how do i know what generic ram is going to work?

[MrDudeMan]

i need 512mb of the cheapest pc133 ram for a gigabyte 8IDX


ram quality is really irrelevant, i dont see a need for super expensive namebrand ram for most purpoes, thats why i want generic, im just not sure what kind will work with the 845 chipset

 

[Kingofcomputer]

super expensive namebrand ram such as Crucial is even cheaper than generic sometimes,
why give super expensive crappy unknown maker unknown quality no warranty generic a try?

wait, do you know you can also get super inexpensive namebrand ram good as crucial like
kingston valueram, pny, viking, corsairs, etc (too many to list)
cheaper than generic.

in the old days (4-5 years ago), there were big price difference (100-300%) between generic and super expensive namebrand,
today it's almost zero.
so why still consider generic?

 

[Boobers]

NEVER buy generic (unknown) memory. The pennies you save aren't worth the problems you may have.

Buying generic ram is "penny wise, but pound foolish"...IMHO

 

[JeremiahTheGreat]

thats the problem with generic.. you can't know what kind works..

 

[risen]

Twice I have bought generic ram and both times I had trouble with it. Now I only buy name brand but I buy cheap name brand like kingston. It is cheap and if you are not overclocking the ram works well. Hope this helps.

 

[MrDudeMan]

i guess you guys are right...but i mean even on pricewatch, you have to search through a few pages to get to the name brand, and i just dont have a lot of money to spend on ram

i am getting a BX board with either a coppermine 933 or a tualatin 1.0a @1.333

what ram would you recommend and where could i find it the cheapest?

thanks

 

[Barrei]

Of all your components your ram is probably the most important , NEVER go generic.

 

[rarotonga]

Hey Dude,

I'm afraid you've been led astray in the past. Granted 4-6 months ago RAM was so cheap that if you got stuck with bad RAM you could set it aside and try again with another stick. RAM's gone up so the thought of buying any cheap RAM is not wise as the gamble can easily cost you $60.00.

When buying RAM look at two primary factors. 1. Who manufactured the IC's on the memory stick. If it states Mt (Micron), Samsung or Infineon then your in the top tier of RAM IC manufacturers. 2. Look for IC's mounted on a 6-layer board vs 4-layer. If you can find this combination you greatly improve your chances of having a quality memory stick.

Remember, Corsair DOES NOT manufacturer the IC's but they do design the board and this combination produces their excellent results (in most cases).

My preference is for Samsung/Samsung or what is known as "Samsung Original". In other words Samsung manufactured and engineered both the IC's and the board to work in unison. The comparable is Crucial which is a sub of Micron Technology. They use Mt IC's on Micron designed boards.

I have found that POWMEM which is Samsung/6-layer board has been a consistent performer in the systems I have built and sold. Not as good as Samsung/Samsung but pretty darn close