Question.

Ok guys,
I know I've posted about this before, but I'm going back to the most bare basics with this. How do I tell if something is compatible with other things? Ex. like if RAM is compatible with Motherboard. Stuff like that. I'm still not solid that I understand this stuff.
Thanks,
Spock96

 

That's a hard question. Compatibility is all about something working correctly with something else, like RAM and a mainboard. The RAM may be correct by specification but still not work but is it a problem with the RAM or the mainboard.

I guess it mostly boils down to having the correct parts by specification and then determining if it's stable.

If you want to know ahead of time about compatibility, most component manufacturers have compatibility lists.

 

Thank you for the reply.

 

This is where the user reviews on sites like Newegg and Amazon are worth their weight in gold.

* The more reviews, the better the statistical accuracy.

* Read the actual reviews - you'll often discover patterns where RAM model "A" doesn't play nice when used with motherboard "B".

* Don't always rely on the brand name. Some top name brand's specific models are bad, some "no name" items are better at a fraction of the price.

 

Thank you gman. That's what I've been meaning!

 

I agree on Newegg having great reviews (Amazon too but I usually get more than enough info at newegg).

If you want to learn about RAM or a motherboard just go to Newegg and randomly pick one and read some feedback. Then pick another and read some feedback. You will learn things you never even thought of asking about. Most of the comments are practical workarounds or fixes. I find them a great source of information even if I am not in the market for the component.

If you actually are buying of course you can't take a single bad review as a problem with the component. Nothing gets 100% positive feedback but you can look for a pattern of similar problems.

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As far as basic compatibility start with the motherboard specifications then look for components that are within those specs. Like shnerdly said, sometimes the match doesn't quite work out well but that is more of a quirk than the norm. Manufacturer compatibility lists are good but they only test the most common manufacturers and are far from comprehensive.

 

Thank you. That helps a lot.

 

That's a tough question man. The easy part is checking QVL's for compatibility of RAM. I find the toughest thing is to match a video card to the proc's power too not spend too much money on new video cards that bottleneck the machine. I don't have an answer.

 

Yeah, I know what you mean.
I'm not planning on doing a build for a while, but being in the IT field I believe one should be able to grasp this type of stuff.

 

A few more thoughts on this topic:

Sooner or later, anyone who does PC building or repair will run into a part that either arrives "DOA" or will not function properly due to unknown compatibility issues. This is why it pays to read the fine print on retailers' return policies and restocking fees before buying.

* If you buy parts (board, hard drive, CPU, memory, etc.), install and test them as soon as you get them. Some retailers limit the return/exchange period on these items to 15 days or less. Other sources (such as eBay sellers) may be "no returns accepted", meaning you'll have to get an RMA authorization and send it back to the manufacturer at your expense for replacement.

* Buy locally if possible. If you get it home and it doesn't work, it's less of a hassle to drive back and get a replacement or refund than having to re-box it, take it to the post office or UPS and wait days or weeks for a new one to arrive. Amazon is better than Newegg in this respect: If an item is "DOA", Amazon usually pays for the return shipping on items shipped directly by them; Newegg makes you pay the return shipping out of your own pocket. :mad

* Stick with reputable vendors, especially on higher priced items. Several years ago I ordered two "new" Oki color LED printers for a client at a price that seemed too good to be true. When beat-up boxes marked "refurbished" were delivered a few days later, I knew why. The only thing that forced the shady company to take them back was my filing a chargeback complaint with MasterCard.