Having trouble deciding on proper RAM

(Kind of a long post, skip about half way down if you don't want to read through semi-irrelevant things. I'm trying to actually learn so when I do buy things I wont have to double guess myself or run around everywhere trying to figure out what to do.)

 

Hello, as the title states I'm having issues deciding on what kind of RAM to get for my PC and how much. I've been googling for a while now, several days randomly throughout the past few months, and I've read a lot of articles on RAM. Unfortunately most of them seem to be extremely old, 2008 and earlier if I'm lucky.

 

Anyway, I read somewhere that if your PC supports triple channel memory, not getting triple channel will slow down the performance. I also read something about a "proper" way to setup your RAM (like don't get three of one kind and two of the other or something, and proper ways to set it up if you DO get different amounts of memory). Overall I've probably read so much on it that it has just left me more confused than I started out. So now I'm not sure what I need to look at and take into consideration when buying RAM.

 

Let me know if you have questions about my PC specs and I'll try to answer. Right now I'd like at at least 6gb-8gb, or more if it's around 50-60 dollars.

 

Also, would it be best to just remove the three sticks of RAM that are currently installed or would it be fine to leave them in? I only have 3gb of RAM and 6 available slots, three are used (the colors on three slots are blue, the other three are white, not sure if that means anything).

 

Oh, and I did try to use the tool on the homepage that scans what kind of RAM is best, but it didn't have my PC on the list. It's a Gateway FX 6800-01e. Apologies for the pretty giant post.

 

Lastly, can anyone point me out to a reliable article or thread that explains what exactly to look for when trying to upgrade RAM? For example, I don't know the max speed or cas latency that my motherboard can use? The memory scanner or whatever on another site that sells RAM gave me some useful information, maybe I'm just over thinking it.

 

---below this is just a scan from another site and questions I have about the information in it so you don't have to read it---

 

Here's the info I got from it:

Memory:

DDR3 PC3-10600, DDR3 PC3-12800, DDR3 PC3-8500

Memory Type: DDR3 PC3-10600, DDR3 PC3-12800, DDR3 PC3-8500, DDR3 (non-ECC)

Maximum Memory: 12GB

Slots: 6

Each memory slot can hold DDR3 PC3-10600, DDR3 PC3-12800, DDR3 PC3-8500 with a maximum of 8GB Kit (4GBx2) per slot.*

*Not to exceed manufacturer supported memory.

-Can anyone explain what the last bolded part means exactly? Their scan gave me an option to get a 16gb kit max and that sentence just doesn't make sense to me at all. An 8gb kit would imply that it's two sticks of 4gb ram (or four 2gb), so I don't get what it's saying by the "per slot" part, because we're talking about multiple sticks, not one 8gb or one 4gb. So is it saying I can only add 4gb per slot or something else? Sorry that was just very confusing to me.

 

I usually see the 10600, 12800 and 8500 numbers on RAM, but more often than those I see other numbers like DDR3-1333 DDR3-1066 and those I'm not sure how to find out what I can get.

hi

 

Never good to mixte memory

Even same memory of deferent version could give you some trouble

 

Gateway, is not a very good system to run OC memory

It run prety hot and is not stable.

 

First, look in bios if you could OC memory or set a XMP profile

Because if you cant set memory it will run at the same speed as you 3GB memory and it will be no change as for the performance.

 

My advice, if you don't need more then your 3GB

Don't change any thing

As you could be very desapointed with memory runing fater then 1066MHz on your Gateway.

 

Hope this help

Sincerly yours

I'm assuming by OC you mean overclock? If so, I don't plan on overclocking memory especially if it's going to cause problems. I don't want to do anything too complicated, mostly just upgrade the amount or RAM. Did you mention this because some memory already comes overclocked or what?

 

With some games RAM gets pushed to around 2800-2900 used out of 3000, and the system/game locks up for a few seconds and resumes. I'm guessing it's because it's hitting the max amount of memory. Either way I think it would be a good idea to get more than 3gb if possible.

yes i now your 1GB short

Did you get a manual with your Gateway TBGM01

As i could not find any ware the spec for this motherboard

 

As corsair made ddr3 1333MHz and more

U ave to be sure the you motherboard could run memory at lest at 1333MHz

 

U could use aida64 to check memory actual speed

http://www.aida64.com/downloads

because 529MHz is very wird

Unfortunately I don't think I have the manual anymore. I was probably stupid and threw it away a long time ago when I bought the PC ;\

 

I used aida64 and this is what I got, I'm not sure if this helps, it still looks kind of weird:

http://i44.tinypic.com/kdn1js.png

like i suspected

Your memory efective clock is 1067MHz

So you ave 1066MHz memory

 

Go in your bios and check if you ave posible setting for the memory speed and latency

 

Wath is the modle of your Gateway system?

maybe i could find the spec with the modle

Gateway FX6800-01e is the model.

 

On another website (don't know if I'm allowed to use the website name since they also sell RAM), it did a scan for my computer model and it said "RAM with guaranteed compatibility for your system" and it listed some RAM with these specs:

DDR3 PC3-12800 • 8-8-8-24 • Unbuffered • NON-ECC • DDR3-1600 • 1.5V • 512Meg x 64

DDR3 PC3-10600 • CL=9 • Unbuffered • NON-ECC • DDR3-1333 • 1.35V • 256Meg x 64

 

Does the scan with Aida only tell you the speed of the memory currently installed or the max you can use? If it only tells you what you have installed and not how much you can use then I guess it makes sense.

 

Also, to get my PC specs that I put in my profile I used a program called Speccy, so maybe the 529MHz is the wrong number.

On Gateway web site they don't ave memory compatibility list

 

I read Gateway FX6800 manuel

They don't give me technical about memory speed

 

Did you check in bios if you ave setting for memory speed and latency?

I tried to find out and I didn't see anything about RAM or memory and latency anywhere.

 

I took a picture with my phone of the main menu and these are the only options it has:

http://i41.tinypic.com/344zk2h.jpg

 

I went into each one and I didn't see anything about memory speed or latency. Am I in the wrong place or is the information just not there for my computer?

check in frecency and voltage control and take a photo of screen

Here is frequency and voltage screen:

http://i41.tinypic.com/5d3v4k.png

Corsair doesn't list your system in their memory finder. It's best to go with one 6 GB kit that Gateway recommends.

As Wired said

Corsair doesn't list your system in their memory finder. It's best to go with one 6 GB kit that Gateway recommends

 

I look to your system i don't tik it will run memory over 1066MHz

 

Hope this help

Sincerly yours

Alright, thanks for all your help. I really appreciate it.

 

------

 

I just used their live chat and they were surprisingly helpful. They seemed to get the information very quickly. This is what they said:

"You can install upto 12 GB using DDR3 1066 MHz SDRAM"

 

It's kind of strange since other websites that scanned my memory/computer gave me options to install higher MHz memory. So I guess my question is solved. Thank you guys again for trying to help me out.

Seraphyx, I've removed the links you just posted to non-Corsair memory as this forum does not support someone else's memory.

Ok, sorry about that.