Memory question, should I change it out?

[jacob]

Currently I have a Gigabyte Z68X-UD4-B3 with 8G Mushkin Stiletto RAM.
http://ncix.com/products/?sku=55544&vpn=996770&manufacture=Mushkin%20Enhanced&promoid=1370
8GB 2X4GB PC3-10666 DDR3-1333 9-9-9-24

Now Gigabyte hasn't tested this memory out.
However, G.Skill Ripjaw has been tested but certain modules I'm looking at are different but still G.Skill Ripjaw series.

The store I'm looking at has the following series.
G.SKILL Ripjaws X F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL
and
G.SKILL Ripjaws F3-10666CL9D-8GBRL


The first above being only in a 4G only, ending with 8GBRL.
The second having the exact same model number, but on Gigabyte's site it mentions 4Gs only.

Does the GBXL/GBRL really matter in this case?

 

[beenthere]

Mixing of RAM is never advised... RAM can have the same exact specs and use different chips making them incompatible. G.Skill may be able to tell you if they'll work together but more than likely you will only know by trying as nothing is guaranteed when mixing RAM.

There are a number of differences. The heatsink design and the frequencies are different. See the links below.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231428

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231311

 

[jacob]

I should have clarified, I don't plan to mix RAM at all.
My friend is going to possibly take my RAM off me (since we have the same and he needs 16G) and I was contemplating the G.Skill set.
Just not sure which and/or what the differences are.

 

[cadder]

If the ram that you have works, it would not be worth much trouble to change it out. If your friend takes your ram and you buy new ram, that could possibly be done without much trouble. You would have to run tests to determine if it makes any difference to you or not.

Now that we're past the core2duo series ram speed is not as much of an issue as it used to be.

 

[jacob]

Okay, fair enough thanks for the replies.


As for running tests, I'm assuming you don't mean MemTest, so which do you recommend or suggest?

 

[jacob]

Best answer selected by jacob.

 

[cadder]

As for running tests, I'm assuming you don't mean MemTest, so which do you recommend or suggest?

I assumed you were interested in performance. You could run benchmarks using your current ram, switch to the new ram and re-run the benchmarks. Personally I wouldn't do it unless you had the circumstances to allow both sets of ram to be available.