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Would it be a significant performance improvement if I upgraded my 8GB 800Mhz DDR2 RAM to 8GB of 1600MHz DDR3?

Is it always an in/significant improvement or does it depend heavily on my hardware, any other details of my old or intended new RAMs (the models) or my use of it?

I mainly need performance for tabbed browsing and the like and not so much for gaming.

Channel is dual, DC Mode is symmetric, DRAM frequency is 400 MHz, FSB:DRAM is 2:3

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The DDR3 won't fit. DDR2 is old enough that a system with DDR3 would likely be an improvement. While they have the same 'pin count', ram's different between major generations and not cross compatible.

As per your linked question DDR4 is right out

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  • I'm getting new hardware and am currently wondering whether I should also get new RAM. Yes DDR4 is way too expensive and not an signficant enough improvement for me.
    – mYnDstrEAm
    Commented Feb 19, 2017 at 11:06
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    You get the ram that fits in your hardware. You're not going to be able to put in DDR3 into a DDR2 box and vice versa. Ditto with DDR3. Your general choice of ram generation is entirely dictated by your chipset.
    – Journeyman Geek ♦
    Commented Feb 19, 2017 at 11:07
  • alright so it's not down compatible? I guess then I have to get DDR3 RAM.
    – mYnDstrEAm
    Commented Feb 19, 2017 at 11:12
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    See what the processor/motherboard you want supports. Pick the appropriate type of ram based on that.
    – Journeyman Geek ♦
    Commented Feb 19, 2017 at 11:13
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    @mYnDstrEAm DDR2/3/4 is keyed so it physically won't fit - it must match whatever the motherboard supports. And in these days where the memory controller is on the CPU, the motherboard slots will support whatever their CPU supports. So generally CPU + motherboard + RAM is upgraded together, not independently (unless you're just adding more RAM quantity, not a different type).
    – Bob
    Commented Feb 19, 2017 at 11:16

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