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Adding memory - do they need to match?

Last response: in Memory


I'm using an Acer Extensa 4620. informs me that I have 2 RAM slots, each of which can hold a maximum of 2GB of DDR2, PC25300 RAM. Currenly, I have 1GB of RAM on 1 slot, but I want to increase that.

So here's my question: should I get a 1GB or a 2GB module for my free slot?

I gather that adding the 2GB model will negate the dual-channel capability, because I'll then have 2GB on one slot, and 1GB on the other. But isn't it possible that the overall performance will improve, despite the loss of dual-channel memory usage, simply because a total of 3GB is more than a total of 2GB?

Please help.


More about : adding memory match

Some points about RAM compatibility and matching:

-Has to be same voltages.
-Same brand is recommended, may be compulsory.
-Same speed and latency.
-I don't think capacity is so important but I may be wrong.
-Same DDR.

Hope this helps.

Thanks a lot, Omnisome. I'll keep all that in mind. But there still is one thing that's bothering me:

My bus speed is PC2-5300, and I gather that if I do end up buying PC2-6400, it should be backwards compatible with 5300, but that it will run at the same speed as the 5300. But surely there should still be a performance improvement to be gained from changing from 1GB 5300 to 2GB 6400.... Right??