I bought a single 16GB RAM stick (Kingston FURY KF432C16BB2A/16) about a year ago, and I'm planning to get another stick. However, I can't find the exact same RAM in stock anymore. The new one I'm considering is a Kingston FURY KF436C18BB2A/16, which is 16GB as well but has a higher speed of DDR4-3600 CL18. I'm wondering if I can run both of these RAM sticks in dual channel mode with my setup, which includes a RYZEN 5 5600G processor and a GIGABYTE B550M DSH3 ULTRA DURABLE motherboard, alongside an RX 6600 graphics card.
5 Answers
You can technically mix these RAM sticks, but ideally, you should use two sticks of the same type to avoid any issues.
Mixing RAM from different SKUs on an AMD platform can lead to problems, including boot failures. It might be risky!
It's possible to mix them, but they'll operate at 3200 MHz, which is the slower frequency. Aim for clarity in performance.
I'm okay with running at 3200 MHz. Do you think it's a good idea to go for it?
Yes, you can run these RAM sticks in dual channel, but just keep in mind that they'll operate at the slower speed of 3200 MHz (the speed of your original RAM). There are no guarantees, but it should work. Why not look for a second stick with the same specs though?
They don't sell the exact same stick here anymore, so I'm wondering if it's worth getting the 3600 MHz one since it's cheaper.
Just a heads up, they'll default to CL18 since that's the slower latency of the two.
Should I just get a 2x8GB kit and sell the 16GB stick instead?