How to Choose the Right Memory Upgrade for Your PC

There is more than one type of memory upgrade for the PC.

There are times when you will require a memory (RAM) upgrade for your PC. The memory we are dealing with here is the computer's Random Access Memory (RAM) rather than removable storage devices like USB drives or flash disks. You may need to do this to improve system or application performance or to support a new software or hardware component that you have just purchased or you now want to do some serious gaming and need the extra memory to enable best performance for the game you have chosen to install.

Two types of upgrade are available. One type of upgrade is system specific (branded) while the other is generic.

The upgrade that is system specific means just that. The memory that you purchase is made to work with a specific type of hardware, e.g., Compaq. The memory is not guaranteed to be compatible with any other PC, although it may actually work on more than one model or type of PC.

Generic upgrades are memory cards that are not designed for a specific PC. The memory can work on many types of PC provided the memory can be installed. For instance, you can not expect to install a DDR1 card on a DDR2 machine or vice versa.

There are numerous manufacturers of memory. The most dependable manufacturer of branded cards is Kingston. Kingston has made arrangements with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM's) whose field service personnel can and do support installation of Kingson cards on their brand of PC's.

There are many other manufactures of generic cards. The reliability of some of these cards is questionable; however, the cards are also much cheaper than branded cards.

Before upgrading your memory, find out what type of memory card is installed. There are several types of memory types available for use on your computer depending on the computer's year of manufacturer. You will then need to decide on which type of memory upgrade card you want, generic or branded.

Check that your supplier carries a warranty on the card you purchase in case you need to return it due to incompatibility. Most suppliers will provide a full refund or will exchange the card for another type that is compatible with your hardware.

For the best results always buy branded cards as the manufacturer guarantees compatibility. However, if the money is tight, you may gamble on generic cards. You need to prepare yourself for incompatibility issues which may result in your card not working, giving you less memory than the card carries and a host of other problems.