Mixing Memory Brands

[Mattu]

Ok n00bish question, but I just want to make sure I can do this.

I just bought this memory for my aging Dell Optiplex 755: http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300662266493

Now, I'm thinking of buying one of these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-1GB-PC2-6400-DDR2-800-Desktop-Memory-RAM-DIMM-Dell-Sony-Lenovo-Asus-Acer-HP-/270911784763?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f1399c73b#shId to bump my total memory up to 5 GBs.

I have 4 memory slots. I'm already running Win. 7 64-bit, so I'm golden there.

Just want to know if it will be ok to mix the two brands. I'm just concerned that the other brand may have a different "Latency Timing" or something like that.

Thanks.

 

[linkin]

Different brands are fine so long as the type and specs are the same, else it will default to the slowest speed and timings (ie the slowest stick)

 

[Briilee]

You would get less performance if you put the extra 1gb dimm in.
It needs to run in dualchannel

 

[claptonman]

Agreed, and for basic use, 4GB is more than enough.

 

[cabinfever1977]

^^^ yes what he said ^^^

 

[Mattu]

Ok thank guys!

So you're basically saying that the extra 1 GB stick would force the system to run in single channel which would render less performance?

 

[claptonman]

Yes. If you want more than 4GB, go for 2 sticks of 1Gb.