Calling all computer people: upgrading RAM

[tommyk90 5,000+ posts]

computers can last for ages.go with what the computer can handle. 1 gig will be a noticable difference when installed, but also depends on your processor. in a sence you can unbalance the computer. wouldnt' really harm anything but ya know it's like having a super high end top of the line graphics card running with a single 256mb ram on a 1.0ghz processor. you can have killer graphics. but the comp will still **** in general.

but really. 1 gig will do you good.

or just start planning on upgrading the whole comp?

Nothing else really needs to be upgraded, and it wouldn't be worth it anyways.

It's got a 2.0 GHz processor, so i'm hoping that the giant increase in RAM will help things out.

I don't need a better video card or anything like that. I just want to be able to run a few programs at once without having things go so damn slow.

 

[jer_stud56 10+ year member]

What you picked first should be fine...I have a computer from 97 still running strong on XP Pro with a 751 MHZ!!!! processor. We just use it for the internet pretty much, but I'm surprised it still runs fine.

 

[tommyk90 5,000+ posts]

What you picked first should be fine...I have a computer from 97 still running strong on XP Pro with a 751 MHZ!!!! processor. We just use it for the internet pretty much, but I'm surprised it still runs fine.

Yeah, that's what I'm gonna end up getting probably.

I mean, if its DOA out of the box, no biggie. Newegg rocks when it comes to RMA's.

 

[skmfkr 5,000+ posts]

get 2 512 sticks so it runs dual chan, and if you order 1x 512mb and only one goes bad then you only have to rma the one stick and not both

 

[Scoobydoo 5,000+ posts]

I don't care about saving a buck.
I'd rather pay a little more and get some quality stuff.

didnt mean to imply it was inferior, it is just as good as corsair or any other brand, just a little cheaper if money is an issue

 

[nauc 10+ year member]

1G should help a lot

but keep an eye on your Memory and CPU. pull up your Task Manager, click on Performance

when my computer starts slowing down, i check those and run this bandwidth speed test... http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/

to see where the problem is

 

[Ferendon 10+ year member]

get 2 512 sticks so it runs dual chan, and if you order 1x 512mb and only one goes bad then you only have to rma the one stick and not both

God **** you people are cakes. Just because you have 2 sticks, isn't gonna make it dual channel. Dual channel must be supported by the mother board, and the RAM. It's not just a matter of getting 2 sticks, and you're ready to go.

Just get whichever is cheaper, a 1 GB stick, or 2 512 MBs. I'd personally get the 1GB stick. General consensus on CA, tells me that the bulk of the people on here are ****ing retarded, so I'll not waste too much breath, arguing a case. Get whatever is cheaper, plain and simple. 2 stick will not give you dual channel, or any other performance gains.

 

[Ferendon 10+ year member]

didnt mean to imply it was inferior, it is just as good as corsair or any other brand, just a little cheaper if money is an issue

If it was cheaper, and truly just as good, then why the hell are more of us using it. Lifetime warranties don't mean shit. They're slapped on a product for one of two reasons. Either, because they think it will last forever, or at least until you no longer give a ****, or because it's so **** cheap to build and replace, that they just don't give a shit. Trust me on this, I install Code Alarms. They are lifetime warranty. They went with the latter.

 

[WildcatNate 10+ year member]

God **** you people are cakes. Just because you have 2 sticks, isn't gonna make it dual channel. Dual channel must be supported by the mother board, and the RAM. It's not just a matter of getting 2 sticks, and you're ready to go.
Just get whichever is cheaper, a 1 GB stick, or 2 512 MBs. I'd personally get the 1GB stick. General consensus on CA, tells me that the bulk of the people on here are ****ing retarded, so I'll not waste too much breath, arguing a case. Get whatever is cheaper, plain and simple. 2 stick will not give you dual channel, or any other performance gains.

As I sat and read through this post, I was thinking the same thing. The board has to be able to run dual channel, which I would guess his does not, being that old. You would not notice the difference with the CPU you are running.

As far as warranty, memory is the least of your concerns with that. Your CPU or board will go out way before your memory does.

As for brand, just find the best deal on a known name and you'll be ok.

 

[tommyk90 5,000+ posts]

If it was cheaper, and truly just as good, then why the hell are more of us using it. Lifetime warranties don't mean shit. They're slapped on a product for one of two reasons. Either, because they think it will last forever, or at least until you no longer give a ****, or because it's so **** cheap to build and replace, that they just don't give a shit. Trust me on this, I install Code Alarms. They are lifetime warranty. They went with the latter.

As I sat and read through this post, I was thinking the same thing. The board has to be able to run dual channel, which I would guess his does not, being that old. You would not notice the difference with the CPU you are running.
As far as warranty, memory is the least of your concerns with that. Your CPU or board will go out way before your memory does.

As for brand, just find the best deal on a known name and you'll be ok.

I actually posted a topic like this on a computer website (bleepingcomputer.com) and they told me that I would be better off getting 2x512 over a single 1 gb stick because the memory would perform better (i.e. faster) in pairs.

But I don't know that for sure since it's pretty obvious I don't know much about computer hardware.