suggestions as to which memory I should
buy? Naturally I'm leaning towards the Corsair bc of the price, but I
am willing to pay the extra $ if someone would say otherwise!

I do have a Core2Duo system (ECS mb) that is running 2GB of Corsair
5400 memory and the Vista benchmark test said that memory was the
weakest part of my system. I attribute that to the slower xfer/bus
speed, but I am not 100% sure.

Any experiences, suggestions, comments or otherwise?

thx in adv...

On Fri, 03 Aug 2007 08:54:03 -0700, iunknown
<ionate DeleteThis @hotmail.com> wrote:

>I am waiting for this Intel mb to come in the mail. I want to buy 2GB
>of RAM to start off with.
>
>I am looking at either (2) 1GB Kingston 6400 modules for $120 or (2)
>1GB Corsair 6400 modules for $80.
>

Kingston budget memory is usually a bad value, unless you
happened upon some with a rebate (often at a local store as
advertised in the newpaper).


>Price seems like a "no-brainer" but I'm more familiar with Kingston
>than Corsair. This is also the first time I've built a system with
>this particular motherboard.

Corsair has established itself as just as reliable, though
of course some variability arises when some particular
motherboard "X", may or may not be stable with memory "Y"
due to other factors than the brand. Factors like the
timings the modules use.

The other factor is random spot pricing from any particular
vendor, if the two above brands are same timings the
Kingston should not (would be unusual for it to) cost this
much more today.


>
>Any experience with this or suggestions as to which memory I should
>buy? Naturally I'm leaning towards the Corsair bc of the price, but I
>am willing to pay the extra $ if someone would say otherwise!

You didn't mention specific models. Memory may cost more
due to being able to run at tighter timings which can
increase performance by (usually only) a minor %.

>
>I do have a Core2Duo system (ECS mb) that is running 2GB of Corsair
>5400 memory and the Vista benchmark test said that memory was the
>weakest part of my system. I attribute that to the slower xfer/bus
>speed, but I am not 100% sure.
>
>Any experiences, suggestions, comments or otherwise?

Forget the Vista benchmark. Benchmarks are only as
applicable as they are capable of reasonably reproducing the
environment where you need the performance. Running Vista
itself, you'd scarely notice the difference between 5400 or
6400 but in some more demanding application it may matter
more - so your benchmark should be more applicable to that
app. Even so if starting over to build a new system, 6400
seems more appropriate.

If you're willing to deal with a rebate and in the US, there
are more slightly cheaper and/or higher performing 6400
modules like,

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820144062
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820146565
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145034
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227198

Regardless, since there can occasionally be compatibility
issues with any random motherboard (sometimes a bios update
helps, sometimes not) it is often best to buy from someplace
with a good return policy, and if the modules where instable
rather than only damaged in specific memory addresses, then
seeking a different brand/model instead of a replacement of
exact same thing again.