The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Open box RAM

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by Kaylya, Oct 10, 2006.

  1. Kaylya

    Kaylya Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    87
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    I've got a line on some "open box" RAM (manufacturer is OCZ) from an online retailer. Assuming it's been tested, am I likely to run into any issues? I could do with saving the money on it at the moment; it's looking like getting 1 gig open box or 512mb regular (the laptop currently has 512)

    Also, when I was poking around for the RAM specs it says that I should only use ram sold by LG. That's basically a load of bull right? I don't even know how I'd get RAM from them...
     
    Kaylya, Oct 10, 2006
    #1
  2. Pitabred

    Pitabred Linux geek con rat flail!

    Reputations:
    3,300
    Messages:
    7,115
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    206
    Yeah, you shouldn't need to get RAM from LG only. Open-box can be a deal, but if they don't warrant it for more than 30 days, go with the 512MB. A gig of RAM is still nothing to sneeze at.
     
    Pitabred, Oct 10, 2006
    #2
  3. ttupa

    ttupa Tech Elitist NBR Reviewer

    Reputations:
    136
    Messages:
    1,150
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    The reason most RAM is returned is because people don't do enough research to know what they need. I'm sure you'll be fine with that RAM.

    Run a memtest on it when you get it to make sure it's stable and functional.
     
    ttupa, Oct 10, 2006
    #3
  4. matt.modica

    matt.modica Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    7
    Messages:
    248
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    matt.modica, Oct 10, 2006
    #4
  5. l33t_c0w

    l33t_c0w Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    174
    Messages:
    1,159
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    As a small addendum, let it run several passes. I've had show-stopping errors that didn't show up until ... I think once in the third and once in the seventh. (I let it run overnight)
     
    l33t_c0w, Oct 10, 2006
    #5
  6. Kaylya

    Kaylya Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    87
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    There is no advantage in terms of speed for having 2 of the same size of chip is there? (ignoring a dual channel kit).
     
    Kaylya, Oct 11, 2006
    #6
  7. Blake

    Blake NBR Reviewer NBR Reviewer

    Reputations:
    940
    Messages:
    1,054
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    No there is not any speed boost with using two of the same size of ram unless it is a pair of dual channel.
     
    Blake, Oct 11, 2006
    #7
  8. Pitabred

    Pitabred Linux geek con rat flail!

    Reputations:
    3,300
    Messages:
    7,115
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    206
    It doesn't have to be exactly paired memory necessarily. It just has to operate at the same tolerances to run in dual-channel. But if choosing between 1GB dual-channel and 1.5GB single-channel, I'd take the 1.5GB every time for general use. Dual-channel will really only help on encoding things.
     
    Pitabred, Oct 11, 2006
    #8