Hi!
I'm quite keen on upgrading my memory to Corsair 4 ( i.e. 2x2 ) gb memory sticks ( to go with upgrading my o.s. to 64 bit windows 7), but the more I look @ it, the more confused I get ! E.g. while on the Amazon catalogue

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Corsair-TWIN2X4096-6400C5-PC2-6400-DDRII-SDRAM-Memory/dp/B000TPXULC/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1259863822&sr=8-8

it seems to be rated @ 800 MHz

However, on the Corsair website having done a search for "places to buy", On this link

http://www.cclonline.com/product-listings.asp?category_id=766&manufacturer_id=102

if you scroll down, you'll notice that the ones they're selling are 1066 MHz. So, does this change in MHz make any difference? - Or is one more desirable than the other?
I also notice that what my Dell E520 states about itself is "Intel (R) Core (TM) 2 CPU 6400 @ 2.13 GHz". - So, the first two are rated in terms of MHz, my media centre seems to be rated in Giiga Hz !? - Is this relevant, or am I barking up another "wrong tree"?

Cheers,
Jim

Jim,

get the specification of your machine. It will show you what speed ram it can accomodate and how much in each slot. If its a Dell, I would check twice using the dell website and other sources, as the memmory is "tweaked" in certain models

If you go to the Crucial web site there is a handy gizmo on there that can usually identify what you have and what you can fit in. www.crucial.com/gb

Generally with RAM speed, if you use higher spec RAM that you need then it makes little difference - it will still clock at whatever speed your system runs - but if you use under-spec'd gear then you may have issues.

To answer your question in the last paragraph Jim, the speed you are quoting there is for the CPU, and not the RAM bus speed.

you shoul go for OCZ memory, flexXLC type,pc6400 it can be used in watercooling system aswell. stock speed 800Mhz @3-4-4-15.
but i'm running on 1200Mhz !!! ( 4x1Gb )

dont worry about it, as long as its DDR2 (DDRII) it will work, provided you get ATLEAST 800mhz it will be fine as it will slow down to what ever speed you have..

so if you have 667mhz ram currently, DDR2 800mhz will run and work @ 667mhz, as will 1066 etc....

Hi,
Thanks guys !
So, DDR2 ( & seeing as DDR3 seems to be creeping in, would that be a bonus? ) , 800 MHz min, & simply go for the best price?

ASP Guru
That Crucial link keeps coming up as a 404 error : page not found

Andy LT
Watercooling - 'fraid you've lost me there :)

Cheers,
Jim

DDR3 wont work on a DDR2 board, if you have DDR2 already, that is what you should stick with, if you bought DDR3 it physically wont fit...

but dont go with the best price, "ValueRam" or "own brand" are usually ones you should avoid, find the most expensive, and then the cheapest none Value Ram, and go somewhere in the middle....

ASP Guru
That Crucial link keeps coming up as a 404 error : page not found


Apologies - I've been on Nights and the brain is mushed...

Try http://www.crucial.com/uk/ - that works!:thumbsup:

jim lyon >>>

that memory can be used in normal systems aswell,and in the near future you might want silent pc with watercooling :) basicly wanted to give you advice :)

DDR3 wont work on a DDR2 board, if you have DDR2 already, that is what you should stick with, if you bought DDR3 it physically wont fit...

but dont go with the best price, "ValueRam" or "own brand" are usually ones you should avoid, find the most expensive, and then the cheapest none Value Ram, and go somewhere in the middle....

JL - The question about DDR3 wasn't so much a serious one. Rather it was you have to ask some in order to find out the limits. So, I've still learned from it :)
At last I've managed to find the RAM speed (?) of my Dell ( & they're not too forthcoming with info. - And presumably that's in order to push people to use their Tech. Support team - who charge more than a "pretty penny" for info supplied ! ), which is 533 MHz.
As for which brand, I was thinking in terms of Corsair's XMS2 4 (2x2) gb 2x4096 "sticks", 6400 & either 800 or 1066 MHz - whichever comes cheapest :)

Apologies - I've been on Nights and the brain is mushed...

Try http://www.crucial.com/uk/ - that works!:thumbsup:

JL - Yeh, nights NEVER did much for me either ( By about 1:30 am I wasn't fir for anything ! ) So you have my sympathy ! :)
Though the new link doesn't recommend any more than a 2gb memory upgrade

http://www.crucial.com/uk/store/listparts.aspx?model=Dimension%20E520

overall it's a good primer, so I 'll file it away for future reference. - Thanks :)

DDR3 wont work on a DDR2 board, if you have DDR2 already, that is what you should stick with, if you bought DDR3 it physically wont fit...

but dont go with the best price, "ValueRam" or "own brand" are usually ones you should avoid, find the most expensive, and then the cheapest none Value Ram, and go somewhere in the middle....

