Hey everyone! I have two 8GB RAM sticks (Corsair 3200) and I'm considering an upgrade, but with RAM prices being high, I'm thinking about adding two more sticks. I'm running a Ryzen 5600G on an AM4 socket and I'm wondering if mixing RAM could lead to freezes while gaming. I've seen mixed opinions—some say mixing RAM is a bad idea, while others claim the only downside is that everything will run at the slowest speed. Is speed really that important for gaming? What's the actual difference in performance between 2400MHz and 3200MHz?
5 Answers
Generally, it's not recommended to mix RAM, especially with AMD CPUs. I had issues where my system wouldn't boot with different RAM speeds. Best practice is to use matching sticks. If you can't match them, expect some potential crashes or instability in gaming.
If you're planning to stick with this setup long-term, I suggest ditching the mixed RAM plan. Buy a 2x16GB kit that matches what you have, or sell your current sticks. It's more stable and you’ll avoid a lot of headaches down the line with potential compatibility issues.
It's always best to have RAM sticks that match in speed and timings. Mixing can lead to weird issues or force you to slow everything down to keep it stable. If possible, just swap for a set that fits your needs instead—much safer in the long run!
The difference between 2400MHz and 3200MHz can be quite significant in games, especially if you're using integrated graphics like on the 5600G. Faster RAM can really help performance, particularly in memory-intensive scenarios. If you have games that use a lot of RAM, it might be worth investing in a matched kit instead.
Mixing different RAM speeds usually means everything will just run at the lowest speed of the slowest stick. So, it might work fine, but there’s also a risk it might not boot at all. It’s a gamble, especially with AMD's memory controller, which might struggle with mismatched modules.
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