I'm moving to a system with a better motherboard and graphics card. It currently has 16 GB (2×8 GB) of PNY DDR4-3200 CL22 memory, while my older computer has 16 GB (2×8 GB) of G.Skill Ripjaws V DDR4-3000 CL15 memory. Would adding the G.Skill kit to the newer system provide a noticeable benefit by bringing it up to 32 GB, or could the different speeds, timings, and kit types cause problems? I also noticed the PNY memory may be listed as SO-DIMM, so I'm unsure whether it's even compatible with the motherboard.
3 Answers
More memory can help if your games or other programs are actually using close to 16 GB. If you’re not running out of RAM, going from 16 GB to 32 GB usually won’t increase gaming performance. The system will generally run all the sticks at the slowest common speed and timings, and it may need even lower settings to remain stable. Also, confirm the PNY modules are desktop DIMMs—SO-DIMMs are laptop memory and won’t fit a normal desktop motherboard.
I’d avoid mixing the kits unless you’ve confirmed they’re physically and electrically compatible. Different memory kits can work together, but there’s no guarantee they’ll run at their advertised settings, and instability is possible. If the newer kit is truly SO-DIMM, it cannot be used in a standard desktop board at all.
The G.Skill kit has tighter timings, but it’s rated for DDR4-3000, so adding it would likely make the faster kit run at 3000 or below. For gaming, test your actual memory usage first. If you regularly exceed 16 GB, 32 GB may reduce stuttering; otherwise, keeping the matched 2×8 GB kit is usually the safer choice.
That makes sense. I’ll verify whether the PNY modules are actually SO-DIMMs and check my memory usage before trying to combine anything.