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Thread: Do I have to match a new RAM stick to my old ones?

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    Cute Member Hunain's Avatar
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    Do I have to match a new RAM stick to my old ones?

    Hey, I was thinking of getting RAM sticks, I currently have 2 Kingston sticks, 667Mhz, Overclocked to 914Mhz...Do I need to match the new ram to the same model and speed? 667Mhz? Or can I use different sticks with different memory speeds? if not, what about a different brand maybe?...My overclock may be affected too, right?
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    Senior Member GSte's Avatar
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    Re: Do I have to match a new RAM stick to my old ones?

    Doesn't matter about the speed, but you will only be able to run all of the RAM at the speed the slowest stick is capable of.

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    Re: Do I have to match a new RAM stick to my old ones?

    What about make/brand etc?

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    Re: Do I have to match a new RAM stick to my old ones?

    No effect, provided they can all cope with the same voltage which they should be able to....

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    Re: Do I have to match a new RAM stick to my old ones?

    Interesting... thanks

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    Re: Do I have to match a new RAM stick to my old ones?

    What about Overclocking them GSte? Right now I have set my 667Mhz to run at 914Mhz, if I put in 800Mhz ram, will that matter in terms of Overclock?
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    The late but legendary peterb - Onward and Upward peterb's Avatar
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    Re: Do I have to match a new RAM stick to my old ones?

    In theory that is quite correct - provided the memory has the same spec it should work OK...

    however

    manufacturers like Kingston buy their memory chips in from their suppliers and package them on the carriers that you insert in your PC. Although different manufacturers may state the same specs on paper, in practice the performance might be different - still within spec, but different and that could cause problems - particularly if you are pushing the specs to the limit by overclocking. So I would recommend you get identical spec ram sticks from the same supplier...

    however...

    there is a potential gotcha there too, because over the lifetime of a product, the mfr may source memory chips from different suppliers, or certainly from different batches, which again could have slightly different characteristics.

    It may not happen, but be aware that there is that risk. When you are buying the additional RAM, state that you intend it to match ypour existing RAM, and ensure that you can RMA it if you do have problems. Chances are you won't, but it is as well to be careful.

    When you do install the RAM, it would be worth running memtest86+ to ensure that it is all being addressed correctly.
    Last edited by peterb; 11-03-2008 at 04:34 PM.
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    Re: Do I have to match a new RAM stick to my old ones?

    Okay peterb, thanks
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    Re: Do I have to match a new RAM stick to my old ones?

    It will matter Hunain, yes, if the new sticks aren't capable of those speeds. How much do you want to spend? 2GB of Crucial Ballistix PC6400 can be got for about £45 now and that will hit 914MHz easily.

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    Re: Do I have to match a new RAM stick to my old ones?

    People may be overlooking a potential problem here. The Crucial Ballistix, for instance, wants 2.1v. I don't know the Kingston RAM, but it may well be that 2.1v is over spec for that RAM. So you either over-volt the Kingston, and risk killing it, or you under-volt the Ballistix and you (most probably) WON'T hit 914MHz.

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    Re: Do I have to match a new RAM stick to my old ones?

    It's 2.2v for the ballistix actually, which is worse in your scenario. I did mention that in post #4, but if he has OC'd the value RAM I am assuming he has overvolted it... it's more likely than not that the Ballistix will hit 914 anyway as it's D9 chips.... my PC8500 stuff certainly doesn't need 2.2v to hit it's rated speed.....

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    Re: Do I have to match a new RAM stick to my old ones?

    Yes, depends on what the Kingston will take. The Crucial will certainly hit 914 on less than 2.2v (mine hits 1000 on 2.1v), but it won't hit it on 1.8v, which is the Kingston spec.

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    Re: Do I have to match a new RAM stick to my old ones?

    Thank you for raising that point Thorsson...My Kingston took 1.9v to reach 914Mhz...
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    Re: Do I have to match a new RAM stick to my old ones?

    Yes, it is undoubtedly a gamble wanting any RAM to OC to a pre-determined level when using two different kits, which is what I was implying in my first post. Personally I'd either get more value stuff, or sell the value kit and buy 4GB of something else, it's that cheap currently.

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    Re: Do I have to match a new RAM stick to my old ones?

    Also worth noting is that with 4 sticks the RAM won't overclock as high in general, even if they are all the same brand and model.....

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    Re: Do I have to match a new RAM stick to my old ones?

    Okay....Thanks again GSte...I was actually thinking today that I havnt seen you around lately (maybe you come when im not online) and there you come, helping me out I think ill go for a new kit all together, 800Mhz then...
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