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#11
Also check the latencies.
They are also known as the "timings". Here's a moderately opaque discussion:
SDRAM latency - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In principle, you can mix RAM. I've had trouble with that on notebooks, though. On a desktop PC, you may be able to set the memory timings manually, in the BIOS setup. That can avoid the problems that can occur when relying on the SPD detection.
They don't technically have to be the same. When it comes to speed, it's recommended that you get the same speed because if you a memory stick with a different speed, it will always run at whatever the slowest stick of memory's speed is.
For example, if you have DDR2 667 and you buy a stick of DDR2 800, then that will only work at 667 speed as your original stick is slowing the new stick down. If you have DDR2 667 and buy a DDR2 533 stick, then the DDR2 667 stick you had originally will run at 533 speed due to the new slower stick of RAM.
But no, although it is recommended they be the same for consistency's sake, it doesn't have to be. As long as it meets the specifications supported by your motherboard, you should be OK. As far as CAS Latency, I hear that term from my colleagues all the time. To be perfectly honest, I've bought memory modules with higher and lower CAS Latencies and I haven't really noticed a huge difference but the general rule is the lower the CAS Latency, the better.
As far as the 4670 goes, you'd probably be able to run it just fine as it doesn't consume all that much power. The 4650 has the same 400W requirement and I've run it on far lower without issues for months.
Ok thanks for the info. I don't know a thing about CAS latency :L I'll just buy another DDR2-667 & then put it in, see if it makes a difference. If it don't i'll just refer back to this thread :)
I have tried my HD 4870 (wich requires 500W PSU) on my friends computer wich has 400W PSU and it ran everything well. I have been playing MW 2 on very high settings and the computer didn't shut down or anything. He is using HD 5770 (wich requires 450W PSU) for half a year now and he didn't have any problems so far.