Many people were asking about the methods to Will Any DDR3 Ram Work on PC which is why I have come up with this article so that you can get the core knowledge.
One of the first things you think about when you want to improve a PC is adding more RAM. If you built your PC between 2008 and 2014, you probably have DDR3 RAM and a DDR3-compatible motherboard.
And to get the best synchronization performance from your upgrade, you must first understand the affinity problem. I’ll also talk about how to add DDR3 RAM to your computer and how it will work.
So, read the article to find out which DDR3 RAM will work on your computer.
Be sure to check out our many other buying guides, including the Best Gaming RAM, Best RAM for Ryzen 9 3900X, and Best RAM for Ryzen 7 5800X.
Will Any DDR3 RAM Perform Best on My PC?
If your motherboard has extra slots, you can fill them with DDR3 memory. If your motherboard and processor are already set up the same way, DDR3 RAM will work best.
But how do you know it only works with DDR3 RAM and not other types? For that, you need to understand how RAM and the motherboard work together, the different DDR versions, and which one your motherboard runs or supports.
If you only have two slots and want a big upgrade, you can get rid of the old stick and fill both slots with RAM that has a faster clock speed. But keep in mind which types of RAM your motherboard can handle.
Also, check out our separate post on Does Ram Brand Matter
So, to clear up your confusion, I’ll talk about how to disable the supported DDR edition, how to sync the mainboard and RAM, and other things that will help you make a decision.
Also, check out our separate post on
How to Detect Supported DDR Edition for RAM
You need to know which version of the main board, RAM, and processor to use when upgrading or troubleshooting. Different variations will slow down your machine. So, you need to find out what kind of RAM is supported.
You can find out which version of DDR your motherboard supports and which version of RAM is already in your computer. First, you need to find the website of the company that made the motherboard. There, you can find support information.
Follow these steps to find the motherboard manufacturer in detail:
- In the bottom left corner, click on the Search Bar.
- Try to Find Some System Details.
- When you click on System Information, the System Summary tab will open.
- Scroll down to find out who makes the BaseBoard.
You can check the BaseBoard Product info and find out who made the product. Now, use this information to search and find more information on the website of your manufacturer.
Go through our epic guide on DRAM Frequency
Follow these steps to learn about your RAM types and their specifications:
- Click the right mouse button on the Task Bar and go to Task Manager.
- Click on the tab called Performance.
- On the left, click the Memory tab.
This page has information about RAM that is already in use. Also, the type of RAM you have, like DDR3 or DDR4, is in the upper right corner. At the bottom, you can see how fast the bus is, how many slots are being used, and how much memory is being used.
You should now know how to get the right specs for your motherboard and RAM.
Follow this list to find out the compatibility:
When you want to add more RAM, you need to know what kind of technology your mainboard uses. RAM has already been copied five times and put on the market.
Still, I have collected all the information you need about DDR3 RAM in the table below.
| RAM Iteration | Official Name | Transfer Rate | MHz Speed (Data Rate) |
| DDR3-800 | PC3-6400 | 6400 MB/s | 800 |
| DDR3-1066 | PC3-8500 | 8533 MB/s | 1066 |
| DDR3-1333 | PC3-10600 | 10667 MB/s | 1333 |
| DDR3-1600 | PC3-12800 | 12800 MB/s | 1600 |
Since 2007, DDR3 has had some of the best memory performance while using less power than its previous generation.
Follow our guide to CPU Usage
So, you’ll find that your motherboard works with DDR3 and that you want to upgrade your memory. But even within the DDR3 memory option, there are so many choices. You’ve already seen that DDR3 memory has different MHz speeds and transfer rates.
Will All DDR3 RAM Function Together?
If your motherboard supports DDR3 memory, most versions of DDR3 memory will work. Even if you use sticks of different sizes in different holes, they will still work. But if you give it a little more thought, you can get good performance from your DDR3 memory.
If both slots were filled with the same clock speed, the performance would be fine. As long as the clock speed stays the same, you can use different brands, and the memory sticks will still work well.
Do check our latest post on the DDR4 Ram Overclocking
So, you can add any DDR3 RAM to your computer and it will work fine. There are a few more things to think about, since you may want both function and performance. If you didn’t need them, why would you buy them in the first place?
