Cheap RAM?

newegg.com is a good website for all computer parts (and some other things).

Crucial is good. So is Newegg. Or if you want really cheap go with ebay, I guess…

Um, Crucial? Newegg? I think you can find the links right on this page ;)

I’ve used Crucial for years with no problems.

I would not buy the cheapest RAM you can find. It’s bound to have problems that can affect your whole system. I bought some super cheap RAM for a 12” Powerbook years ago from Best Buy and started having tons of crashes, corrupted data, etc. Stopped immediately when I took out the RAM. Crucial is great quality and also not very expensive.

Local computer repair shops generally carry good quality brands. It is in their best interest to sell and install good quality ram. Ram can be tricky as not all ram works in every machine. You have to know your machines specs and what you already have: not all ram is compatible . Your machine will only receive so many gigs of ram.
Here is a link to download a program that will give you all the information you need about your computer. http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/System-Info/AIDA.shtml It is a portable program [does not need to be installed] and to start it unzip the download into a folder. Then open the folder and find the aida exe to start. Once you find out what you need you can right click to copy and paste with notepad to print. Bring that in to a local shop along with the ram you already have for advice on what to buy. If they do not seem sure of them selves, talk to someone else. To test your ram download memtest here http://www.memtest86.com/download.html. They offer several different methods to run it., cd, usb, floppy. Basically you restart and boot from which ever media you chose and then walk away for a while depending on the speed of your processor. I usually run memtest at least over night. If you get ANY errors on Brand New Ram, take it back. And be sure you ask about their return policy before buying. You might even discuss why you are buying ram and that you are planning on testing it. You might find out you do not need more ram or the reason you are buying more ram is not your best course of action.. Another program that may help you with system info is Belarc Adviser; it is a installed utility. You can down load it here. http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

I always use Data Memory Systems. Excellent service, lifetime warranties, cheapest prices.

As far as brands go, Patriot offers the most bang for the buck from all the reviews I’ve read.