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Date: Tue, 12 Nov 1996 08:08:15 -0700
From: vanmaren@fast.cs.utah.edu (Kevin Van Maren)
Message-Id: <199611121508.IAA02827@fast.cs.utah.edu>
To: current@FreeBSD.org, smp@FreeBSD.org, smp@csn.net
Subject: Re: GigaByte GA-586DX-512 Motherboard
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	 +---
	 | The performance difference between PS/2 and EDO Ram's isn't so
	 | large, that it's worth the higher price. This was the case with
	 | single processor boards, and I think it's also true with mp boards.
	 +---
	
		Actually, FPM RAM is slightly MORE expensive than EDO at the
	moment.  Parity RAM is defintely more expensive than both.  Seems like
	comapnies are producing a lot more EDO these days so prices have come
	down.   One good source for RAM is ChipMerchant:
	
	  http://www.thechipmerchant.com/
	
	(Careful, the CPU prices are "cash only", bu the listed RAM prices are
	Credit Card prices).
	
	 +---
	 | I'd buy PS/2 RAMS with 60ns and Parity (since most mp boards support
	 | parity checking - or am I wrong -) and would choose a 133 MHZ CPU,
	 | because then memory and bus bandwidth are higher ! 66MHz instead of
	 | 60 MHz.
	 +---
	
		All the 430HX (Triton II) boards support parity (and ECC).
	Most current (Pentium) baords are Triton-II, inclduing the Gigabyte
	586DX-512.
	
							--Gene

Actually, there are a couple of places that *say* they have
Parity EDO...for $12/MB.  If you want reliable hardware, go Parity;
if it crashes, you'll at least know you have a memory problem.
EDO will give a read B/W improvement, but hopefully most things are in
the cache anyway.  Burst EDO (I haven't found anyplace that wants to
sell it to me) improves Write B/W as well.

When Parity Burst EDO (or SDRAM is also supported) is available, I'll 
probably make the plunge; until then I'll stick with 60ns FPM w/parity.