I'm new to PC building and have a quick question. My current setup has a Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 2x16GB kit, and my motherboard can support 4 RAM slots. I'm thinking about getting a second identical kit to max out at 64GB total. I've done some reading, and it sounds like most people believe the risks are pretty low when mixing identical RAM kits. I'm okay with minor performance drops, but I'm concerned about serious risks, like damaging my OS or hardware. Any advice or experiences to share? Thanks in advance!
4 Answers
While it's best to get a full matching kit that’s been tested together, I've successfully mixed RAM myself. Just make sure the timings and specs are identical. Some memory controllers can be finicky, but it should work well assuming everything matches. Just confirm your motherboard and CPU can handle 64GB, too!
You should be fine! DDR4 is less picky than DDR5, and I've paired different sizes (like 4GB with 8GB) without any issues. Your setup should handle it as long as you're mixing similar RAM.
I didn’t realize that! I thought RAM was super sensitive. I’ll keep that in mind, thanks!
The risks are really low if you mix identical RAM kits. Worst case, the RAM might not run at full speed, which just means a slight performance drop. There's no real concern about harming your hardware or OS.
As long as it’s just a small efficiency issue, that sounds good to me. Thanks for the reassurance!
I did exactly what you're planning, and it worked great for me! I upgraded to 64GB using two identical 2x16GB sets. Just check your purchase history for details about the first kit if you're unsure, and make sure everything matches.
Yeah, getting a full matching kit is probably the safest route. But I really don't want to waste the ones I have. I think I’ll go for the matching kit either way. My motherboard does support 64GB, so that's good!