Which RAM to buy.

I have a pc that uses DDR2 SDRAM.(HP PAVILION) If I go to one of the online auctions and order it, is that all I need? The ad offers a stick of ddr sdram 2 gig, whst else must I ask to ensure that it will fit my PC?rolleyes

 

Here's a good way to find out what you need!!
http://www.crucial.com/?gclid=CKeSl...le_us&ef_id=Df1NuQOEVn4AAAUS:20110428060452:s

 

Hi Tonyrush,

Make sure you dont fall for the high-density RAM bait-and-switch scams on ebay.. I'm 95% sure your PC uses low-density RAM. The crucial scan that oneeyejack suggested will tell you for sure.

Also, from my experiences, avoid the seller "Smile 'n Tango" on ebay. they scammed me out of $65, and had I googled their name before I bought from their ebay store, I would have known they had an F rating with the BBB, and were notorious scammers using wording tricks in their ads to lure in un-suspecting customers.

I highly suggest buying your RAM from Newegg.com. you might pay $5 more, but at least you have some sort of re-assurance with the return policy from newegg. If it shows up DOA which happens, but is rare, newegg will RMA it very quickly or offer you a refund.

You also might want to find out if your PC uses DDR2 533Mhz, DDR2 667Mhz, DDR2 800Mhz, etc. some motherboards dont support all speeds of the same type of RAM.

 

Newegg is a good place to buy computer parts. I also suggest Directron - I have done a lot of business with them, and they are also good on RMA's.

http://www.directron.com/ddr2.html Based in Texas.

As far as brands go, I have never had a problem with Samsung RAM . . . in fact, Samsung used to make a lot of other RAM that was branded for other companies. You also need to know what "speed" DDR2 RAM (i.e. PC2-3200, PC2-4200, etc.). Most boards support more then one speed of DDR2 RAM. I always go to the PC or motherboard manufacturer's website and download the user manual. You can also install one of a number of utility programs available on this site that can tell you a lot about what your motherboard supports, and other things about what is in your PC.

But for the straight 411 on RAM, Mimsy is the Major Memory Maven in these parts. She has forgotten more then I will ever know about RAM. She is the best one to go to for RAM questions.

 

If you have a local PC superstore (Fry's, MicroCenter) their prices are usually competitive with online vendors and have easier returns (often without a restocking fee) if what you buy doesn't work well with your PC.

As for what brands work best with your PC, read the detailed user reviews (not just the overall star ratings) on sites like Newegg and CompUSA.

If you buy online, I'd stick with either Newegg or Tiger Direct/CompUSA. If the memory you purchase doesn't play nice with your PC ,the most you'll lose is a few bucks on a restock fee and return shipping.

 

In addition, your manual for your motherboard, should have the proper ram that is qualified for your motherboard.

 

For the last 10 years I have used nothing but GSkill memory (sodimm's, DDR, DDR2. DDR3) for all my own builds and updates on other's systems. Always bought from newegg, have never had a bad GSkill stick.

Sam