RAM? Is all RAM the same

[n0b0dy]

I looking to get 512MB Chips, I was Checking out Crucial and the are listed for $161.99 right now. Then I jumped on Price Watch and found the Genaric RAM for $114.00. Question is: Is the Crucial RAM worth the extra money? If not what RAM do you recommend


ThanX

 

[Mltsao]

I would say crucial if the price wasnt so high. Go with the generic cause its 50 dollars cheaper.

 

[cleverhandle]

If you're looking at half a gig of RAM, you're clearly trying to build a pretty powerful machine. I wouldn't go generic - suck it up and shell out the fifty. You might be able to get away with the generic, but it might just give you some bizarre errors that would necessitate you returning it. Plus, you should be able to run the Crucial at "turbo" memory setting (CAS 2, 4-way bank interleave, etc.) - probably wouldn't be able to do that with generic. Again, if it were a cheapo office machine, maybe the generic would do, but I bet you want better than that.

 

[MUKid]

See the thread I just posted called "Bad RAM killed my computer."
Link

Basically, I'm pretty sure a bad stick of RAM wiped out my Windows registry (don't ask me how). I've read other stories of people having lots of errors when using generic memory, especially when trying to run powerful apps. If all you're going to do is word process and maybe listen to MP3s, generic would probably be fine. But for me, from now on I'm sticking to branded stuff only.

 

[DaFinn]

Well, Crucial makes the memory sticks, NOT the chips used in them. I had in my previous system 512 Mb Generic ram with Nanya chips, and had nothing but problems with them. Well, for my new rig I decided to go with Crucial and... these sticks have Nanya chips... However, these babies work stable as hell.

I think Crucial hand picks and tests the parts, in order not to have any problems. You can be just fine with generic, BUT... then again, if you want to be safe go with Crucial.