Musings of a Newer Rig

[Collector]

I'm not sure. Perhaps because it is just 1333? It is cheap, but I see that it is out of stock.

[oberonqa]

Yea it's 1333Mhz, which is why it is cheap. The demand is for 1600Mhz memory, so slower modules are priced accordingly. As for getting 1600Mhz, there are very few native 1600Mhz memory modules on the market. Most are simply overclocked in the BIOS (either via XMP Profile or manual setting) to achieve 1600Mhz.

As for performance difference between speeds, you shouldn't notice too big of a difference between 1333 and 1600. The memory I run (Crucial Ballistix) has been run in both 1333 and 1600... and it only translates into Windows Vista starting up about 3 seconds faster and applications starting up a smidge faster when the memory is running at 1600.

As for CAS latency, I wouldn't worry too much. CAS latency used to be a really big deal when memory was slow (DDR 333Mhz) and basically was how fast the memory was able to handle memory paging and other memory-related tasks (so chips with a CAS latency of 4 would be much more responsive than chips with a CAS latency of 6, even though both chips were branded at DDR 333Mhz). With memory speeds as fast as they are now, CAS latency is not something I'd worry about.

Like Collector said though, matching pairs is essential. So if you have a 1600Mhz pair (4GBx2), just get two pairs. Or you can go with 8GBx2 1333Mhz memory... the choice is really up to you.

[MusicallyInspired]

It doesn't show as out of stock for me. I think I'll go with 2 sets of these 1333 2x4GB sticks. That way I get 16GB altogether for just a little more than the price of the 1600 4x2GB sticks I had previously picked out.

EDIT: Also, I bought the video card on Sunday. I tried adding 2 of them to my cart just to see how much SLI-straightaway would cost me and it said there were insufficient amounts for 2 quantities so I bought it right away figuring it was the last one. It's on its way. It's not showing on NewEgg's tracker yet, though.

EDIT 2: My mistake, it now says today that it's "in Transit via SEATTLE, WA depot".

[MusicallyInspired]

Sigh.....just about to place my order on NewEgg for most of my parts and I find that both the motherboard I had picked and ALL Sandy Bridge processors have been pulled from the market because of defects in the P67 motherboards that go with the Sandy Bridge processors. Saw this on Wikipedia.

On January 31, 2011, Intel announced that they had found a design flaw in the 67 series 'Cougar Point' mainboard chip that accompanies Sandy Bridge. A recall was issued. As a result, many retailers temporarily suspended sale of Sandy Bridge chips while the new mainboards were out of circulation, as Sandy Bridge CPUs cannot be used without them due to a lack of third party chips on the market. Intel has announced that replacements will be out to motherboard manufactures by the end of February 2011.

I mean, it's better that this happened before I bought it, but still.....of all times for this to happen. I JUST get the money I need and then this happens. Annoying!

[Collector]

And I just built one for a customer. Sigh.

[MusicallyInspired]

I ordered a new monitor on Tuesday. Just came today. 27" 1080p Asus! It's so big! Built in webcam (but no mic) and speakers (but they suck). It's so big!

[Collector]

It won't take you long for it to feel normal and any smaller monitor to feel annoyingly small.

[oberonqa]

It won't take you long for it to feel normal and any smaller monitor to feel annoyingly small.

Amen to that. I regularly use a 32" LCD... and even going down to a 27" feels small and cramped. Ignorance truly is bliss.... now you've (MusicallyInspired) been bitten by the screen size bug so no more ignorance for you mister! Just do yourself a favor and resist temptation.... don't go plugging your computer into your LCD TV like I did... computer monitors only go up to a certain size range.. and if you ever make the mistake of plugging your computer into a 42" or higher LCD... your really gonna be SOL.

[dotkel50]

Guys guys guys....size does NOT matter.

[MusicallyInspired]

Heh. I have actually hooked my computer up to my 31.5" TV. It's only a 720p screen, though, so everything was still big. Still, playing games on such a big screen was fun. The colour wasn't the best and there were some ghosted double-shadows of the screen because the cable wasn't the best, but it was still neat.

However, already I'm starting to find my TV to be too small now when I watch movies lol!

[Collector]

So size does matter.

[MusicallyInspired]

Seems like the P67 Sandy Bridge mobos are now available once again on Newegg! My money is coming in soon and then I can complete my order and get this computer shipped!

[MusicallyInspired]

AGH! Soon as my money is available the RAM goes out of stock! Unbelievable!

[MusicallyInspired]

Finally! The P67 motherboards came back in to Newegg today and my RAM also came in just a few moments ago, though there's only 1 quantity so I couldn't get two (two 2x4GB stick packs, I can always order another later on with a second Fermi card for SLI, which is also out of stock) so I ordered it right away. Now the waiting begins....again! Only a couple weeks left of a WinXP, 32-bit, DX9, single-core system!

[MusicallyInspired]

Half my order arrived this morning. Man this case is huge! And the fans inside it are equally of impressive size!