Choosing RAM

Hello, Im thinking about getting 4gb of Ram (Yes i have a 32 bit system, No i dont plan on upgrading to a 64bit)

Thing is. What RAM should i get? Since i dont know alot about ram. Could someone explain

Cas Latency
Timing
ECC
Unbuffered/Registered
Heat Spreader
Whats the difference between PC2 Types
What is PC2
What is Ram Speed. Like, How much of a difference does it make and what are some of the principals behind it.

Any help can be appreciated

 

What laptop do you have?

no laptop supports ECC memory, so do not worry about that
Heat spreaders help to dissipate heat better, but they make the memory cards thicker, consequently they usually do not fit into most laptops
PC2 is a short way of stating that the memory is DDR2.
Meaning that it is double data rate memory.
When using DDR2 the effective memory speed is the speed the memory is marketed as. However it runs at 1/2 the actual frequency.
So if you have PC6400, the memory is running at 400Mhz, but effectively at 800Mhz because it is Double data rate memory

Depending on the laptop you have, some support different memory speeds.
Knowing that we can help you figure out what is best for your system.

K-TRON

 

Cas latency and timing: The ratio between column access time and clock cycle time. CAS Latency 2 (CL2) offers a slight performance increase over CAS Latency 3 (CL3). For more information, see THIS.

ECC: (Error Correction Code) - A method of checking the integrity of data in DRAM. ECC provides more elaborate error detection than parity; ECC can detect multiple-bit errors and can locate and correct single-bit errors.

Unbuffered ram: Memory that does not contain buffers or registers located on the module. Instead, these devices are located on the motherboard.

Registered ram: memory that contains registers directly on the module. The registers re-drive the signals through the memory chips and allow the module to be built with more memory chips. Registered and unbuffered memory cannot be mixed. The design of the computer memory controller dictates which type of memory the computer requires.

PC2: is part of the module name and refers DDR2 memory. PC-xxxx modules are DDR memory

Ram speed: it's pretty self-explanatory. It's the speed of ram measured in the total clock cycles per second (or Mhz). The greater the mhz, the faster it can process the data. The overall speed of the ram goes hand-in-hand with the CAS latency.

Heat spreaders: also, as the name suggests helps dissipate heat as ktron mentioned.

 

Well,

There's nothing like learning theory and practice. I encourage it.

However,

If you'd simply like to upgrade to compatible RAM as easily as possible:

D/L CPU-Z

Click on the SPD tab and order a (2 x 2GB) kit of the same stuff if it's a common brand that's easily available at a reasonable price.

If not:

Note the type (eg. DDR2)
Note the speed, which is labeled 'Maximum Bandwidth' (eg. PC6400).
Switch to the Memory tab and note the timings (#'s followed by the word 'clocks')

Buy RAM that is:

The same type
Equal or higher speed
Equal or higher number timings (equal preffered)

That's the easiest way I can think of (besides having someone else do it)!