I've been looking into upgrading my PC's RAM because of the current prices and I'm considering using three identical 8GB sticks. I've seen mixed opinions online; some say it can cause issues while others argue that having them all match will make it function better, despite the last stick running in single-channel mode. I usually need more than 16GB for my tasks, so I want to know if three sticks could actually work or if it's better to stick with two.
2 Answers
While it might work if they're the same model, mixing kits can lead to boot failures, so I'd recommend steering clear of that. However, if you're already comfortable with PC building, it's not the end of the world; I've had mixed kits and they weren't catastrophic for me.
Using three RAM sticks is technically possible, so your system will boot, but keep in mind that it can make performance slower compared to using two or four sticks, and might even lead to stability issues. It's generally not the best option.
How much slower are we talking about?
Yeah, I wouldn't recommend it for newcomers, but if you know what you're doing, it can work fine.