What RAM Should I buy?

Andries96 · Dec 4, 2015

Hi all,

I have an HP P6-2104ED. I want to upgrade my RAM from 6GB to 16GB. What RAM should I buy?Saw DDR3 and DDR4/5. I'm a bit confused.
I also wanna know if this is possible. I have a 300W power supply and I already build in 750 Ti 2GB videocard.

Thanks in advance.

whassup · Dec 4, 2015

As per seeing your PC model spec. Your motherboard had 2 memory slots that supports a maximum of 8 GB (4GBx2) DDR3 RAM.
http://support.hp.com/nl-nl/document/c03280789.

WildCard999 · Dec 4, 2015

That system will only support DDR3 @1333mhz. It also will only support a maximum 8gb per HP specs. You will also want to make sure the OS is 64-bit, if its only 32-bit then the system will only recognize 4gb max.

http://h20564.www2.hp.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=c03280789

Before you add in RAM you will want to make sure your BIOS is up to date as that will help with memory compatibility. Here's a list of RAM that should work in that system.

http://pcpartpicker.com/parts/memory/#s=301333&Z=8192002&t=11

Andries96 · Dec 4, 2015

Okay thank you for your awnser. So the best thing I can do is buying 4GB RAM to replace that with 2GB? So I have 8GB? @whassup

Andries96 · Dec 4, 2015

WildCard999 :

Thanks man!

Debashish Dhara · Dec 4, 2015

First of all your's Motherboard supported ram ddr3 module ( Speed: PC3-10600 MB/sec
Type: DDR3-1333) and i think upto 8gb support, so u have to upgrade from the old board to a new ddr4 board . the thing is ddr4 rams are bit fast causing little more frequency so rather stay on ddr3 , for the time ddr4 bit costly and Ripjwas / coarser are good.

whassup · Dec 4, 2015

Andries96 :

Yes since you have 6GB (4GB+2GB) RAM, you can replace that old 2GB with a new 4GB similar speed of that of your existing 4GB RAM.

Andries96 · Dec 8, 2015

whassup :

Will this card work? http://www.amazon.com/Hynix-PC3-12800-1600MHz-Unbuffered-HMT351U6CFR8C-PB/dp/B00A8M768E

The current 4GB card in my PC is a Hynix 4gb 2rx8 Pc3-10600u Unbuffered Ddr3-1333

whassup · Dec 9, 2015

You can install that. Both will run at 1333 mhz frequency.

Andries96 · Dec 11, 2015

whassup :

Can I use this with the current 4GB that I have? Or 2x this one? So replacing all memory with 2 of these:

Or this one?

Thanks a lot for the help

whassup · Dec 11, 2015

It would be best to use identical RAM for maximum compatibility. Still you could mix different vendor RAMs and will run fine in most of the cases.

Tradesman1 · Dec 11, 2015

Mixing DRAM is a crapshoot, there are no guarantees when mixing from different packages, especially these days

whassup · Dec 11, 2015

Tradesman1 :

I already stated "It would be best to use identical RAM for maximum compatibility." Its is up to him to decide what he really wanted. If the OP had to face any potential compatibility issues (unlikely) he can buy the same RAM one more to fix the issue. What I tried is to minimizes his cost involved with his upgrading..

"Mixing DRAM is a crapshoot" is your ignorance had to say. I do know people mixing different vendor/specification RAM without any kind of issues. One of my friend currently using his Kingston HyperX DDR3 1600 4GB (2GB x2) with my old DDR3 1333 2GB totaling 6GB without any " crapshoot" problems you where stating.

One advice to Tradesman1 is don't be over smart in your "knowledge" or hierarchical order.

Tradesman1 · Dec 12, 2015

whassup :

___________________________

I'm not, I simply said mixing DRAM is a crapshoot - they may play, they might not, even with identical DRAM from different packages, you can pull sticks right off the assembly line that won't play together- one simply has to look through the forums to thread after thread after thread of people mixing DRAM from different packages and it not working (quite often THE SAME EXACT SETS OF DRAM). When you see this, not to mention, that DRAM manufacturers, mobo manufactures and every knowledgeable builder I know do not advocate mixing DRAM - I find it info well worth sharing. In fact I even touched on this in my FAQs and Fiction article here at Tom's, uner Fiction, items 2-6, here:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-2741495/ddr3-faqs-fiction.html

Might want to take a read on the above, you might learn a lot. I wrote it to help others who have problems understanding DRAM as it's the least understood component in a rig.

You say you are 'minimizing his cost, which if they play is good, but on the other hand if they don't play, you say he can just go buy another of the same - and what if that doesn't play? I've had identical sets straight from the manufacturers that would not play at all, and other sets that would play but only after adjustments (had two of those in my Performance article

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/dram-benchmark-fluctuations,4080.html

. So here if the OP get's a stick and it doesn't play then he get to pay return postage, probably a restocking fee (if they even allow returns/refunds (otherwise he's stuck with it), then you say get another of same, if it doesn't work then stuck again on return, restocking fees, etc, etc. How is that minimizing costs...not to mention you are pretty free with someone else's money - i.e. "he can buy the same RAM one more to fix the issue", which quite possibly wouldn't fix the issue either

I'm happy your friends have had good luck with their shots at mixing DRAM, but doing so a couple ot few times with lower end DRAM doen't mean it's going to be fine with everybody, every time....which I'm sure you'll discover if and when you ever spend a lot of time working on rigs.

whassup · Dec 12, 2015

"You say you are 'minimizing his cost, which if they play is good, but on the other hand if they don't play, you say he can just go buy another of the same - and what if that doesn't play? I've had identical sets straight from the manufacturers that would not play at all, and other sets that would play but only after adjustments (had two of those in my Performance article "

What if a newly bought duel channel memory kit of (4GB x 2) don't play too ?? That too highly plausible and it does happen to many people sometimes it is a compatibility problem, sometimes its DOA etc. Such risks cant be avoided. You cant fool proof what you do.

