Need Advice - Performing mini-upgrade to my poor uATX Desktop

[libtech]

K, fella's, I need some solid (and I mean more solid than a stiffy) advise.

I got in my comp right now a 2.6ghz athlon x2 (4400+ oc'd was poor when I bought it), 4x1 gb ddr800 memory and some other worthless shit....

I have spotted out the Athlon x2 5000+ black ed. on newegg for $85 which is ridiculously good seeing how it Oc's to 3.2ghz easily (everyone that has one has done it)

I've also been told that 2 x 2gb memory config. is better, not really in the future proof sense (by then we'll all have ddr10) but more that it's easier on the CPU memory controller (i.e. managing 4 things vs. managing just 2)...

What should I do? Should I grab the 5000+ black ed. and leave my memory config. the way it is?... Or is it worth it to switch to 2 x 2 gb (it's 54 bucks a piece... so cheap)

Any help is greatly appreciated in advance.

[Jedakiah]

Where have you been recommended that two is better than 4?  Is that somebody's opinion.  With 4 vs. 2 you open up twice the theoretical bandwidth per channel of memory.  Theoretically it has always made sense that:
- Smaller RAM equals less to cipher through and thus minutely faster access times. 
- The more slots you fill on your mobo there is an increase in bandwidth between the processor and RAM.
- And as a side bonus, with each stick of RAM doing less they shouldn't run as hot, meaning longer life spans. 

That's a good processor, I was recently examining it too as a possibility for my father.  You're looking at a Brisbane right?  If not you absolutely need better than stock cooling.  Running my Windsor (which is somewhat faster than respective Brisbane and why I bought it) on a stock cooler it idled at 59C, and would trip the anti-overheat during games causing the system to shutoff.  It would do that in a case with 4x120MM + 2x90MM + 1x140MM fans and a room temperature that never gets above 68. :-/

[libtech]

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies-archive.cfm/927508.html

Just based on opinions that's all (the majority of web-forums I've read up on, everyone said 2 x 2 is easier on the memory controller). I mean logically it makes a little bit of sense: If you took down complex notes on 2 large pieces of paper vs. on 4 smaller pieces of paper, it is quicker and easier to make sense of the notes on the 2 larger pieces than the 4 smaller pieces. But I would like to believe that there is NO difference (saves lib some money ) in performance, or at least anything noticeable.

The black edition just kicks ass from everything I've read up on http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/525369/product_review_amd_athlon_64_x2_5000.html?page=4, so I think that's def. coming...  I have a really good (by reviews at least) custom cooler for my current CPU, and it will be brisbane. (I think all of the 5000+ BLACK EDITION are all 65nm but the 6400+ BE was 90nm)


So Jed, 2x2gb or no change?

[Jedakiah]

Bare in mind this is all theoretical, and in practice computers are wildly different than theories.  I'd lean towards 4X1 being faster, kind of like how Raid 0 is generally faster than no Raid.  Theoretically, RAM mostly works with tons of small "files", it even splits large movies and such up in all manner of ways so that the system can use them.  So it shouldn't have any problem finding and placing files in 4 places instead of 2.  But just like Raid 0 theoretically sounds like it should be all that and more, in practice it is sometimes even slower than no raid.  Also any speed benefits or loss is probably going to be so negligible it will be unnoticeable.  If I was on the fence about which is faster I'd just go with whatever is cheapest. 

As for the processor, by current standards it's mid range but dirt cheap.  The next step up is C2D which will cost at least twice as much and offer very little noticeable increase in performance.  The only logical step up from there would be one of those $200-$300 quads that perform somewhat worse in older games but bunches better* in DX10 games. 

[libtech]

Thanks Jed. for the good advice. I've just completed the purchase off of newegg for the processor and held off on the memory. Your example of small files (i.e. libraries loaded etc) makes MORE sense logically when considering blocks of ram memory being addressed. Plus you saved me about 100 bucks!!!! 

One other thing (I'm hijacking my own thread OMGHAX@!), I'm currently on software/integrated sound and I have no PCI slots (2 only on the uATX board) to spare (I may take out my wireless card since i'm already on wired). I did see this PCI-Express x1 (which is available on my mobo since no body makes f'cking cards for that slot) sound card by creative on newegg, would I get much performance increase out of this? (by allowing a separate processor to process sound instead of hogging some CPU cycles)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102017

Thanks again for the input.

[Jedakiah]

You do get a performance increase, whether it's humanely noticeable is kind of up to your system.  Considering your processor I'd guess that you wouldn't notice a difference.  But the difference in sound quality is outstanding sir.  As an example I had what DFI calls a "sound module" which was a separate card that snapped onto my mobo, and it utilized my CPU for thought.  In spite of it's separated nature I could still heard my GPU think, my hard drives spin and much more through it's output once I purchased some nice speakers.  It was very annoying. 

But as soon as I got a real audio card all that disappeared.  Plus low quality songs were sounding better than high quality ones used to, and I listen to them a lot more now.  It was hands down worth it. 

I would highly recommend the M-AUDIO Revolutions.  I have the 5.1, which I bought on an accident for I intended to get the 7.1.  They seem to have since stopped selling the 7.1.  Probably because of it's low price when compared to the rest of M-AUDIO's 7.1 stuff.  But you can still find them around.  Three things to note about the Revolutions:

• They come with Laby's stamp of approval, and he knows more about good sound than I ever will. 
• The control panel that comes with these is powerful, easy to use and lightweight.  I note that it's lightweight cause it uses 3mb of RAM, where as my last controller's panel used 20 and some CPU.  POS. 
• They do not have 64 bit drivers.  In addition you cannot use the drivers from the audio chipset maker, because they have long since abandoned support for Sensaura and cards that use it.  There might never be 64bit drivers for this card... 

[mikehale]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227269

if you do rebates, you would have 8 gb for ~$120.

[Jedakiah]

Not really, you can only use the rebate once unless you're very crafty.  Still not a terrible deal.  But you'd be surprised how many stick of RAM have rebates right now.  Corsair has been doing $40-60 off pert near every week for the last few months.  I think they're trying to get rid of DDR2 to make way for the future.