A noob in need of ram help

[Dr G]

Here are my system specs:
Dell Dimension 8300
2.6 P4 cpu
ATI X1650 pro
1gb ram
250w psu


ok I have a older Dell Dimension 8300 *yes I know I'm going to catch crap and be told to build something new but I cant afford it now so just play along*

After my video card died and I replaced my old 9800 pro with an x1650 pro I noticed a good boost of performance now since I'm so poor I really cant afford to upgrade the MB, PSU, processor ect. but I do have enogh spare change to maybe pop some more ram into my system and I have the following questions:

1. What type of ram does my system use? I tried pulling out the sticks and they just say Kingston and have tons of numbers on it.

2. Can I still buy this ram in stores or is it too out of date?

3. How much does this ram generally cost ?

4. If I slap 1 gig of ram into my system will it even give me any performance increases?

 

[BlueAcolyte]

It's probably DDR... You can grab some on newegg, just look for DDR-400 (PC3200) and even if the RAM in your comp is slower, the newer RAM will just underclock to match the old stuff. DDR is more expensive than newer RAM due to lower production, but it's not too bad for 1GB.

Alternatives: It could be RDRAM or SDRAM... Probably not RDRAM because it's Kingston stuff.

Going to 2GB of RAM should probably help with performance in general, but it depends on your usage. I guess you still game a bit...

 

[n7]

CPU-Z will tell you all you need to know.

Mainboard tab will show you the chipset which you can use to look up the maximum size of memory you can add.
Memory tab will tell you the current speed/timings of your RAM.
SPD tab will tell you how many slots are available/used & info on the RAM presently inside.

 

[Dr G]

Originally posted by: n7
CPU-Z will tell you all you need to know.

Mainboard tab will show you the chipset which you can use to look up the maximum size of memory you can add.
Memory tab will tell you the current speed/timings of your RAM.
SPD tab will tell you how many slots are available/used & info on the RAM presently inside.

Whats CPU-Z?


to answer the last posters questions, I basically play, WC3, WoW, Counterstrike: source. HL2.

I would like to kick it up a bit.

So would it be bad to mix in two new sticks with my old stuff because it would be more expensive to replace my old stuff.

I found http://www.edgetechcorp.com/me.../upgrade.asp?cid=21906 while googling it since i'm such a noob I didnt really understand what they mean but from what I take from this site is that for my memory to work I need 2 sticks.

 

[theAnimal]

CPU-Z

 

[Denithor]

For the easiest & guaranteed-to-work upgrade just go to crucial.com (on your desktop) and use their memory matcher tool to pick out the best sticks for your system. They will list what memory you've got as well as all upgrade options compatible with your motherboard. So, if you've got 2x512MB sticks right now and your system has four slots they will list another 2x512MB as an option. If you have 1x1GB and only two memory slots (unlikely) they could list a second 1GB stick as an option.

Anyway, just check out their site. The biggest advantage is they guarantee that memory you buy using their matching tool will work in your system, so even if they're a few dollars higher you won't have to worry about the new memory working or not. Which can be a problem with the older OEM systems, many Dells & HPs from that era were rather picky about the memory you use.

 

[DSF]

I'm not making any guarantees, but the Dimension 8300 I used to have (also with a 2.6GHz P4 and 9800 Pro) used DDR-400.

If you still have your computer's manual, it lists the compatible types of memory in there.

Most likely what you're looking for is DDR-400. It can still be bought in brick and mortar stores, although the selection is not that great and you end up paying more than it's worth. You'll find better deals and a wider selection online, but even then the prices are considerably more than for the much more common DDR2.

I went the FS/FT forum route and found 2 512MB sticks for about $25 shipped. You may not find a deal that good, but if you buy used you should be able to get a better price than what you'd find at Newegg or Fry's. As long as the seller guarantees against DOA and has good feedback there's no reason to stick brand new RAM in a machine full of much older parts.

 

[Dr G]

Originally posted by: DSF
As long as the seller guarantees against DOA and has good feedback there's no reason to stick brand new RAM in a machine full of much older parts.

Whats DOA? sorry but I dont know much about copmuter terms.

 

[DSF]

Originally posted by: Dr G

Originally posted by: DSF
As long as the seller guarantees against DOA and has good feedback there's no reason to stick brand new RAM in a machine full of much older parts.

Whats DOA? sorry but I dont know much about copmuter terms.

Dead On Arrival. It means that the product arrives in a non-working condition, either because it was shipped broken by the seller, or it was damaged during shipping. Some sellers who take care of their equipment and pack things carefully will guarantee that an item will arrive in working condition.

 

[Denithor]

Just use the Crucial.com memory tool. Then you get new sticks that are guaranteed to work correctly in your system. Especially because it's an older Dell, they often used motherboards that are very picky about the particular memory sticks you install (may not boot if you try to use memory not on their approved list).