RAM: difference between PC2100 and PC2700?

[m666]

What would you choose:
512MB RAM PC2700 333 or
768MB RAM PC2100 266 ?

(Thinkpad X31, running Debian Linux)

[rkawakami]

Welcome to thinkpads.com!

I'd say that it sort of depends on what you plan to use it for and how much they cost compared to each other. If you are talking about a single 512MB PC2700 and a 512MB and 256MB PC2100 set, then I'd go with the PC2700 module. It's always better to get the largest capacity module that you can because if you decide you need more memory later on, you may have to discard it. The X31 can handle up to 2GB so if it were me, I'd be looking for a 1GB module instead.

If it is a question of the two different speeds, then I would lean towards the fastest one (PC2700) simply because it would have a better chance to be used in other systems.

[Neil]

Could just be a matter of what is already at hand. And there just isn't much difference between the two options.

[ozzymud]

I would go for quantity, more ram is better. From 2100 to 2700 I don't think your gonna see as much "bang for the buck"... I would also be looking for a 1GB module, the OCD in me wouldn't allow for not having the machine at 2GB If the cost difference between the 2 speeds is very low, then of course got for the 2700, but it's highly likely to not make much difference, not as much as how much memory you have installed.

Take a look at this Tom's Hardware article about memory speeds... http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ram ... ,1807.html

Goto the benchmarks page, notice the difference in numbers from any of the DDR2/DDR3 667,800,1066,1333... NOT huge by any stretch of the imagination. I would only bother with the increased speed for the highest end machines I build, where every ounce of power matters, if the price difference is enough to consider.

Some other things to consider are brand & timings. I would pick Crucial or Kingston over "AllComponents" brand even if it were slower/less memory. Cas Latency... what is the difference between the 2? If large, could make a lot of performance difference, also the timings between the memory. This is also where brand comes into play, some brands can be more trusted when it comes to what they advertise their memory capable of in terms of speed.