I found a 1GB PC2700 stick of RAM on pricewatch for about $90 shipped. The closest name brand price to that is like 110. My question is: Is it ok (reliable) or safe to buy a "generic" RAM?

 

Yes, It can be.

There's a new company called "rosewill" that makes great ram for the $. 100% speed tested. I've used a ton of it. No probs yet.

You can find it on www.newegg.com

and here's their homepage.
http://www.rosewill.com/

Oh and B.T.W. you want/need 2 dimms to have DDR. DDR (double data rate) requires 2 DIMM to achieve it. You will only be in SDR /w one DIMM. (single data rate, a lot slower) Unless your playing with DDR2.

Basically what I'm saying is if your goal is to have 1GB of DDR, you need 2x 512MB sticks.

 

It's my understanding that DDR has to do with how the memory sends/receives data in relationship to the computer's clock. I'm pretty sure that's independent of the number of DIMM's. SiGGy, are you perhaps thinking of dual channel?

 

Nope. Your dead on /w the clock cycles. But for instance DDR400 is really only 200Mhtz ram because you using 2 DIMMs on the high/low bit cycle. I.E. you essentally add both clock cycles together (both dimms) to get 400mhtz. Possible someone found a work around, but thats the way it was when it was initially released. guess what I'm getting at is you could probably peak at the same rate /w one dimm. But /w 2 the speed would be noticably faster on some applictions. DDR speed is really only measures in peak performance. Not sustained, so maybe I'm hitting a moot point here.

Of course you can also read articles on how running more than 1 DDR dimm will create interference /w the other DIMM in some MOBO's.

So

DDR2 doesn't apply from what I know though.

 

hmm...I understand to a certain extent. Right now I already have a 1GB stick of PC2700 DDR RAM I believe. So what should I be looking for?

 

should i just look for another 1gb stick of pc2700 ddr?

 

what brand and model mother board u using? it also depend on the the mother board and chipset running it too.

 

my mobo = ASUS A7N8X-DX
chipset = nvidia nforce2 (i think)

 

You should be buying PC3200 not PC2700. Generic RAM is OK if you don't plan to do any extreme OCing. Otherwise, I'd go with Crucial RAM.

 

isn't buying pc3200 RAM useless considering the ram i have now is 2700? Won't the 2700 be like a bottleneck in the performance?

 

It wont be a bottleneck, I mean it will clock down to 2700 cuz you cant mix bus speeds.

Anyway the thing about cheap ram is this.. you get what you pay for. For example, lets say you buy some no-name ram off pricewatch and you save $30.

By saving that $30, sure the guy on pricewatch can say lifetime warranty, but I mean who is to say the company who made the ram will be around to honor it? So with the exta $30 or so you're spending getting ram from crucial is buying you a a few things. First you know you are getting a quality product, 2nd you are garunteed compatiblity, and 3rd you know they are going to be around if your ram ever shits.

I know with the rash of internet shoppping and things like pricewatch it always sounds good to be frugal, but end the end you're more then likely cheating yourself.

I would go with something like this

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...145-440&depa=1

 

Maybe I'm missing something, but then what's the point of paying the extra money for the 3200 if it's going to clock down to 2700 anyway?

 

How much memory do you have in your machine now?

 

1gb (1 stick) of pc2700 RAM right now

looking to get another 1gb stick to make the computer run a little smoother

 

no diff they are all made in Taiwan

 

Well then I'd go with pc2700, but do you really need 2GB of ram. What kind apps you running?? You into gaming?? And I agree with one of the above posters go with a more repututble company and if you wanna save some money go with their economical chips

 

Corsair...

My brother had an issue with a stick of their ram...sent him a new one and took the old one back...no questions asked.

 

mostly gaming...but RAM helps speed things up and is cost-effective while doing so.

 

unless your goign to be overclocking, it doesnt really matter.

 

RAM is pretty much the only thing u can cheap out on
unless your really serious of getting the most performance there's nothing wrong with generic
i've bought both brand name and generic
i see almost no difference except price
u should be buying PC3200 if u can support it
since your using PC2700 the PC3200 will clock down to PC3200
to solve this
get rid of your PC2700 and replace it with another PC3200
it'd be better if go with PC3200 all the way
there's no point in buying PC3200 so it clocks back down to PC2700
your paying extra for nothing

 

^ so you just basically said get a pc2700?

 

do what he said
get rid/sell your PC2700
replace it with PC3200