Mixing Ram

Hey Everyone,

Been a while since I've posted. I have a question about mixing different frequency RAM. I'm ordering a new machine and am upgrading the RAM at the time of purchase (it's cheap enough, I'm ordering from MilestonePC, it's an Asus W7J). On the standard configuration there are 2 512MB DDR2 533MHz DIMM's. I'm upgrading that to 1536MB DDR2 667MHz. After talking to a customer service guy, he informed me that one DIMM is soldered in and they won't remove it. Therefore if I upgrade I'm going to end up mixing 533MHz and 667MHz RAM off the bat.

What are the implications of mixing different frequency RAM? Thanks.

 

The different frequency will not make a big hurt, the speed only a little bit slow, not big different actually. As long as you run a memory test without any error, then you can go ahead keep using it because when you are using a regular application, you don't feel the performance slow down.

 

Your new ram will run the same speed as the slowest ram on your computer... You have no advantage by putting in 667

 

Hmm...I have never heard of a laptop manufactur sodering ram into the laptop. Is this true? Try opening up your ram compartment and see what you find.
Tim

 

Solder the RAM? That's insane! You'd bettery open up the RAM compartment and check it yourself....and please take a picture if this is actually true.

 

Thanks for all the responses. About the soldering, I was also a bit surprised to hear this, but I only heard this from the MilestonePC rep. Here's the question and the answer they gave:

2. If I upgrade the RAM from 1024MB DDR2 533MHz to 1536MB DDR2 667
(Corsair/OCZ), will all the RAM be replaced or just 1 DIMM? I am concerned
with different frequency RAM being mixed together.
----- NO, 512M is soldered on mainboard, cannot be removed. if yu think that
way, you can also choose 533Mhz updrade option.

I will take a picture when I get the machine just so this can be settled. Thanks again.

 

Is it just me...or does that reply seem very unprofessional? I thought sales reps would use correct grammar :-\

That reply just makes me wonder if they really know what they're talking about regarding the sodering (e.g. not even a real sales rep?)

 

It may depend which place you are buying from. Some MilestonePCs (formerly known as CanadaSys) are Chinese-owned/operated, so they do not communicate is perfect English.

 

the ram is definitely soldered. they do it to save space in order for the notebook to be thinner. if the soldered ram is 533 mhz, i would stick with 533 mhz b/c the faster ram is usually more expensive. also, adding the faster speed ram means that it will actually downclock itself to 667. it will not have a hardware conflict by mixing different speeds, though.

 

wow the grammar does seem odd. I mean maybe they don't have great english skills but it seems like they just were either typing really fast or they aren't great with english yet. But yeah, the ram would just be a lil slower.