Laptop Memory

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Common Questions about Laptop Memory

Introduction

When shopping for a laptop memory upgrade, you will encounter technical terms such as CAS latency, bandwidth, and SO-DIMM. Knowing what those terms mean is very important, as they can be indicators for performance and determine compatibility. To help you find the ideal laptop memory upgrade, NeweggBusiness defines the most important terms and technologies below.

Terms

Bandwidth

Also sometimes referred to as memory speed, it is a measurement of the rate that data can be transferred onto and off memory. The higher the bandwidth, the faster the laptop will be able to load files that are stored in memory. However, it is generally more beneficial to have more memory than to have faster memory.

CAS Latency

CAS latency a measure of the delay from when the motherboard requests data stored in memory to when the data is received by the motherboard. A lower CAS latency rating is better for performance. However, you should prioritize having more memory over having memory with lower CAS latencies. Having more laptop memory will provide more performance gains than having faster laptop memory.

Double Data Rate (DDR)

A technology that improves data transfer speeds for memory, it has since been superseded by DDR2 and DDR3. DDR, DDR2, and DDR3 laptop memory are not interchangeable with each other. Of the three different types of memory, DDR3 has the fastest speeds and is the current standard for new laptops and notebooks.

SO-DIMM

Short for Small Outline Dual In-line Memory Module, SO-DIMM laptop memory modules have much smaller dimensions than desktop memory. SO-DIMM memory is commonly used by laptops and small-form-factor desktops, such as PCs with Mini-ITX motherboards.

Voltage

A memory module’s rated voltage indicates how much power it needs to achieve its rated speed and timings. Lower voltage memory has the advantage of utilizing less power, which can mean longer battery life.

Final Words

With the terms and definitions provided above, you will be able to shop for the ideal laptop memory for your needs. For additional help shopping for laptop memory, utilize NeweggBusiness’ Memory Finder tool.

By NeweggBusiness Staff