(RAM) Latency

LiangZzZ · Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 12:13 pm Post subject: (RAM) Latency

Hi, got a question here. I have got two rams with me now, one is a Kingston 512MB DDR 266Mhz, and another one is a Kingston 512MB DDR 333Mhz. Generally they are the same specs but with different latency. So is it advisable to dual-channel them even though they have different latency? Coz what I heard was that the 333Mhz will run at the lower speed of 266Mhz, but the main thing is whether will it cause harm to my pc =P

Is · Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 2:03 pm Post subject:

try it and find out.
you would essentially be underclocking your RAM which shouldn't hurt it BUT... as cheap as RAM is i'd say just buy more 333 stuff. i don't like to mix-and-match speeds.

what's the bus speed on your CPU?

idjota · Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 2:08 pm Post subject:

they wont harm your pc but your memory will run at the 512 266, like Is said just get another stick of the 333

the only time your memory will harm your system is if you put it in a wrong socket like puting ddr into a ddr2 socket and so on

Sigarius · Heimin (Commoner) Joined: Mar 08, 2005 Posts: 89

My guess is that if u decide to put both in, the motherboard will detect the latency difference and adjust so that all the sticks will run at the lowest stick speed.

Is · Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 8:43 pm Post subject:

actually idjota i don't think that will affect it... i haven't messed with ddr2 yet but i would assume it just wouldn't boot (if you can even fit it in... isn't ddr2 higher pin count?)

idjota · Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 11:16 pm Post subject:

acutally, while i was looking for parts i found an interesting article about people messing aournd with memory, they put a ddr into a ddr2 slot (with a little elbow grese) and it fired the mother board
ddr is 180 pins and ddr2 is 240 pins, they are the same size but the litle notch is offset by a milimiter or less, either way a tinny difference

Is · Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 11:57 pm Post subject:

i think ddr is 184, btw.

hahaha man... that's funny. i think as long as they make it physically possible to fit the RAM into a type of slot it shouldn't burn the board Wink

but if the notch is in a different place that's a good sign you shouldn't be putting that RAM into that mobo hehe

LiangZzZ · Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2005 5:40 am Post subject:

so that would make my system to have 1GB DDR running at 266Mhz... thanks guys! Wink

Btw, anyone of you here using DDR2 ram? and which brand of ram do you think is the best? Actually my choice would be Corsair, but went for Kingston for its reliability factor Wink

shniggies · newbie! Joined: Dec 05, 2004 Posts: 31

as far as ram goes, corsair and mushkin are at the top of my list.. and also samsung is very underrated.. i think its one of the most stable and cheaper brangs of ram out right now...but dats imho

Is · Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2005 8:05 am Post subject:

if you buy RAM through crucial.com you're getting samsung. it is VERY reliable.

even kingmax is good ram... but i'd say stick with geil, corsair and samsung

evofire · Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2005 2:39 am Post subject:

Kingston, Corsair, Geil, Samsung, Mushkin, OCZ are all good brands, and you can't go wrong with them.