'ValueRam' from a major brand like crucial, kingston, or corsair is perfectly good & comes with all the same guarantees. You'll only need better if you're some overclocking nut & need the big heatsinks for that extra 0.5% performance.

Own brand ram is a risk, as you don't know what you're going to get, so it's usually worth getting branded memory.

I just go for the cheapest major brand with the specs I want. I've never had a problem with any branded memory.

Price is not always a good indicator of quality, the higher priced ones are sometimes just older models that have been left at their original price.

if it was me, i'd probably get this: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/166785 i can't see any sensible reason to spend more.

or you could save £6 & get the kingston valueram, but its a little slower. if you're a gambler you could get the unbranded ram for £65 & save yourself £11 (if it works).

'ValueRam' from a major brand like crucial, kingston, or corsair is perfectly good & comes with all the same guarantees. You'll only need better if you're some overclocking nut & need the big heatsinks for that extra 0.5% performance.

Value ram is just that... while it comes with all the same guarantees, i'd rather my ram NOT fail and not have to send it back, than it be more likely to fail...

Value RAM is basically faulty ram from the word go.. let me explain.

Kingston (for example) make a batch of 1024mb (1GB) sticks of ram, and from that batch 10% are faulty and only reporting say, 768mb

instead of scrapping them, kingston will place a modifier chip on them, which maps out the bad ram, and limits it to 512mb, they will then sell it as a 512mb ValueRam stick.. yes, a perfectly good 512mb stick, but with greater risks of failing than none ValueRam...

now to me, its worth paying the extra and avoiding Value RAM, but you might see it differently, again its all about personal choice, and knowing the above I have made mine :)

Value ram is just that... while it comes with all the same guarantees, i'd rather my ram NOT fail and not have to send it back, than it be more likely to fail...

Value RAM is basically faulty ram from the word go.. let me explain.

Kingston (for example) make a batch of 1024mb (1GB) sticks of ram, and from that batch 10% are faulty and only reporting say, 768mb

instead of scrapping them, kingston will place a modifier chip on them, which maps out the bad ram, and limits it to 512mb, they will then sell it as a 512mb ValueRam stick.. yes, a perfectly good 512mb stick, but with greater risks of failing than none ValueRam...

now to me, its worth paying the extra and avoiding Value RAM, but you might see it differently, again its all about personal choice, and knowing the above I have made mine :)

You have just solved an age old problem for me :D

TY - didn't know about that

You have just solved an age old problem for me :D

TY - didn't know about that

no problem... obviously theres a little bit more into it than my explaination, but that should give a basic understanding of what Value Ram actually is....

anywebsite

Thanks for the ebuyer link. I do know of somewhere a little cheaper ( cbc computers ) selling the that Corsair item, but they're "TOS", & I'm hoping that when it does become available, the price doesn't go up !
So, while ebuyer isn't always cheaper, it#s still £10 less than Amazon ( last time I checked )

Ghozer

OK, I understand what you're saying about Value RAM, why the manufacturers do what they do, & why you prefer to avoid it. But as a novice, how do I recognise what is "Value" RAM being advertised on a website, so that I can avoid it?

anywebsite

Thanks for the ebuyer link. I do know of somewhere a little cheaper ( cbc computers ) selling the that Corsair item, but they're "TOS", & I'm hoping that when it does become available, the price doesn't go up !
So, while ebuyer isn't always cheaper, it#s still £10 less than Amazon ( last time I checked )

Ghozer

OK, I understand what you're saying about Value RAM, why the manufacturers do what they do, & why you prefer to avoid it. But as a novice, how do I recognise what is "Value" RAM being advertised on a website, so that I can avoid it?


it will usually say 'ValueRam' on it.. like "Kingston ValuRam" or "Extra Value" - other than that, the price is the main give away.. if you see some DDR2-6400 stuff @ £15 for 1GB, then some from the same manufacturer that has the exact same specs for £20 or £25 then the cheaper is probably (but not always) the 'Value Ram' equivelant..

But as a novice, how do I recognise what is "Value" RAM being advertised on a website, so that I can avoid it?

By buying from a supplier who is not in the business of supplying it in the first place.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/productlist.php?&groupid=701&catid=8&subid=813&sortby=priceAsc