I'm using an Asus Strix B550-A motherboard with a pair of 8GB DDR4 3600MHz CL16 Ripjaws V sticks. I found another set of 8GB sticks at 3600MHz CL18 that are affordable. Would it be sensible to mix them to reach 32GB total? I'm considering this as a temporary solution given the current market prices.
3 Answers
Sure, you can add those sticks! It's not the perfect scenario, but it should work at the lowest speed and timings of the two RAM kits.
I went through something similar, and while it functioned, I didn't hit top speeds with the modules. Even though they were matched, they wouldn't perform at 3800MHz unless I used just two sticks. You should be okay with 3600MHz, but if they only run at 3466MHz, it doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong. Just a heads up!
Yes, but keep in mind that the performance will be capped by the slowest stick, and it might actually be a bit worse because you'll have two sticks sharing bandwidth on each channel. Still, more RAM is generally beneficial!
Got it! Before I install the new 8GB sticks, should I set the RAM timings back to auto since they're currently on XMP? How can I ensure everything runs smoothly afterward?
I appreciate that! I'm just looking for a quick fix during this price surge. Did you face any instability when you mixed the RAM?