Can I plug PC2700 RAM into a m/b that supports PC2100?

[MDesigner]

I bought a PC Chips M811LU motherboard.. found out it supports up to PC2100 RAM. What happens if I plug PC2700 RAM into it? Is it even possible?

If not, I might have to dig up some PC133 RAM I have lying around..

 

[mechBgon]

It should work ok, it's like running Premium gasoline in a car that doesn't require Premium. Sort of.

 

[Megatomic]

It should just run the memory as PC2100. Faster memory, in my experience, is always backwards compatible. Of course that only works if the memory fits in the slot properly (no SDR in DDR, etc...).

 

[MDesigner]

Oh whew.. great. Thanks guys.. I didn't know the RAM would downshift like that. Cool.

 

[jjlawren]

Ram doesn't downshit, just think of it as rated up to PC2700 speeds. Same technology, just proven to work reliably at faster frequencies/timings.

 

[Peter]

The _mainboard_ supplies the clock, the RAM just needs to be fast enough to cope - and this is what the PCxxxx rating tells you: its maximum clock. There is no technically relevant lower speed limit to it, so yes, if your mainboard doesn't reach up to the DIMM's maximum speed, it'll work just as well.

 

[Bartokomus]

you can even mix and match if your brave enough! PC2100 and PC2700 are fine together, as the 2700 just underperforms to the lower speed...