Crucial Technology

Full review
My experience with Crucial.com was nothing short of extraordinary. Although I had used the site as reference guide in the past, it wasn’t until a week ago that I made my first purchase from them. Given the quality of their products and the speedy delivery service, I will definitely look to Crucial.com again when I need to purchase RAM for my PC.

Crucial.com sells memory, or RAM, for your desktop or laptop computer. They even sell memory cards for your digital cameras. I just noticed they also have a small line of video cards. If you need to upgrade the memory on your computer, this online store has what you need. Before I continue, I think it should be stated that by memory I am talking about RAM, or Random Access Memory. Many people confuse their computer’s RAM with the capacity of the hard drive. Nobody has 80 gigs of memory in their home computer, but you may have an 80 gig hard drive. RAM is what the PC needs to store and utilize the many functions it has to process. The more RAM you have, the faster and more efficient your computer will run. If you think your machine is running too slow, a memory upgrade will almost always make a noticeable difference.

In the past, I always used Crucial to look up what kind of RAM was needed for a certain PC. There are many different classifications of computer memory and you need to make sure you buy the right kind for your machine or else it won’t work correctly or you won’t get the kind of increased performance you’re looking for. Sticks of RAM come in different capacities such as 128, 256, or 512 megs. You can even buy a full gig of ram on one stick if you want, but make sure your PC will support it. RAM also comes in various sizes depending on the number of connector pins it has. It is also given speed ratings like PC2100 or PC2700 and you’ll need to know that information, too.

Don’t let all the specifications and numbers confuse you when it comes to ordering RAM. That is where Crucial earns big points, especially for someone like me who is the go-to guy in the family when a computer question arises. If you don’t know what kind of memory to buy for your computer, just go to Crucial.com and select the brand name and model number of your PC. It will not only tell you what kind to buy but will offer you a link to purchase it directly from the site.

What made me decide to order from Crucial was their great prices. I recently bought a Compaq laptop that only had 256 megs of RAM and I wanted to double the memory to 512 megs. I went back to the Circuit City where I bought the machine and they had 256 meg RAM chips for a whopping $59.99. “Screw that,” I said, “I’ll go look for a better deal online.” And so I visited Crucial.com and found the same type RAM I needed for $33.99! I had it shipped via UPS second day and the total cost for less than $38. RAM comes in a small box and so they can’t really justify charging a lot for shipping. I currently live in a federal disaster area (MS Gulf Coast) and was even more impressed that UPS was still delivering, but that’s a whole other review waiting to happen.

Inside the box with the memory, Crucial also includes a little how-to foldout guide to show you how to install the RAM. The instructions are not specific to your machine, so you may need to consult the user manual (RTFM!) or manufacturer’s website for specifics. Upgrading the RAM is literally as simple as plugging in it. I have to stifle a laugh when I see computer stores charging people $30 just to install RAM. Seriously, it takes longer to remove the screws from the back of the case than it does to install the RAM. Don’t pay an extra thirty bucks for some kid to laugh at you.

In short, Crucial.com has great prices and a great selection, and I would definitely buy from them again. If you order from them, you will save money. Period.