Is there a difference in RAM quality by manufacurer.

Are there differences in Ram performance by manufacturer? I am looking to upgrade to 2gb In it now is PC2-4200 DDR2 SDRAM SODIMMS 533mhz FSB.
Any tips on getting the best RAM or is it all the same? Thanks.

 

If you buy a good brand like Kingston for example, it has a higher compatibility rate. It can work in a higher percentage of laptops.

Still, for my Sony laptop I got the cheapest RAM available. It was Transcend, it works fine.

If you´re wanting to overclock it becomes much more important what RAM you take. But I´m assuming that´s not your intention.

If you´re letting different brands all run at 533Mhz, performance will be the same.

 

I just want reliability and good performance. I was looking at Kingston and Crucial. i just wasn't sure where they ranked as far as quality control etc..
Thanks for the quick reply!

 

Either will be fine as long as it has a lifetime warranty.

 

kingston used to hold the #1 spot in my heart for memory brand. They cost ridiculous amount of money back in days but their reliability and compatibility were superb. All kingston flash memory and desktop/notebook memorycome with life time warranty so if something wrong with memory ever just call them up and have free replacement.

 

As a general statement I disagree. There are a limited number of instances where certain RAM works and others don't especially with very high capacity sticks on some high end ubber systems. But this is a system issue or some would say a trade off. Once you start getting into this there is no guarantee Kingston will be the brand that works correctly vs a different high end stick as the system clearly fails to operate within industry accepted standards developed and published by JEDEC to insure interoperability between different electrical components.

More than you want to know!

Kingston does not manufacture DRAM the critical component of RAM they design and assemble the module. They purchase from Samsung, Toshiba, Infineon, Hynix, Elpida, Renesas and others. So likely one of the critical components in your “generic” stick of RAM is the same as your brand name stick.

Crucial Technology on the other hand is the consumer brand for Micron Technology and manufacture DRAM (the only US manufacturer).

Lifetime warranty is what you want when you purchase RAM as they all operate at the rated speed. And on a side note I would be interested if someone could answer for me, not “what are good brands of RAM” but instead “what are bad brands of RAM”? The technological and economic resources required to produce RAM rule out fly by night incompetent companies from surviving in the market. Intel got out of the RAM market for what ever that is worth.

 

Thanks for all the input! I just ordered my 2 gig from newegg.

 

what brand did you end up getting?