I'm looking to upgrade my system from 16GB to 32GB of DDR4 RAM. Right now, I have two 8GB sticks of 3200MHz DDR4 from PNY. Given the crazy prices for RAM, I'm considering buying another similar set of 8GB sticks to run a total of four sticks. I've checked and they match in terms of frequency, timings, speed, and voltage, but there's a difference in the model number – the new kit has a 'W' at the end of its model, which I believe just indicates a different color. My question is: will using four sticks be safe for my setup? Are there any potential issues I should be aware of? Here's my system info for reference: AMD Ryzen 5 5600; Asus TUF B450 Plus Gaming motherboard; Galax GeForce RTX 3070; and my current SSD is a 512GB NVMe.
4 Answers
Yes, I've done this before with mismatched sticks, and while it can be hit-or-miss, most of the time it works as long as the specs are close enough. Just lower the RAM speed slightly if you run into instability; it’s completely safe!
As long as the specs like speed, timings, and voltage match, you should be fine mixing the two kits. Worst case, they might not run at the full speed but you won't face major issues. Just remember that it'll run at the speed of the slowest kit, but that's totally safe!
So, just to clarify, using one of the kits won't leave me unable to use my system, right? Just slower performance?
I've been running four sticks with different brands and speeds for over a year without issues. Just make sure they all have similar timings and frequency, and you're good! It's more about the overall matching than identical kits.
Do you have XMP enabled for higher speeds?
Honestly, the idea that all sticks have to be identical is a myth. Your setup will just adapt to the slowest stick's speed. As for aesthetics, it's nice to have them matching, but it’s not a necessity, especially since you’re going for a budget upgrade.
True, but it's all about minimizing issues, right? So, I'm safe to just run one of the kits without abandoning it?
So you’re saying it's not likely I’d have to get rid of one of the kits, just that speed might be affected?