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    RAM Price Variation: Is Some Better than Others?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by andavane, Jun 6, 2011.

  1. andavane

    andavane Newbie

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    Hi
    I'm shopping for more RAM for my Thinkpad x201i and have noticed a price difference in the companies that sell it.
    Apparently I need 4 GB:

    204-Pin DDR3 SODIMM PC3-10600 (1333Mhz)

    For instance one company I dealt with in the past (and i trust) is selling it as
    "Premium Memory"
    at about 43 quid but someone else is selling it at about 32 quid ~ a difference of 11 quid! :eek:

    Any advice on what to consider when purchasing memory would be much appreciated.
    Regards
    John - New Member.
     
    andavane, Jun 6, 2011
    #1
  2. Althernai

    Althernai Notebook Virtuoso

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    RAM typically differs in clock speed and latency. The clock speed is pretty obvious, I hope, while the latency is described on the wiki. That said, you are extremely unlikely to see performance differences outside of benchmarks unless you go for some ultra-low quality RAM which I personally have not even seen lately.

    As to the difference in price, it's just a matter of which company you trust. Practically every reputable manufacturer now offers a lifetime warranty for RAM so there isn't much difference between them.
     
    Althernai, Jun 6, 2011
    #2
  3. HTWingNut

    HTWingNut Potato

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    Unless you plan on overclocking or require fast timings at fast speeds, they are pretty much all the same. If you require specific speed and timings for overclocking then best to research it a little more in depth, and chances are you'll end up buying the more expensive RAM.
     
    HTWingNut, Jun 6, 2011
    #3
  4. ViciousXUSMC

    ViciousXUSMC Master Viking NBR Reviewer

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    Get a good price ram from a good company with a good warranty. Those are the two most important factors.

    Some RAM is better than others but its usually for extreme overclocking and stuff that it really starts to matter.

    I find that the more exotic and more expensive ram actually tends to be higher compatibility issues than the cheap stuff.
     
    ViciousXUSMC, Jun 6, 2011
    #4