Does matched memory matter?

[Tekknikal]

im building a system and i noticed that mushkin memory carries a very different price whether its sold as a stick or matched. for example, at newegg there's 512mb level2 2-2-2 pc3200 for ~$140, but the matched version is $325. Thats a $45 difference for memory spec'd the same (and a very good spec, no?). I'm trying to get the most for my money. Would it be better to go with the single sticks and save the $45? I mean, mushkin is good and all right (=memory can be pushed for OCing)?
or should i be looking at something else...?

thoughts are appreciated!

 

[jdogg707]

as long as you buy the same sticks, by the same manufacturer, buying a matched pair really doesn't matter...I would save the money

 

[capricorn]

Even though I used matching Corsair TwinX matched memory in the last system I built (where the goal was stability and reliability over all else - even speed), I pretty much agree with JDogg. The matched memory has supposedly been tested to guarantee the two work well together at their published specs, but I don't know that they really even do that. As long as you stick with good brand names like Corsair, Kinston, Crucial, and Mushkin, I'd be really surprized if you have a problem in any decent dual channel motherboard. Overclocking is always a bit of a gamble, so even sticking with one manufacturer, you can end up with two sticks with different overclocking capabilities even if their specs are the same. It's a matter of how overclocked you can get before you exceed what your RAM can do.

-cap

 

[Sunny129]

yup... ^ what these guys say. matched sticks don't have to be purchased. its just more of a guarantee that you'll be getting identical sticks of memory. for instance, Buffalo PC3700 was shipping with winbond BH5 chips on them until recently. now they are shipping w/ micron chips or something. the point is, if you ordered two individual sticks of this stuff, and got one of the last ones w/ BH5 chips and the other w/ micron chips, problems might arise when trying to run dual channel mode, if it works at all. so dual channel kits just guarantee that you're getting two identical sticks.