What RAM should I get

[Samarok]

I don't know how to explain in the title, so I'll do it here. So right now I have 2 sticks of 4gb 1600mhz ddr3 RAM. I need more, but one of the dim slots is blacked by my cpu cooler. Could I put in an 8gb stick in the last slot? Does mixing brands matter? And does mhz matter? 

[Valkyrie Lenneth]

low profile rams?, dont mix brands ever or ram in general....   mhz matters but its a cas + mhz scenario.... higher mhz with lower cas = better.... best possible sticks out there atm is ddr3 2400mhz cas 9

 

1cas = equal to 233/266mhz btw

 

so a 1600cas 9 kit would be almost equal to a 1866cas 10 kit ( 1600cas 9 would be at effective speed of 1766 cas 10 ) so the 1866 is abit better

 

because u currently have 1600mhz check what cas latency it is ... and what brand, get ram from the same brand and perhaps if possible the exact same kit and make sure the cas latencies are the same

[alexhelvetica]

I would get the same speed ram and try to get the same make and model for the ram but with most cases it really doesn't matter.

[Samarok]

low profile rams?, dont mix brands ever or ram in general....   mhz matters but its a cas + mhz scenario.... higher mhz with lower cas = better.... best possible sticks out there atm is ddr3 2400mhz cas 9

 

1cas = equal to 233/266mhz btw

I have no real choice but to mix, as I don't think they manufacture this model anymore. The slot is completely blocked off. If I were to put in low profile memory, I don't think it would close or the cooler couldn't fit. 

[Valkyrie Lenneth]

I would get the same speed ram and try to get the same make and model for the ram but with most cases it really doesn't matter.

u should never mix brands or different models due to different densitys/chips and cas latencies... if u mix 2 different cas latencies together u can end up with a extremely unstable system getting os corruption/file corruption and much more in most cases it doesnt matter if the cas latency is exactly the same but if u would start mixing different brands/model kits u can still get unstability due to 2nd timings and 3rd timings

[Valkyrie Lenneth]

I have no real choice but to mix, as I don't think they manufacture this model anymore. The slot is completely blocked off. If I were to put in low profile memory, I don't think it would close or the cooler couldn't fit. 

in that case i would get a different cooler coz theres only a few coolers that actually block out ram kits that badly that low profile rams wont fit... ( all good coolers are designed to run with atleast low profile rams )

[Samarok]

Well, looks like I can't do anything here, given they don't make my model anymore. Well, thanks anyways. I'll just buy a different kit altogether. 

[alexhelvetica]

u should never mix brands or different models due to different densitys/chips and cas latencies... if u mix 2 different cas latencies together u can end up with a extremely unstable system getting os corruption/file corruption and much more in most cases it doesnt matter if the cas latency is exactly the same but if u would start mixing different brands/model kits u can still get unstability due to 2nd timings and 3rd timings

I said in most cases it doesn't matter.

also isn't that very rare?

[Valkyrie Lenneth]

I said in most cases it doesn't matter.

also isn't that very rare?

no its very very common

 

in every single case where 1ram has different timings then the other it happens

 

and there are alot of different chips

 

u cant always tell just by timings what chip it is, but this is the most common ( think of different timings aswell such as 8-10-10 samsung / 7-8-7 psc ect )

 

9-11-11 are samsung chips for example

 

9-10-9 are PSC chips for example

 

9-10-11 are hynix chips for example... if u were to mix samsung with psc u would already be screwed.. even if u have the same timings coz secondary timings will be totally different ( jsut an example )

 

u can screw urself over with different ram kits really really easily even if the first ram timings are the same... doesnt mean the second ram timings are ( each kit has its own secondary and third timings )

[alexhelvetica]

no its very very common

 

in every single case where 1ram has different timings then the other it happens

 

and there are alot of different chips

 

9-11-11 are samsung chips for example

 

9-10-9 are PSC chips for example

 

9-10-11 are hynix chips for example... if u were to mix samsung with psc u would already be screwed.. even if u have the same timings coz secondary timings will be totally different ( jsut an example )

 

u can screw urself over with different ram kits really really easily even if the first ram timings are the same... doesnt mean the second ram timings are ( each kit has its own secondary and third timings )

So the timing matter and they have to be the same?

 

I should check my computer about my timing and if it is a good idea to have that module of HP ram in?

I hasn't Blue Screened or crashed since I put it in.

[Valkyrie Lenneth]

So the timing matter and they have to be the same?

 

I should check my computer about my timing and if it is a good idea to have that module of HP ram in my computer?

I hasn't Blue Screened or crashed since I put it in.

infact if u have 2 different timing kit and ur running 1kit at a TIGHTER setting then it is supposed to run... ur chance of os corruption could be from first boot to 10minutes

 

i could blow up my os on purpose tightening my ram settings in 10seconds if i wanted to

 

even if u didnt blue screen theres already a possibility of os corruption if u have never set the timings properly ( and if they arent set proper by auto settings ). same for voltages

 

unstable ram is the most risky thing u can have in pc unstability due to it easily blowing up files and causing software corruption

 

 

ALWAYS CHECK UR RAM TIMINGS AND SET THEM PROPERLY NOT MATTER WHAT THE BRAND IS OR WHAT THE KITS ARE

 

NEVER MIX DIFFERENT BRANDS OF RAM OR DIFFERENT CAS LATENCIES

 

if i were u i would check it immediatly... if the ram is set to a different timing then it actually is rated for... id recommend reinstalling windows even if u didnt notice issues ( after setting the timings correct ofc )

[Naeaes]

Provided that you're talking about the M5A78L-M/USB3 in your bio, verify that the kit you have now is 100% supported here.
Get the same exact kit. There's a reason they don't provide guarantees of compatibility for anything other than that. If the kit you have now is not supported, get a bigger kit that is. The memory manufacturers have their own compatibility lists on their websites. For example www.kingston.com

[Valkyrie Lenneth]

Well, looks like I can't do anything here, given they don't make my model anymore. Well, thanks anyways. I'll just buy a different kit altogether. 

u could mix a corsair vengeance low profile kit with a corsair vengeance pro high profile kit for example though ( because the timings are exactly the same on different rated spds ) though i would not ever(and u should never) mix corsair vengeance with a corsair dominator kit

 

but when u do so... if the low profile kit would be 1866mhz and the high profile kit 2133mhz

 

make sure to check the supported SPD timings... the SPD timings for the 1333mhz  and 1600mhz would be exactly the same timing on both kits ( as their both corsair )

 

secondary timings however will vary a little bit since its corsair with corsair it could be done ( not recommended )   but by underclocking u can get it stable yes

 

^ that is an example to get ram stable from different kits but even then its not recommended and only for ppl who have great experience with ram kits only ( knowing what their doing with secondary and third timings aswell )