Ram it Home

[trooper10]

I know just enough about computers to wreck them :eek:

My current machine is running 512M of Geil's finest DDR400 memory. I'm not happy with the reports I've read about this memory, which leads me to my question...

I want to add another 512M of RAM and I'm wondering if I can just buy, say, a stick from Samsung or Corsair? Will that work with my current Geil stick?? I've also heard the Geil's get unstable when running more than one stick. Am I going to have to sell what I have for memory and just get something else?

Thanks!! :thumb:

[Wiggo]

It may but then it may not. Some mobo's don't mind mixed memory but some others will though ya'll have to try it for ya self to find out. Personally I won't mix them as usually there will be a performance hit plus ya can only run as fast as ya slowest memory will allow. IMO ya should sell the Geil if ya not happy with it and then populate the board with Corsair memory (Samsung would be very similar to Geil from the reports I've heard but neither brand is on my list of quality parts but Corsair is). : peace2:
<center>:cheers:</center>

[trooper10]

After having a wonderful evening, I'm back to see a reply here...

Thanks for the heads up. I had a chance to buy the machine with Corsair memory for just a few bucks extra and now.... well now I know better...:cry: although my machine has been completely stable so far with the Geil stick. I have noticed some ratcheting when playing Oni and haven't figured that out yet. With a Radeon 9700 Pro I shouldn't be having any problems with that....

I'll check around and see what I can see. Maybe I'll try one stick and then go on from there if it doesn't work. I'm not really in the market to buy TWO sticks right now, but maybe I will anyway.

The oddysey continues......:cheers:

[RDR]

the thing about DDR400/PC3200 is that there's not actuall JEDEC spec for it - so memory suppliers can sell just about anything as DDR400 - as long as it will run at 200MHz

Some of the less reputible companies (cough:OCZ:cough) sell hand picked PC2700 that has been tested to run @ 200 - slap on a heat spreader so you can't read the chip speed & put a sticker on it that tells you your warranty is void if you remove the heat spreader.

So there can be a big difference between DDR400 dimms - some will work in just about any MB & some can be real headaches - I never buy any unless I know what speed that chips are first