Requirements for dual channel: brand or timings?

[PaulJBis]

Hi all:

I have a Gigabyte 8IPE-1000 motherboard (P4) with 1Gb. of RAM running in dual channel (2x512 Mb.). I've been wanting to upgrade and add more memory (up to 2Gb)., but the problem is that my motherboard's manual says that, in order to run in dual channel, all the memory sticks must be identical, and I can't find anymore the type of memory that I bought the first time around. My 2 current sticks are:

-Kingston Value RAM, DDR400.
-512Mb. each.
-ECC.
-Timings: 2.5-4-4-8.

The people in the store where I bought them say that they have DDR400 512Mb. Kingstons with ECC and with timings of 3-3-3, and that they should work, but I'm not sure. I've also seen memory sticks from another brand which aren't ECC, but that have the same timings than mine (2.5-4-4-8).

So my question is: which ones do I buy? When it comes to making sure that dual channel works, what's more important, the timings or the fact that all the sticks are by the same manufacturer? And can the lack of ECC in the 2 new sticks be a problem?

[Sirber]

you need the exact same dimm, or else you may get troubles.

[PaulJBis]

Well, sure, I know that. But if that's impossible, what's the next best thing? The choice less likely to cause problems?

[foxyshadis]

Better timings (3-3-3-?) can be clocked to worse timings (2.5-4-4-8) without a problem, though you might need to drop the first to 3 if there's a problem. (They all have to identical anyway, at least in each dual-channel.) But I have no idea if that's the key.

Have you visited hardware and overclocking sites looking up reviews on your board, or at least forum threads? Almost always, there's someone who says they tried it and it either worked or didn't. That's how I found out mine is pretty lenient on dual-channel chips, and can run various brands/lines as long as they aren't el cheapo.

[PaulJBis]

I've read some of Anandtech's forums (though not specifically about my MB), and I was kinda surprised when I saw several people saying that "it really didn't matter that much" whether the memory modules were all identical. That's why I decided to ask here; I tend to trust more the people in this board... :-) But anyway, thanks for the tip; I'll keep on looking.