Other Features to Concern Before Purchasing Compatible RAM
When you want to fill up extra slots with DDR3 memory, you almost have to know the version and bus speed and make sure they match. But there are a few more settings you can check that will help you get the most out of your RAM.
Check out our expert-recommended How to Choose the Right RAM for Your PC
Here are the features that you should concern about when getting a new RAM:
1. Storage Capacity
Two sticks can send and receive information at the same time. Because it’s harder to make bigger sticks, it usually costs less to buy two sticks with smaller capacities than to buy one stick with double the capacity.
Most DDR3 memory has a capacity of between 4 and 16 GB. BIOS and system software set aside some of the RAM’s available space for system-level tasks. So, you can use about 7.2 GB from a single 8 GB memory slot.
Go through our epic guide on DDR4 vs. DDR5
There is nothing to be scared of, and there isn’t even a big problem. Just take it for yourself when you find it.
2. Power Consumption
If you don’t care about how much voltage your memory needs, you may run into a small but important problem. Your RAM will still work, but the RAM that uses the most power may have trouble with voltage fluctuations.
3. Single vs. Dual Channel Memory
This is one of the most effective ways to make memory sticks work as well as they can. The majority of motherboards have two channels.
In a hurry? Check out my new post on Which RAM Slots to Use
You might buy a 16GB memory stick for your computer. If you get two 8 GB DDR3 modules, it will work fine. That will work even better when put under a lot of stress, like when rendering or playing games. Because of this, it is always better to fill both slots if you can. In every way, this will lead to better performance.
4. Frequency & Latency
“To figure out the total latency of a RAM stick, divide the shared clock speed by two.” This is how we figure out how often we connect and how long it takes to connect. When upgrading RAM, if you mix two different types of memory sticks with different MHz speeds, your machine will use the one with the lowest MHz.
You might have DDR3 RAM with a speed of 1333 MHz. You also get a second piece of 1600 MHz DDR3 RAM. Both versions are the same, but the speed in MHz is different. It looks like they are both working fine, but if you put a lot of pressure on them, you will notice the problem.
Follow our guide to How to Tell If RAM Is Bad
So, when you buy more DDR3 memory for your system, you should double-check the frequency and latency to make sure you get the right one.
So, you can get any DDR3 memory if your motherboard supports it or is compatible with it. But I think you should take a little more time when you get one and look at the features I told you about above. This will help you make the most of your money.
Video: Will Any DDR3 Ram Work on a PC
Conclusion:
You have concluded that you are free to use any DDR3 RAM provided that both your motherboard and processor are compatible with DDR3.
You are free to use any DDR3 RAM; however, you should avoid mixing generations of memory modules.
You should purchase the DDR3 RAM you want, but watch out for the MHz speed and the other considerations I mentioned in the article.
Do check our latest post on How to Increase RAM Speed
In addition, you can optimize the performance of our system’s memory by paying attention to the details provided.
FAQs for Will Any DDR3 Ram Work on PC
Are all DDR3 RAM compatible?
Even though all generations of desktop RAM are the same size and shape, they can’t be used together. You can’t put DDR3 RAM in a computer whose motherboard only supports DDR2. Likewise, DDR3 doesn’t fit in a DDR4 slot. Each generation of RAM has a notch cut into the pins in a different place so that nothing gets mixed up.
Does DDR3 RAM work on all DDR3 motherboards?
As DDR4 will only work in motherboards that are compatible with DDR4, and DDR3 will only fit in motherboards that are compatible with DDR3. The speed can go backward, but the motherboard needs to be compatible.
Is DDR3 all the same?
DDR3 memory does not come in a standard size. So, DDR3 is just DDR3, and SO-DIMM DDR3 is also just SO-DIMM DDR3. Find out how much space your memory takes up. That is the best way to figure out which modules to buy.
Will any DDR3 RAM work with any motherboard?
If your motherboard is DDR3, then you can. No, but sometimes you can put faster ddr3 ram in a Special feature that only takes a certain speed, and the Mobo will just slow the ram down to its best speed. You can’t put slower ddr3 in a faster ddr3 slot, though.
Why is DDR4 better than DDR3?
DDR4 doesn’t just use less power; it’s also a lot faster. The specs for DDR3 range from 800 to 2,133 MTps (millions of transfers per second). DDR4 RAM, on the other hand, has speeds between 2,133 and 3,200 MTps, and you can get faster kits through XMP and overclocking.
