Buying memory - Corsair, Kingmax or Mushkin

[rsfnatik]

I'm curious what the preference would be on the following memory options:

Mushkin SP PC2-6400 CL5-5-5-12 (P/N# 996529) @ ~$645
Corsair XMS2 PC2-6400 DDR2-800 CL 5-5-5-12 (P/N# TWIN2X2048-6400) @ $781
Kingmax PC6400 DDR2 800MHz (P/N# KLDD48F-2K) @ $480

I'm buying in Canada by the way and this is what i've come up with so far based on availability...

The Kingmax stuff is appealing based on price, but I have limited experience with the brand - only bought it once before for some DDR memory a few years back. I run Corsair ValueSelect in my home machines and have been pleased, but the XMS2 stuff is pretty expensive in comparison.

Anyway, i'm looking to load two C2D E6300 systems with 4GB for running vmware, several bloated apps and other development work.

Thanks.

[Lgbpop]

How much RAM are you talking here, 2GB or 4GB?

[rsfnatik]

looking to put 4GB in each box.

[leprechaun_40]

I've always had good results with Corsair. Got a question for you. Is your O/S 64 bit? Otherwise you'll be wasting money on anything over 3GB. 32 bit O/S won't go 4GB

[Lgbpop]

A lean, mean 32-bit computin' machine can only have about 3.2GB max after the OS has had first dibs on the RAM. I bought 4GB for this new computer and found out the hard way. It's not worth it for me to go with 64-bit XP, but after a while when Vista comes down in price I'll be set up for that.

[rsfnatik]

I'm aware of the limitations. One machine is running XP Pro SP2 at the moment and the other is currently running RHEL5 Desktop, but that will probably change to a different flavour. Vista isn't too far down the road either, and hardware is always being repurposed...

Any other thoughts on Corsair vs Mushkin vs Kingmax? Anyone have any experience with Kingmax memory?

[Lgbpop]

Not familiar with Kingmax. Corsair and Mushkin are good brands. OCZ is very good quality. I've had great experience with Patriot DDR, and the GSkill DDR2 I'm using now is amazing stuff, fast as blue blazes and keeps up with a majorly-overclocked CPU (30%) in my current machine. It also stays cooler than I expected. (If you're into packaging graphics, the box is cool but the text is Chinglish.)

If you're wanting to choose only between your options above, I'd go with the Mushkin. Corsair is good RAM, but I don't think it's worth the price premium over another very good brand such as Mushkin.

[Rabbitrunner51]

Corsair to answer it simply. Other meory is very good if not just as good also. Ones not listed are OCZ, and GSKILL. these are good also,if not for better value forf money. Work just as good.

Some mobos like certain kinds of memory, but that is probably more due to latency and timngs certain companies provide.

My next upgrade i am going with 'GSkill'. Not using it yet , unlike lgbpop , from the posts and reviews i read, i am convinced this is hte best value for money right now,and i mean performance and reliabilty.

Corsair must be pretty good, because i am using the same sticks now in a toally different platform than over six years ago, and it still performs like new. very good stuff.

[rsfnatik]

Cool. Thanks for the input. When I was shopping around lastnight the price on the XMS2 dropped to that of the Mushkin, so I went with the Corsair.

[Rabbitrunner51]

best choice.. you will not be disappointed LOL

[Lgbpop]

If you got XMS2 for the Mushkin price, you stole it. I think that's the stuff I bought on eBay and put in the family-room computer two months ago. XMS3500, 4x512MB sticks with the fancy LED heat sinks.

I gotta stop talking hardware. I've spent my whole 2007 budget already (built three systems last month for us) and I've got another jones coming on. Sheesh.

[Rabbitrunner51]

Thats n idea... ( EBay ) The only reason i am not getting more memeory at current is , its not practical ,considering my next upgrade... to DDR2 memory along with all the rest. Guess i could look for 2GB of some sort of good DDR memory...

Unlike alot of you, i am very new to this EBay thing. lately i have signed up, and even gotten alot of starter kits in my inbox along with other..
Just last month i was looking for an MX1000 mouse, which there were many ,and after like one week almost all were gone. I bid on a couple that started at like 7-10.00 and most went for upwards of $55.00 to $175.00. Too much for me at the time. I just overspent myself this month so maybe this coming month. I would get one at close to $60.00 though. A rare item it seems.. One of the few things that actually went up over time.

I have an old mobo,video card and CPU sitting here i need to get rid of. Not going to just give them away though... ZCost me too much.

How much did that memory cost ya on EBay LG?

[Lgbpop]

$38 a stick. I searched the "Other" category under Desktop RAM and found it listed in the wrong category, there were only two other bids on it and opening bid was only $10.

The other thing I look for are items put up by West Coast (USA) sellers, they usually go off when people in the Eastern and Central time zones have gone to bed. If you don't mind staying up late, there's less competition.

I just bought Vista Ultimate for $192 plus shipping last night. I didn't think my top bid of $231 would hold! When I got up this morning I learned I won it. 66R-00002, the full-retail, full-install version with 32- and 64-bit DVDs. I've bought from this seller before so I know it's legit.

[Rabbitrunner51]

i am glad i now have someone who is bright and obviously more adept at EBay shopping. Like i said i get alot of tips and other from Ebay itself, but like anything in the real world, personal contacts are best.

I did some of what you related lst night just ot gander and get a feel for the listing and process. Just by nature, i also went into a sub category to check for same thing . In this case desktop memory. there were about 558 entries for sale. I looked at about five pages and then closed.
Since i am looking for 2GB, my odds of even finding that are pretty slim Most were 256 sticks on up to 1GB, with some in lots of cleaned out office stuff, and i'm not going to get anything i don't kow what it is... besides, paying for a hundred sticks is not what i'm looking for is it? Also, odds of getting good quality ram exactly waht you need in htat lot ( 2 GB ) would run way over $100.00. The GSkill link i pasted for myself, wwas selling for $119.00 at NewEgg , but that was future build, and DDR2.

Guess the best bet is to find someone who is upgrading and wants too sell thier older DDR memory

Can you put any ads up on EBay for what i need?? I 'm guessing they have some link for that... Seems like the best route to go..

Still beleive i will stick with what i have until my upgrade. I have other needs more pressing. LOL

[Lgbpop]

I checked that RAM, it's TwinX1024-3500LLPRO in the family room computer. Reason I checked it is my daughter was on it last night while visiting with the grandson and the computer BSOD'd on her. After uninstalling the 93.71 nVidia drivers and a suspect A/V program (Kaspersky), I started getting error codes. That "new" XMS RAM (used for one month) was bad! It failed memtest86 spectacularly, didn't pass one test. Corsair is RMAing it for me (lifetime guarantee) and say that they still have the PC3500 left. Not sure if that's good or bad. I got it on eBay, though, so now I'm getting brand-new stuff.

Corsair is usually better than this. I'm going to assume the eBay seller OCed it to an early grave.