I currently have an ASUS M6BNe with a Centrino 1.6GHz, 512MB PC2100 RAM and a 80GB 4200rpm hard drive.

It seems a little sluggish and I think its due mainly to the 4200rpm hard drive, but I'm not quite sure. So I have these 4 options in mind to speed up my notebook:

(1) get a 60GB 7200rpm hard drive, and use my 80GB as an external HD
(2) remove the 512MB PC2100 RAM, and get low latency 512MB PC2700 RAM
(3) remove the 512MB PC2100 RAM, and get 1GB PC2700 RAM
(4) keep the 512MB PC2100 RAM, and get throw another stick of 512MB RAM PC2700 RAM to make a total of 1GB RAM (I guess at PC2100?)

Which one would speed up my notebook the most? Keep in mind that I'm in Canada so here's an example of the prices of the different items:

Kingmax PC2100 DDR266 512MB 200-pin SO-DIMM $86.00
Kingmax PC2700 DDR333 512MB 200-pin SO-DIMM $88.00
Kingston 1Gb DDR333 Notebook Value RAM $414
Kingston 512Mb DDR266 Notebook Value RAM $129
Kingston 512Mb DDR333 Notebook Value RAM $129

Hitachi Travelstar 60GB 7200RPM enhanced availability LAPTOP HARDDISK (OEM) $219.00
Toshiba 60Gb, 5400rpm $137

Any suggestions? I don't need this speed increase immediatly, but would like to do something, if not now, maybe 4 months from now? I just want to have an idea of what I should do, just incase I see something for a decent price.

Thanks

Based upon your configuration you could do these, in the order below is my recommendation...

1) Upgrade to 60GB 7200RPM
2) Replace your memory and get 2x512MB DDR-400 PC3200. Why? Because the bus speed of the original Centrino is 400Mhz bus. Using PC2700, you are not fully utilizing your bus speed. And getting 1GB will lessen the need to access your swap pagefile, thus reducing overall HDD access. (no need low latency, as most standard one these days have pretty decent latency anyhow).
3) Last and lowest priority is upgrade CPU to 2.0Mhz.

--SPk

On ASUS's website, under the memory specs for the M6N, it says:
Main Memory DDR333 SDRAM, 2x SO-DIMM socket expandable to 2GB
http://usa.asus.com/prog/spec.asp?m=...eries&langs=09

Does that mean that the mobo can only handle DDR333? That's what I assumed but if not, then I guess I was wrong...

If I don't to spend too much right now, will one stick of 512MB DDR400 (replace the current 512MB DDR266) suffice? Will I even notice anything with that upgrade?

Keep the suggestions coming!

What is your current ram usage?

Well my notebook replaced my desktop, so I use it all the time for everything...

I need numbers buddy In taskmanager.. how much physical memory are you using right now?

I believe that spec was based upon when the laptop was designed and tested with. At the time PC2700 was the only one available.

But as a general rule of thumb, as long it is DDR, same voltage, you should be able to take it up to the bus speed. Which in Dothan case on your laptop 400Mhz bus. PC3200 goes to 400Mhz bus speed.

I recall Snorre did sometihng similar with his Acer Ferrari 3200, which was originally PC2700 and he used PC3200 Corsair (can't find the post to confirm sorry).

As for now, I would go with the HDD replacement first rather then just the swap of memory you've suggested above.

I'm at work right now, but when I go home and start working on my lappy, I'll give ya some numbers

smilepak, the 512MB DDR400 RAM costs $125 (or possibly even cheaper, like $100), and the 60GB 7200RPM HD costs $219. Factoring price and performance, which of those would give the greater increase in speed?

Go to Price Grabber or Pricewatch.com. You could get the 60GB for cheaper than that. Hmm Then again you might have a hard time finding one since there is a shortage.

Between your two options

1) Replace HD to 60GB 7200RPM

-VS-

2) Replace 512MB PC2700 with 512MB PC3200

Option 1 will give you better performance increase. However, if in option #2 you go with 1GB memory, then that would give you better performance increase.

I'm in Canada, so with shipping plus the exchange rate difference, I might as well just buy it from here.

In terms of memory, I currently have 512MB PC2100, so if I replace it with 512MB PC3200, will it not make a significant difference?

Thanks

You will see a good difference just for the fact you have better bus speed with it. But you will be limited on the differences as the swap page file has to write back to your HD, and that is your bottleneck there.

So if cost in a factor, yes go with the PC3200.

Installing PC3200 (400 MHz) will not give better performance by default because the 855 chipset supports up to PC2700 DDR (333 MHz).

Too lengthy to describe, but the CPU 'talks' to the northbridge (855 chipset) at 400 MHz whereas the memory 'talks' to the northbridge at 333 MHz so installing a PC3200 stick won't improve performance unless you perform some overclocking.

You'd be better off purchasing lower latency memory sticks (those with at least 2.5 CAS, but 2.0 is better yet more expensive and difficult to find).

Right now in your situation I'd go with 7200 RPM HDD upgrade since it will be the 'cheapest' path to improve performance, but you would also get noticeable performance improvement going from 512MB PC2100 to 1 GB PC2700 if you had a bit more of that hard earned money.

Most places the price of PC2700 and PC3200 usually only less than 5-10 bucks differences. I would go with PC3200 just for that sake.

But good latency PC2700 cost more than PC3200....by average 30-50 bucks. I test the latency differences on my desk top at one point and there is an article on it for notebook the performance between latency is only 3% - 8% average. Which is not as noticable as you would think it would be using PC3200 of standard latency.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...roperty&DEPA=0

But yes I agree, 7200RPM will be best, but given the shortage and price of it right now, it is a bit more than one stick of memory.

Actually let me take that back on prices...

Corsair XMS low latency is actually $96.00
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...145-540&depa=0

But this Corsair is $130.00 lower latency..
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...145-542&depa=0

Go with that PC3200 $96.00 one ehhehe...but again HD will be a bit costly...

That completely depends on how much memory you currently use? Doing nothing, my laptop is utilizing 435MB of Ram. 90 of that is dedicated to video. Running an AV scan with KAV will max my processor out at 100%. Ram usage goes up to 700MB and the swap file goes from less than 300 to over 400MB.

What is your lappy doing? That's why you were asked for numbers. If minor tasks max out your physical memory, you need more RAM even if it's only PC2100. In my case, I max out the processor long before my RAM so I'd be a candidate for a processor upgrade. LOL. Replacing my pokey 4200rpm HD wouldn't hurt either.