Which RAM to buy

[evo-lution]

Hi guys, need to ask a noob qn here....

Erm does anyone here knows how to buy the correct type of RAM? What does the DDR/DDR2, 533mhz/333Mhz etc. means. How to find out which type of RAM i need. And muz RAM come in the same capacity if there are two slots on my laptop? Sorry arh, i know its a very noob qn, but i guess i need some enlightenment on this...

Thanks!

 

[raptor84]

YOu will have to check what the FSB speed of your laptop is to match with the ram. DDR/DDR2 is just telling you the type of ram with ddr2 meaning double data rate dual channel. THe number behind is the rated memory speed in mhz. Most common ones should be the ddr2@667 mhz. And yes ideally should use in pairs of equal capacity.

 

[evo-lution]

Eh how to find FSB speed?

So i need to determine the type of motherboard(DDR or DDR2) then i need to determine the FSB speed(with should coincide with the memory speed of the ram i'm going to buy) right?

BTW, memory speed can be higher than FSB speed?

Thanks.

 

[photobum]

Eh how to find FSB speed?

Check the website of your laptop for specifications.

 

[greenieadi]

First go to the laptop website and find the specification of your laptop model. No need to check mainboard type although the the chipset used should determine memory used.

Normally, from website, it should indicate somthing like this : System Memory - 3GB DDR II RAM.

This indicate a DDR2 Ram. If you know where to get those RAMs, usually at SIM LIM Square, 3 speed types exists, 533/667/800. If not sure what speed to buy, use your current laptop ram as reference.

For my Laptop it comes with a Kingmax brand DDR2 533Mhz 1Gb ram. I decided not to mix with my new ram and sold it. I got myself 2 pcs of 2GB Kingston DDR2 667Mhz Ram.

4gb ram is max for all 32bit Windows OS up to Vista. Windows detects 3-3.5GB system ram due to the 32bit OS limitation. Anyway, having 4GB ram does not make your Laptop lightning fast, maybe a bit, but that's it. But it does increase battery life, 30% more, in my case.

I upgraded becoz ram prices are cheap now. But bro, upgrading your rams usually void your warranty, unless you know what you are doing, do keep this in mind.

PS:I upgraded mine myself the day I bought the set. Also upgraded my hardrive to 500GB Western D one.

 

[soeypixels]

Eh how to find FSB speed?

So i need to determine the type of motherboard(DDR or DDR2) then i need to determine the FSB speed(with should coincide with the memory speed of the ram i'm going to buy) right?

BTW, memory speed can be higher than FSB speed?

Thanks.

just bring your laptop to sls ..
tell them u want exactly the same brand and speed

if they don have ..
it will be better to get 2*2g and then sell off the original one in hwz or vrzone

i usually go fuwell in sls

 

[evo-lution]

Thanks for all the advice from all the bros n sis here! Eh i got my RAM alrd. After the advice from u guys and some Wikipedia help, i managed to find the right type of RAM for both my laptops. Although the DDR1 RAM cost a bomb as compared to its DDR2 counterparts... Luckily my third laptop's RAM max out at 4GB alrd when i purchased it... Cos the DDR3 RAMs are really expensive...

The higher the RAM, the lesser power consumed?? wow, thats interesting... But how it works? 30% is alot of battery life in exchange for that couple of tens of dollars!

But there is one thing that puzzles me, my very old toshiba laptop have a 533mhz chipset, but it uses a 333mhz DDR RAM. And of course i couldn't install a 533mhz RAM inside coz, 533mhz only comes in DDR2?? Shouldn't the chipset match the RAM?

Anyway thanks for all the great advice! u guys have been a great help to my otherwise super slow toshiba laptop....

 

[raptor84]

More ram means that your HDD needs to trash/spin less to swap out pages to and form memory so thats what probably saves the power

 

[evo-lution]

More ram means that your HDD needs to trash/spin less to swap out pages to and form memory so thats what probably saves the power

Oic, okie! thanks alot! Haha, then maybe i shld go up all my RAM.... Coz i dun like to bring the AC out....

 

[raptor84]

For normal use on win XP 2gb is more than enough ;p TO save power can do more tweaks like undervolting and underclocking your processor when you dont need full power. I tweaked my old t43 to run up to 3.5 hours on the standard battery