>>>> In terms of RAM costs, we have decided to (as you say) try it and see want happens. But our costs are signifcantly higher than you quoted because IS uses only name brand machines with manufacturers RAM.
>>>>
>>>You're talking about implementing RAID5 arrays, Xeon processor(s), etc. If 512MB RAM pushes you 50% over hardware budget, that implies you're being quoted multiple thousands of dollars for that extra RAM. Could you do us a favour and let us know who's quoting you that price (and what it was), so we know who to avoid when we want hardware?
>>
>>In all fairness to Dell, a lot if the increase in price was using the higher quality bus and Xeon procesor to handle the increased RAM. If we had gone for 512 meg of RAM, we would have used a cheaper processor, and a cheaper bus.
>
>That would explain it. I was kinda scratching my head over your last message - $1500 for 512MB is too much for SDRAM, but way too *little* for RDRAM (unless it's just gone down in price a bunch).
>
Dell is pretty good about their server configs; they use Xeons where appropriate, and also were using some of the Micron DSDRAM from Micron for at least one of their server lines as an alternative to using RAMBUS memory - I don't know if they continued with this when they started using the 840 chipsets. As noted, you really need the Slot2 processor to take advantage of >512MB, and that rules out a number of the 810/820 chipset implementations that ship now. Micron has their own Samurai chipset that offers significant advantages for workstation and server implementations, including up to 8 way processor implementation, a working 64bit/66MHz PCI bus, using the Adaptec 3 channel RAID card, and support for the double-speed SDRAM in conjunction with the PC133 spec. AFAIK, Micron is the only vendor shipping Samurai implementations in any quantity.
I'd expect to see RDRAM prices drop and SDRAM prices rise if RAMBUS takes hold of the market; the double-speed SDRAM is giving it a real run for the money.
>From what I've seen Dell's RAM prices are usually pretty fair on desktops. However, trying to spec 128MB in a notebook is a bit unreasonable. Their overall quality and service is as good as any I've seen, though.
The only one I've seen with a better track record is HP, and that may be the local service office.
