RAM Specifications for a Compaq Presario 6000
By Bear Naff
The HP Compaq Presario 6000 is a desktop computer released in 2002. It shipped with a 1.8GHz Athlon XP 2200+ processor. The HP Compaq Presario 6000 was marketed as a general purpose computer, with a mid-range graphics card for the time and moderate specifications. It was aimed at both the home and business markets.
RAM type
The HP Compaq Presario 6000 uses DDR, or double data rate, random access memory (RAM). Specifically, it can use DDR PC 2700 or DDR PC 3200 RAM. DDR Ram features backward-compatibility. Some faster types (determined by the number in the title) can be used on machines that support slower-speed variations of RAM. However, installing a stick of higher-speed RAM than the computer can directly support will not cause faster memory access.
Physical Type
The HP Compaq Presario 6000 uses desktop RAM. RAM for desktop computers is packaged in DIMMs, or dual in-line memory modules. The phrase "in-line memory module" refers to the general stick shape of the module; "dual" refers to the fact that there are RAM chips on both sides of the module.
Description
The correct kind of desktop RAM for the HP Compaq Presario 6000 is a standard DIMM. These modules are 133.35mm long, 30mm tall, and 4mm wide. They are usually green in color, like most electronics, and will have small black chips arrayed on both sides. Some modules are different colors or have heat-sinks covering the chips. The best way to determine that a given module is the right kind of DIMM is to examine the pins across the bottom. The correct DIMM will have 240 pins, separated into two groups, across the bottom.
Performance
When DDR-RAM was introduced, it was a marked improvement over the previous PC RAM standard, PC-133. The PC 2700 standard operates at 166MHz, making it faster than the first DDR standard by a small amount. PC 2700 has been superseded twice within the DDR standard framework, and DDR itself has been superseded by DDR2 and DDR3. So, in comparison, the RAM in the HP Compaq Presario 6000 is on the very low end of acceptability as of May 2010.
Availability
As of May 2010, DDR PC 2700 RAM (also known as DDR-333) and PC 3200 RAM (also known as DDR-400) are still both commercially available. The HP Compaq Presario 6000 supports up to 2 GB of RAM spread across two memory slots. The largest amount of RAM that can be put on a single module is 1 GB. As this computer and its attendant technologies age further, availability will eventually go down once manufacturers stop making the chips required to make DDR RAM.
References
Writer Bio
Bear Naff is a 30-something living in Houston who previously wrote for the legal profession. In his day-to-day life, Mr. Naff performs IT work for multiple clients.