do all brands of memory perform the same

Yep, that is the question, only the catches are. . .
1) Same bus speed and Timings
2) Same amount of errors, or complete lack of
3) And of course, the same type. of memory

I don't know much about memory, but it seems that the speed is dicated in the bios, and thus the brand wouldn't really matter, as long as it performed the timings.

If you don't OC a stick of RAM, they should perform exactly the same so long as they have the same specifications (specified memory speed and timings). Since they are running at the same speed (MHz wise), and the same timing delays, they will perform the same. They shouldn't produce any errors at their rated speed (under most circumstances).

However, when you increase the speed of your memory (wether through bus or timings), errors start popping up and difrent sticks will perform diffrent (even of the same brand). Some 2100 CAS3 sticks will let you go to 144MHz CAS3 (like my stick), or all the way into 180MHz if you're lucky. Brands that tend to keep errors at a minumum at very high speeds (and thus work at those speeds) are Crucial and the like.

In short... If two sticks are run at the same spped (MHz wise) and same timings, they will perform exactly the same regardless of brand. However, some sticks will not OC as high and thus not be as good of quality in our oppinion.

Hope I didn't get you lost!!
JigPu

that exactly what I thought, thanks for reaffirming(sp?) my theory.

u tend to get what u pay for

Go for quality. Yeah...you do get what you pay for.