PC133 SDRAM

PC133 SDRAM, like PC100 SDRAM, must meet specific standards set forth by Intel. Trace lengths, trace widths, trace spacing, EEPROM programming specs, and many other qualities all must meet or exceed the Intel requirements. Only those chips rated PC133 are guaranteed to improve performance on 133Mhz systems.

SDRAM is a huge improvement over its DRAM predecessors. PC133 SDRAM and other SDRAM modules take advantage of a concept called burst mode. The RAM also syncs up with the system clock (the S in SDRAM stands for Synchronous) so that the processor can perform a greater number of instructions in a given amount of time.

Purchasing PC133 SDRAM

It is a good idea to purchase your memory from guaranteed compatible manufacturers, as they design their memory to meet all of Intel's PC133 SDRAM standards. Many companies market SDRAM as PC133 SDRAM, but in actuality these RAM modules may compromise quality resulting in malfunctions when operating at speeds of 133Mhz. When buying PC133 SDRAM, stick to brand names that are recognized as industry leaders.

No matter how fast your processor is, if the RAM cannot read data quickly enough, the computer will operate slower than it should. No matter how many high-speed components are installed in a computer, the computer will always run at the lowest component's maximum speed. If you have a slow processor and slow RAM, increasing the size of the RAM might produce better results than increasing the RAM speed.