I'm thinking about upgrading my RAM setup. Right now, I have two 8GB sticks, but I'd like to add a 16GB stick. I realize that this means I won't have dual channel anymore, and I've been struggling with some games that require more RAM, especially when modding. I have DDR5 at 5600MHz, so I'm curious if adding this 16GB stick would create any issues or if I should just sell my current sticks and go for a different configuration. Any advice?
5 Answers
Just make sure to balance the channels, and you should be fine. That's the key to making the most out of your setup!
If you set it up right, you can still have dual channel by putting the 8GB sticks in one channel and the 16GB in the other. But just a heads up, running mixed sizes can lead to instability, especially with DDR5, so keep that in mind.
DDR5 can have some issues when you use more than two sticks, even if they're the same. You might want to consider selling your 2x8GB and getting a 2x16GB kit instead. RAM prices are pretty wild right now, but it might be worth it if you're planning to upgrade anyway.
Yeah, I'm seeing those 2x16GB kits going for 330-500 bucks. That's a lot to drop for me right now!
Honestly, I'd say it's better to sell and get two sticks in dual channel. But given how crazy RAM prices are right now, it might not be worth the performance hit for many people.
I went through a similar upgrade, had two 8GB and ended up with two 16GB sticks. I tried mixing them all for 48GB, but experienced quite a bit of instability, particularly when gaming. It's safer to stick with two high-capacity sticks if your motherboard supports flex mode.
Yeah, I think I'm just going to sell my current setup and go for the 2x16GB; it seems like the best option for stability in the long run.