RAM choice

[neilt]

Which would be a wiser choice for a system used for lots of audio processing and some gaming?

2 GB Corsair Value Select PC4200, dual channel

or

1 GB Corsair XMS2 Twin2X pro PC 5400 dual channel

I have decided on option one, due to the 2GB. But, Upon browsing, I noticed option 2 is close to the same price. Would the larger bandwidth, and increased speed of the 2nd one make it a wiser purchase - even though it's only 1 GB ? Any ideas on what the difference between the two would do for performance?
Thank-you

[saphalline]

Option one. 2GB of RAM would be the best choice.

As for the performance, it's pretty much the same without OC'ing. There are only two CPU's today that can take full advantage of dual-channel DDR2-533 (PC2-4200) without OC'ing, because that would be a 1066 MHz FSB. And the P4 doesn't have that yet. Only the two rare 1066 FSB versions of the Pentium4 Extreme Edition, and they're expensive and not really worth it. Moving up to DDR2-667 (PC2-5400) you'd have to have some serious OC'ing to get the FSB up to 1333 MHz! :eek:

More RAM bandwidth is all fine and dandy. But if the CPU can't take in data that fast, it just goes to waste. Don't over shoot too much.

[neilt]

Thanks for the explanation, Saphalline!