CAS2, CAS3, or does it matter?
I'm planning on adding yet more ram to my system, and I'm caught on this CAS2 and CAS3 ram stuff. I know it has to do with access latency timing or something like that. I have 2 sticks (128 and 32, no idea on timings).
I'm planning on adding yet more ram to my system, and I'm caught on this CAS2 and CAS3 ram stuff. I know it has to do with access latency timing or something like that. I have 2 sticks (128 and 32, no idea on timings). I'm planning on adding another 64, and am wondering what the real difference is between CAS2 and 3. Is there any kind of stability issue about it? I found about a $20 differnce between them for the same size. Is it something to get nitpicky about?
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If you don't know what the CAS timings on your current memory are, then stick with CAS3. SDRAM can only work at the speed of the weakest link, whether that be MHz or CAS timing. If the rest of your memory is CAS3 (and if it doesn't say, it probably is) there isn't much point to paying more for CAS2 memory unless you're willing to ditch the other memory to reap CAS2's benefits.
There is a stability issue, but as long as you buy decent memory and you don't try to run a CAS3 stick at CAS2 then it doesn't affect you. Unless, that is, if you have an Athlon with a Via chipset and you're running the memory at 133 MHz -- CAS3 is notoriously unstable at 133 MHz with Athlons.
Personally, if the differerence is $20, then I'd go for it (for future-proofing) but the choice is yours.
There is a stability issue, but as long as you buy decent memory and you don't try to run a CAS3 stick at CAS2 then it doesn't affect you. Unless, that is, if you have an Athlon with a Via chipset and you're running the memory at 133 MHz -- CAS3 is notoriously unstable at 133 MHz with Athlons.
Personally, if the differerence is $20, then I'd go for it (for future-proofing) but the choice is yours.
