A Guide to Buying 8GB of DDR3-1600 Laptop Memory
DDR3-1600 is a type of memory module that fits directly into the memory slot of your laptop's motherboard. These modules hold a total of 8GB of RAM. eBay is your convenient source for all kinds of memory solutions.
Why should you buy a used DDR3-1600 module?Used memory cards offer a convenient, low-cost means of expanding the amount of memory or replacing old modules in your computer. DDR-1600 memory modules come in the form of a single 8GB card or two 4GB cards. Make sure that you have enough open slots in your current motherboard.
What is DDR3-1600 memory?DDR3 is the third generation of something called "double data rate" memory. DDR memory has a much higher data transfer speed than its base clock speed would be normally capable of doing. DDR3-1600 has a base clock speed of 200 MHz, but thanks to DDR technology, it has a maximum data transfer rate of 12.8 GB per second although the actual performance may be somewhat lower once you account for real-world conditions. Different types of DDR3 memory modules can be paired together, but different generations of DDR memory cannot be paired together, meaning that DDR3 is completely incompatible with DDR1 or DDR2. You also need to make sure that the motherboard itself is compatible with DDR3.
What are some different types of DDR3 memory?DDR3-1600 is available in a few different forms, including the following:
- DDR3L: DDR3L is a low-voltage alternative to DDR3 that operates at 1.35 volts instead of 1.5 volts. DDR3L is largely interchangeable with regular DDR3 except in systems that need DDR3L specifically.
- DDR3U: This is an ultra-low-voltage variant that operates at 1.25 volts. Like DDR3L, some computer systems will only accept this type of memory.
- Buffered Memory: Buffered memory has something called a "register" between the module and the rest of the system. As more modules are added to the system, they begin to place a high electrical load on the memory controller. The buffer reduces the electrical load and improves the stability of the system although it comes at the cost of a slight delay in performance. Buffered memory will only work in specially designed motherboards. It is most frequently used in servers.
These DDR3-1600 memory modules are based on a type of technology known as "small outline dual inline" memory module or SO-DIMM for short. SO-DIMMs are designed for computer systems such as laptops with limited space. SO-DIMMs and standard DIMMs are not compatible with each other due to the differences in their physical size and the number of pins.