RAM matching question

Sudden · 16 May 2011 at 11:49

I have a 2x1 gb matched pair of ram and looking to buy another pair . Found a couple around the 30 quid mark. Found one however which is being sold for significantly less (currently at 1.45 + 5 delivery) but is not a 'matched' pair. It is the same brand and the same timings but going by the picture, the serial number is different.

Question is - would they still be compatible with my current ones? Does it matter that the pair isn't matched?

Ch3m1c4L · 16 May 2011 at 12:22

Generally will be fine if its a decent brand like Corsair/OCZ as they are made so similar. version number can affect it though as it might be different chips and as such have some settings different (not the normal cas stuff). Although often the faster just downclocks.

No one can give you a 100% guarantee as the only way to know for sure, is to test them, hence being sold in matched pairs/triples

Sudden · 16 May 2011 at 20:41

Thanks for that. I decided to go for the more expensive one because I thought having a matched pair will be less hassle in terms of warranty etc. later if the problem ever arises. I was able to however find one for 20 quid which is a pair with the same timings etc. but it looks like the version number might be different. The ram in question is Corsair xms2 6400 C4.

I have one which below the part no. and above the serial no. says "2.10V ver6.2".
The one I found seems to say (admittedly a pretty blurry picture) (in the same position with everything else being the same) "xms6404v2.1".

I know you said there's no guarantee, but in your experience, any idea if there is likely to be an issue there? Or am I just better off spending the extra 10 quid and getting a pair which is the exact match of mine (apart obv. from the serial no.)?

Ch3m1c4L · 16 May 2011 at 22:14

im my personal experience, ive stuck unbranded dell rubbish together with other cheap stuff, that was a different speed and cas ratings, and its ran fine in dual channel on a rubbish dell mobo. ive also had un m atched sticks of different sizes run in dual channel (only the size of the smallest stick is dual channel, the rest of the bigger stick is single channel).

but other than that old dell, and a dell laptop, ive always bought matched sticks, but i have stuck 2 matched pairs together and they worked fine.

if they dont auto work just go into bios and set every setting to do with ram manually so it forces them to run the same, if ur mobo supports it.