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    After-purchase RAM configurations.

    Discussion in 'Alienware 14 and M14x' started by zealot505, May 25, 2012.

  1. zealot505

    zealot505 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hello forum,

    I have a question about RAM.

    Being a cheapskate, I'll buy the 6gb ram version of the m14x r2 and then buy ram myself and upgrade it myself.

    Two questions:

    1. Does the 6gb stock RAM come in a (2x3gb) configuration, or a (2gb+4gb) configuration?
    2. In either case, If I buy a single 8gb stick of ram, would it work to put it together with the already existing ram to make it like (3gb+8gb=11gb) or (4gb+8gb=12gb)?

    I'm going to be going into engineering school, and a bit a gaming as well, and want to know if this setup would hinder the performance by a lot.

    I don't really care if there is like a slight performance loss, the m14x being dual channel and all, but is it a viable strategy? or would it screw things up hard?

    Thank you in advance.

    -Patrick
     
    zealot505, May 25, 2012
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  2. Mobius 1

    Mobius 1 Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    2GB+4GB is 6GB according to dell

    4GB+aftermarket 8GB=12GB

    However I recommend that you have identical dimms in each slot to increase performance.

    So

    (aftermarket 4GB+aftermarket 4GB)=aftermarket 8GB

    or you can go for 8+8=16GB
     
    Mobius 1, May 25, 2012
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  3. zealot505

    zealot505 Notebook Enthusiast

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    True, it's that I think i need more RAM than 8, but still I don't think I can justify spending 150 bucks on 16 gigs of ram, when I can get 12 gigs for about 50 bucks.

    Are the dimms all that count? does brand or latency timings count for much?

    Also, do you know what the brand/dimms/latency timings for dell stock ram is?

    thank you!
     
    zealot505, May 25, 2012
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  4. Mobius 1

    Mobius 1 Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    The brand does not matter if the timing/latency/freq is identical

    Open CPU-Z ---> SPD and memory tab

    8GB is enough for gaming (at least to me)

    I would suggest getting a 1866MHz frequency
     
    Mobius 1, May 25, 2012
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  5. zealot505

    zealot505 Notebook Enthusiast

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    hmm... HOw about going 1 card? Is that bad for a dual card infrastructure? I'm thinking I might just get one 8gb card and buy another one later, when I need it

    And what would happen if the frequencies and timings aren't identical? Would it not work?
     
    zealot505, May 25, 2012
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  6. Blair287

    Blair287 Notebook Geek

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    you cant get odd number Ram apart from 1gb,

    3gb, 5gb, 7gb dont exist
     
    Blair287, May 25, 2012
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