8400gs in Vostro 1400 (or for that matter all notebooks with it) - DDR2 or DDR3 memory?

Hi. I've been considering a Vostro 1400 or 1500 purchase, but after hearing that the 8600GT Dell offers have slower-clocked DDR2 memory (and thus would be less a jump above the 8400GS), I decided on the 1400. After looking closer at Dell's website, however, I'm now not sure whether Dell's 8400GS cards also have slower DDR2 memory (which, combined with the 8400GS's 64-bit memory bus, would result in abysmal performance).


Dell lists the Inspiron 1420 and XPS 1330 as having DDR3 memory:

http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/inspnnb_1420?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs
http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/xpsnb_m1330?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs


However, Dell also lists the Inspiron 1520, Inspiron 1720, and all Vostro's as having 8400gs cards with DDR2 memory:

http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/inspnnb_152x?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs
http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/inspnnb_172x?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs
http://www.dell.com/content/products/category.aspx/vostronb?c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04&~ck=bt


I assume that Dell would use the same 8400gs card in all of their notebooks (or at least certainly the same card in the 1420 and 1400), and thus I think (and hope) that DDR2 is merely a typo by a confused employee after the 8600gt/DDR2 fiasco.

Does anyone else here know anything further, or can anyone else with a Inspiron 1420 confirm that, at the very least, it has DDR3 memory.

 

The XPS M1330 which has the 8400GS specifies DDR3 as well. That and the 1420 is what I noticed as well.

 

Right. I'm just confused by all other models with the 8400GS having DDR2 listed.

 

When I looked earlier, the XPS M1330 was listed w/ a DDR3 8400MGS as was the 1420. For some reason though the 1400 Vostro only as a DDR2 listed for its 8400MGS. I haven't seen any posts though of anyone who has actually received an XPS 1330 or an Inspiron 1420 yet though, so I'm pretty sure no one knows for sure what card it'll have. I also find it funny that the 1400 is only DDR2

 

i'd like to know this as well, i guess ill check when i get my 1420 in a couple days. if someone who has a 1420 could confirm if its ddr3 or ddr2 that'd be great

 

I'll look into it too when mine comes in, if someone who is slightly more tech savvy w/ gfx cards can help me identify the differences there would be between the DDR2 and DDR3 for the 8400M GS later

 

if the 8600 isnt ddr3, you can damn well bet the 8400 isnt either.

all i see is bandwidth of 9.6 for the 1420

 

9.6GB/s = 9600MB/s = 8(bus width in bytes) * 1200Mhz(mem clock)

as long as the memory is indeed clocked at 1200Mhz, it would be gddr3

 

-> Removed.. I was confused with the desktop version of the cards.

 

time to argue with Dell...sigh it never ends does it?

 

Heh, good luck

 

Not necessarily...the DDR3 memory for the 8600GT is clocked at 1400MHz, whereas the DDR3 used in the 8400GS is 1200MHz. So the price difference to Dell between DDR2 and 3 on the 8400GS may be less significant than the difference on the 8600GT (I hope at least )

Right. The key thing is the speed of the memory - slow DDR2 and slow DDR3 would be equally worse than fast DDR3.

 

Well, at least with the Vostro you can return it for any reason for a full refund, no restocking fee. If the Vostro is lacking in any way it's going back.

 

I thought I had heard about the no restocking fee, but looking on Dell's website (briefly) I couldn't find that stated anywhere. Does anyone have a link?

 

Built for small business. Built for how you work.
Vostro notebook solutions provide the combination of hardware, services and software that small business users want.

* Dedicated small business-trained sales and service representatives, 24x7x365
* Tailored with pre-selected software based on your business needs
* Peace of mind with services like Dell Network Assistant, Automated PC TuneUp, DellConnectTM , and Advanced Configuration Services
* Backed by a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

http://www.dell.com/content/products/category.aspx/vostronb?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd

It's under the service and support tab.

 

Right, I saw that, but it still doesn't specify no restocking fee.

At any rate, I saw this at the bottom of that page "Taxes, fees, shipping, handling and any applicable restocking charges extra, vary, and are not subject to discount."

 

It said GDDR3 in Everest for my Vostro 1400.

 

As mentioned, all 8400GS's are GDDR3, whether its from Dell, Sony or HP.

 

But I've read the 8400M GS in Vostro 1500 is DDR2 and has lower overclock ability.

 

The Vostro 1500 has the DDR2 8600GT, not to be confused with the 8400GS, however(I think you are implying this), the 1500 can also have the 8400GS, which I am not sure about, the clock speeds.

 

Instead of "I heard it that blah blah blah" why not "Here's a link to where X place mentioned that it is in fact DDR2"

That would be so much better

 

all the 8400M GS from Dell have 400 Core and 500 Memory.

 

Someone mentioned in this thread, but still, it does not mean he is right. It has over 20 pages, search for 1520 under this thread.

 

mine has 600mhz memory...

 

I have 400 for both according to ntune. And it won't let me adjust it... well it will, but then it just reverts back when I hit apply. Maybe my forceware 162.18 drivers are to blame?

 

You cannot overclock using 16*.** drivers

 

i hope its a DDR3