Recommend Memory Upgrade

[JackSpadesSI]

See my current specs in my signature. I'm looking to upgrade my memory later this year to squeeze some more life out of this computer. My motherboard takes DDR2 memory, up to 16 GB, and 800 or 1066 speed. I currently have 4 (2x2) GB of DDR2 800.

When I built my computer I used 4 GB of DDR2 1066 memory from Corsair and it gave my system fits that eventually resulted in an inability to boot. I then bought the Mushkin memory that I still use today and it is great. Because of that incident, though, I am very nervous about buying RAM which might give my system issues.

Questions:

- If I buy another 4 (2x2) GB of DDR2 800 memory and add it to my system it won't be the exact same model of RAM as my other 4 GB. Is that a problem?

- Newegg no longer sells Mushkin DDR2 1066 memory. Is 1066 so much better than 800 that it is worth me buying memory from a company I don't have full confidence in?

 

[Yellowbeard]

- If I buy another 4 (2x2) GB of DDR2 800 memory and add it to my system it won't be the exact same model of RAM as my other 4 GB. Is that a problem?

It can be. The ONLY way to know is to install them together and test.

- Newegg no longer sells Mushkin DDR2 1066 memory. Is 1066 so much better than 800 that it is worth me buying memory from a company I don't have full confidence in?

In this case, buying 1066 may be pointless anyway. Your system maynot come anywhere close to running 4up at 1066 due to the load on the memory controller.

The "best" option here is to buy either an 8GB kit of DDR800. That way, you know you get 8GB. And, you might be able to mix it with the existing kit and get 12GB. If you can find it, a 16GB kit is a great option also if you actually want to have the most memory possible.

 

[JackSpadesSI]

In this case, buying 1066 may be pointless anyway. Your system maynot come anywhere close to running 4up at 1066 due to the load on the memory controller.

Would you please explain that?

The "best" option here is to buy either an 8GB kit of DDR800. That way, you know you get 8GB. And, you might be able to mix it with the existing kit and get 12GB. If you can find it, a 16GB kit is a great option also if you actually want to have the most memory possible.

Could you recommend a good 8-or-16 GB DDR2 800 kit? Mushkin doesn't make anything above 4 GB for DDR2 800 (well, not on Newegg).

 

[Yellowbeard]

Would you please explain that?

4 modules is 2x the electrical load on the memory controller. So, your OC will be limited with 4 modules as compared to 2 modules.

Could you recommend a good 8-or-16 GB DDR2 800 kit? Mushkin doesn't make anything above 4 GB for DDR2 800 (well, not on Newegg).

No clue as to what our competitors are or are not making. Just search for 8GB or 16GB DDR2 kits at your chosen vendors and see what is out there.

 

[JackSpadesSI]

Ok, so I found the exact RAM that I already had in my computer and bought another 4GB (2 x 2GB) of it. Or so I thought...

Both are Mushkin 996557 DDR2 800 RAM. However, the original sticks are 5-5-5-12, while the newer pair are marked as 5-5-5-18. Is that a problem?

I'd like to know a) if the new 4GB of RAM will work in my computer without causing problems, and b) if it will work, will it cause the original pair to slow down to 5-5-5-18?

 

[JackSpadesSI]

Anyone?

 

[VirtualLarry]

You should manually set the timings to the slower of the two, 5-5-5-18. Both modules should run with those timings.

 

[JackSpadesSI]

You should manually set the timings to the slower of the two, 5-5-5-18. Both modules should run with those timings.

I'm pretty naive about the impact of memory timing. Which would result in better performance: 4GB at 5-5-5-12 or 8GB at 5-5-5-18?

 

[VirtualLarry]

I'm pretty naive about the impact of memory timing. Which would result in better performance: 4GB at 5-5-5-12 or 8GB at 5-5-5-18?

8GB by far. -12 versus -18 is utterly negligible. The first number (5) is probably the most important for timing-based performance. Everything else matters less.

 

[boochi]

Check eBay. They have some mushkin ddr2.