How to Buy RAM

Video Transcript

"Hi, my name is James. I'm the computer hardware training coordinator for InterConnection, and today I'm going to show you how to buy RAM. We have different types of RAM here. Depending on how old your computer is, it may have different types. This right here, this is RAM is about how old the computer is, it's SD-RAM. It's very easy to identify, it has two notches. One thing that aides in buying RAM, is the fact that most RAM only fits in the right slot. This isn't going to fit in that slot, because you have little teeny walls that will go right here, and right here. SD-RAM is primarily older RAM, you can still buy it at some stores, but this is SD. There are a couple of different types of DDR memory. Right here we have DDR1, that's one little slot right there, easy to see it, only fits in the computer one way. Then we have DDR2, same type of slot configuration, it's just a little faster. The next type of memory is slightly more temperamental, it's called RD-RAM. This right here is a piece of RD-RAM. As you can see it has two slots towards the inside. Now you're not going to accidentally be able to put this in a DD slot or an SD slot. What you can accidentally do is not put in the right sticks. This RAM has to be installed in pairs. When you buy this RAM, you're going to get two pieces of RAM, they are identical, because you have to install them identically. You can't install one 512 piece, you need two 256's. And if you have two more slots, you can't leave them open, you need these. This isn't really RAM, this is just blank, but you need these to fill those other two slots. The easiest way to find out what RAM's your computer needs, is to consult the manual, or the Internet. In this case, we're looking at ASUS motherboard. In here, we're going to have a list of all the memory, the exact types and model numbers, that manufacture recommends for that particular computer. It's usually best to use that type of memory, because the manufacturer guarantees compatibility. If you don't have this manual, you can usually Google your model number of your motherboard, and you'll come up with similar results. My name is James MacGregor, I'm the computer hardware training coordinator for InterConnection, and I've just showed you how to buy RAM."