Adding memory - do they need to match?

[cchadwick]

I currently have two sticks of Crucial Ballistix 1GB DDR2-800 (4-4-4-12, 2.0V) in my system. I'd like to add another two (either 1 GB's or 2 GB's) to increase my total memory. I know that my motherboard (Gigabyte GA-EMP45-D54P) can handle sticks of different sizes. Am I assuming correctly that I'd want to aim for more 2.0V RAM since the motherboard sets all four DIMMS to the same voltage? In addition, does it matter if the timings are different, or will it cause a performance decrease? DDR2 is obviously on its way out, so I'm looking to get an upgrade on the cheap. Or should I just ditch the high-voltage RAM entirely and go for something in the 1.8V range?

Thanks for your help!

 

[aford10]

You should get similar memory. Different kits, often times, don't work well together. If they are different, they will only run as fast as the slowest kit. If the timings and voltages are different, you'll want to manually set them in the BIOS.

 

[expat]

i,ve got 2x2 gb corsair xms3 ram and 2 gb of idata ram running in my system without issue and i have an foxconn blackops mobo which are well known for being choosy with ram.
i think it,s better to have 4gb of mismatced ram than 2gb of matcing ram .
MORE IS BETTER!

 

[aford10]

It's not about the brand. It's more about the timings and voltages.