But it's possible the RAM DIMM's capacity is higher than the motherboard is rated for. RAM speed should dynamically shift down if it's faster than the slot itself can handle, and timings shouldn't have an impact on the compatibility at all. That being said, it's rare but possible that RAM might not be compatible with a motherboard, even if it's the right type. RAM DIMM sticks are fairly standard and well-designed: they can only be inserted one way on both desktops and laptops, desktop and laptop RAM isn't interchangeable, and different generations of RAM won't fit in the wrong socket (so a motherboard that only supports DDR4 RAM can't physically fit DDR3). Step Two: Check Your Motherboard's Compatibility
