Using 800MHz RAM on a laptop which supports only up to 533MHz
 

Hi
I'm about to buy some more memory for my kubuntu laptop. The user manual says the laptop supports only up to 533MHz. The 800MHz RAM is about $30 cheaper. Would it be ok if I use the 800MHz in my laptop? Will it just downgrade and work on 533 or it just won't work?

The shop will not accept the memory back if it doesn't work...

Any help appreciated

It is not only the MHZ but more important is voltage Normally older computers use a higher voltage
So if the voltage used by the computer is to high The new RAM will be damaged


good luck

There are other characteristics that need to match, even more so if you are adding memory to empty slots rather than replacing the memory.

Using 800MHz memory at 533MHz is no problem. In fact the memory will be less picky about voltage when used at a lower frequency. But the voltage still needs to be roughly right. Ronlau9 might be correct that older computers used higher ram voltage. I'm not sure (If we're talking about DDR2 ram, 533MHz isn't that old). I would expect laptops to use lower voltage ram than desktops and cheaper 800MHz ram to use higher voltage than more expensive ram. So I would have been worried the ram needs higher voltage than the laptop provides (but that may be offset by the fact that ram is less picky about especially low voltage when you use it at a lower frequency).

Hi,

The speed will not be the problem. The specification DDR, DDR2 and DDR3 are also for footprint, voltage, speed, etc. Check the linked references.

You should spec your memory within the laptops class. Even if you can get a DDR3 and your laptop specs a DDR, it won't fit. If you have DDR2 then get DDR2.

Thanks for all the info!

The laptop is not really that old. Its a HP NX7400. It uses DDR2, so does the memory I'm looking into buying, so I guess I'll give it a go on the 800MHz. I'll leave a post here after I've tested with the new memory.

Works, no problems.