DDR2 RAM - On the auction site, loads of sellers selling RAM (Suitable for AMD only?)

DJMK4 · 19 Apr 2014 at 11:58

Hi all,

I am after some RAM for a Dell 755 small form factor PC which has an Intel E6750 chip.

I currently have 5GB ram in, I want to max it out to 8.

I see a lot of people selling RAM on the auction site with the right DDR type (DDR2), right speed (around 5300 or a little higher), but clarifying it as low density will only work with AMD

Is this a given? or is this a bit of bull? will this stuff work with Intel set-ups?

Steveocee · 19 Apr 2014 at 21:53

Wouldn't have thought it would make a difference. RAM is RAM as much as I thought.

Stas823 · 19 Apr 2014 at 22:19

Steveocee said:
Wouldn't have thought it would make a difference. RAM is RAM as much as I thought.

this.

maybe its for the amd imc and it won't function at the rated speeds on a weaker imc.

kefan77 · 19 Apr 2014 at 22:23

don't buy it.

the reason why it's cheap is that it's high density RAM = compatibility issues.

Steveocee · 20 Apr 2014 at 00:18

kefan77 said:
don't buy it.

the reason why it's cheap is that it's high density RAM = compatibility issues.

OP stated it was clarified as low density though

PCZ · 20 Apr 2014 at 01:32

If that RAM was actually low density then there would be no need to state AMD only.
It is almost certainly high density.

DO NOT BUY THAT RAM
High density RAM is extremely incompatible.

Why is it cheap ?
Because the IC's used are rejects/failures.
Only half the capacity of each IC is used.
Twice as many chips are used per module.
Hence they get called high density because of the large number of chips on each memory module.

Why low compatibility ?
1: Memory controllers expect to address the memory a certain way a lot of boards will only see half the memory, or none at all

2: Power consumption is higher than low density and this can strain the VR's feeding the memory.

3:The memory bandwidth takes a big hit because of the addressing of the IC's.

If there so bad why do they exist then ?
Because companies building PC's wanted to save money and RAM manufacturers wanted to offload duff IC's.
They should never be on general sale but the less scrupulous traders try to off load them to the general public.