Hey everyone! I really need some help here. I just installed a new pair of RAM—16GB+16GB at 3200MHz—into my ASUS TUF Gaming Z690-Plus D4 motherboard, and it's running perfectly. I also have my old RAM—a slower 8GB+8GB at 3000MHz—that I was wondering if I could use as backup RAM in case I ever need extra memory, maybe for heavy audio or video editing tasks. My question is: if I set up the old RAM in different dual-channel slots, will it cause any drawbacks? Will my new RAM automatically downclock to 3000MHz because of the old RAM's presence, or does each dual channel just function independently? Thanks!
3 Answers
Mixing RAM is generally risky because you're also combining different capacities and clock speeds. The different sticks may not play well together, leading to problems. Plus, as I mentioned, you can't set up 'backup RAM'; it all gets accessed together. So the slower speeds may end up slowing down your entire setup.
But what about the idea that the dual-channel RAM gets prioritized over the single channel? Some say the dual-channel memory will be fully utilized first before dipping into the single-channel memory. Can you clarify what you meant by saying 'all gets used at the same time'?
Using two different pairs of RAM isn't the best idea. Your system will utilize both sets at the same time, mixing the speeds, which can slow everything down and may lead to stability issues. It’s usually better just to stick with the new RAM and not use the old one at all.
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