Here we are not discussing about achieving highest performance with XMP, clocks of 1600 and above. A simple modest default clock of DDR 3 1333 doesn't require mount everest like compatibility requirements and will work fine in most of the cases. If you mix different vendor/specification RAM the motherboard BIOS will auto configure both RAM to the slowest RAM specification not the fastest RAM. I do had many experiences of people using different vendor RAM without any kind of issues you claim as long the user is not intending to overclock or tighten the RAM timings that can result in complications and potential issues. Of course using a duel channel kit is recommended if its possible. Since he interested in keeping his existing 4GB RAM I suggested otherwise.

Recommending something expensive out of the box product can be done by any fool really and what you done where just that.

Tradesman1 · Dec 12, 2015

Yes it happens, it's guaranteed, and the seller replaces the set. Same with DOA, if DRAM isn't compatible with the mobo, that's on the buyer (and it happens ALL the time, again everyday we see threads where people with 775, 1366 and 1156 mobos buy newer models of DDR3 which (as are the current models of DRAM (DDR3) today are made with high density memory ICs which aren't compatible with these older socket types (and often based on recommendation from people that believe all DDR3 is the same (we have tons of members that believe that also)

Yes people making what can be expensive propositions is foolish - I agree wholeheartedly. In this thread it was you making a 'recommendation' not I, I simply stated a fact. There are no guarantees when mixing DRAM. As I said it can work and then again oft times it won't, it's a crapshoot.

And I think you cover the whole disagreement here in your own statement " will work fine in most of the cases", which is exactly what I said

Maybe it will work and maybe it won't - NO guarantees.

I spend time daily here in the forums helping people who have tryed mixing DRAM with failures, and can often help them get them to run, I'd be happy to venture a guess I have far more best solutions on DRAM problems than you have.

whassup · Dec 12, 2015

Yes it happens, it's guaranteed, and the seller replaces the set. Same with DOA, if DRAM isn't compatible with the mobo, that's on the buyer (and it happens ALL the time, again everyday we see threads where people with 775, 1366 and 1156 mobos buy newer models of DDR3 which (as are the current models of DRAM (DDR3) today are made with high density memory ICs which aren't compatible with these older socket types (and often based on recommendation from people that believe all DDR3 is the same (we have tons of members that believe that also).

Here we are not talking about any of that legacy old chipsets. The OPs had LGA 1155, Sandy Bridge based system and your so called "high density memory ICs which aren't compatible with these older socket types" is plain blunder. You should note that what he is currently using where different specification RAM. One is 4GB and the other is 2GB, as per your theory it cant work right ??:lol:

Yes people making what can be expensive propositions is foolish - I agree wholeheartedly. In this thread it was you making a 'recommendation' not I, I simply stated a fact. There are no guarantees when mixing DRAM. As I said it can work and then again oft times it won't, it's a crapshoot

And I think you cover the whole disagreement here in your own statement " will work fine in most of the cases", which is exactly what I said Maybe it will work and maybe it won't - NO guarantees.

Then what recommendation you can give him than calling some others recommendation "crapshoot". If you can give him a recommendation then what "guarantee" is there that it will work perfectly??

You seems to lack actual real life user experience dealing with RAM troubleshooting's. What you seems to know is some spoon fed recommendations by Intel, AMD, ASUS, Gigabyte etc not any more or less. Actual real life troubleshooting experience vs troubleshooting on the internet is different. Without the basic experience and knowledge of actual hardware making a junk article you stated above is garbage.

Tradesman1 · Dec 12, 2015

Yes there is a big difference in 'real-life' experience and doing it over the forums, real life is much easier. I've only been in the systems business for over 30 years now, the last 17 or so running my own systems business. As far as helping people here on the forums with memory problems, I've had better than 4,000 responses that received Best Solutions, far more than any other member in the forums. I'm also an Admin on the GSkill forums where I've helped even more people that I have here. I've also written tech articles on systems that have been published here and elsewhere.

All that aside, you obviously know more than I, so may I inquire as to what your qualifications would be? I am always interested in learning from others that are more highly qualified than I.

Dark Lord of Tech · Dec 12, 2015

whassup,

Tradesman1 is one of the best ram tech's I've ever come across. His DRAM knowledge and support in these forums is UNMATCHED and he has diagnosed and fixed DRAM and other hardware related issues for many many years. He donates a lot of his FREE time to help and further educate our forum members. He has received a plethora of compliments and has saved forum members countless hours of frustration and money by guiding them. You need to show a some respect while contributing in these forums. This type of behavior and attacks is unacceptable.

Tradesman1 · Dec 14, 2015

When a manufacture can pull consecutive sticks right off the assemble line and they might not play nice (made at same exact time, with same exact components, and those components came from the same exact manufacturing lots - what does that tell you about sticks made at different times using components from different m lots, not to mention different sizes, etc. It comes down to they might work/play and they might not. There are no guarantees - manufacturers won't guarantee using DRAM from different packages as they weren't tested together.

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