I originally bought my PC with 2x8GB DDR4 memory, and I'm considering adding another 2x8GB kit to reach 32GB. I'm mainly wondering whether running four sticks is likely to cause problems, especially if I buy the exact same model and speed as my current kit. Could it reduce performance or make the system unstable?
4 Answers
If you want the most reliable upgrade, selling the current kit and buying a matched 2x16GB kit is the safer option. Four sticks aren’t automatically bad, but two larger modules are usually easier for the motherboard and CPU’s memory controller to run at full speed.
All four sticks will normally run at the settings of the slowest module. The bigger concern is whether the combined kits can handle the rated speed and timings. If XMP becomes unstable, try lowering the frequency or relaxing the timings.
Two separate kits that look identical aren’t necessarily guaranteed to work together. Some systems will run four sticks at 3200 or 3600 MT/s without trouble, while others may only be stable at the default JEDEC speed, such as 2133 MT/s. It can be a bit of trial and error.
It usually works, especially on a DDR4 system, but four sticks put more stress on the memory controller. Even matching kits aren’t guaranteed to run at their advertised XMP speed. AM4 platforms are generally more tolerant than newer platforms, but they can still need manual tuning or lower memory speeds.
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