How to choose RAM

To select RAM, you need to find out, What type of memory does your motherboard support?. There are three main types of memory: DDR, DDR2 and DDR3. DDR memory was used in old computers, now it is not easy to find a computer with DDR memory. The most common type is DDR2, and the newest machines are DDR3 memory. You can find out the type of memory from the instruction manual of your motherboard.

It is also important to select RAM with suitable clock speed. The frequency is measured in megahertz and depends ontype of memory, but within the same type there is a different clock frequency. For example, DDR2 memory can have a frequency from 667 to 1066 MHz, DDR3 - from 800 to 1600 MHz.

The memory clock speed affects the speed of the computer. I.e, Of the two slats of the same volume, the faster one will be the one with the higher clock speed. Usually the optimal choice for DDR2 is 800 MHz, for DDR3 - 1333 MHz.

But keep in mind that If you want to select RAM in addition to the one already installed, its clock speed should be the same. The fact is that the computer for work choosesa lower clock speed of the two modules, so installing the module with a lower frequency will reduce the speed of the entire system, and installing the module with a larger one will not do anything. The volume of modules does not need to be the same.

By the way, about the volume. The most popular RAM modules have a capacity of 1024 or 2048 MB (1 or 2 GB respectively). The optimum volume depends on what you use your computer for. For the Internet and office applications it is quite possibleenough for 1 GB, for games and graphics, you need more, at least 2 GB. However, keep in mind that with a weak processor, more memory is unlikely to help.

If the total amount of RAM installed on your computer is more than 3 GB, you will need to install a 64-bit operating system. The fact is that 32-bit systems "see" no more than 3.25 GB of RAM, and 64-bit systems can support up to 192 GB of RAM (depending on the version of the operating system).

The speed of RAM is also affected by the so-called memory latency. This refers to the delay time of the signal, whichIt is required to execute this or that command. Without going into details, let's just say that the smaller the timing - the better: from two bars with the same frequency faster than the one with less timing.

To select memory, you need to understand the marking. Typically, the marking indicates the type and frequency of memory, say, DDR2-800. There is another option for marking. The type of memory is indicated by PC (PC, PC2, PC3). So, type DDR2-800 corresponds to type PC2-6400. To find the clock frequency, you need to divide the number in the marking by 8 and round it if necessary.

If you buy RAM in addition to the bar that you have already installed (that is, plan to use two-channel mode), it is important that they not only had the same clock frequency, but also if possible were of the same manufacturer: sometimes it happens that the bars from different manufacturers refuse to work in pairs.

When choosing it is also worth paying attention to the manufacturer. It is best to choose RAM from a manufacturer that has proven itself in the market - Kingston, Corsair, Apacer, OCZ, PQI, GelL, Patriot, Hynix and others.. On hearing also such known manufacturer as Samsung, but it basically produces not slats, but microcircuits, which then are used by other manufacturers.

Select RAM is not as difficult as it may seem, but this does not mean that the issue of choosing a memory card should be approached carelessly: if you want your computer to "fly", you need to consider all the possible characteristics of RAM.