I'm running a Ryzen 5 5600GT on an MSI B450M-A PRO MAX II with one Patriot 8GB DDR4-3200 CL16 stick and one Corsair Vengeance LPX 8GB DDR4-3200 CL16 stick. Each module works by itself at 3200 MHz, but the pair becomes unstable when XMP is enabled. Could the different memory kits be causing this, and would replacing the Patriot with another matching Corsair 8GB stick make 2×8GB at 3200 MHz more reliable?
3 Answers
The simplest troubleshooting step is to disable XMP and confirm whether the system is stable at default settings. If it is, the memory controller may just not tolerate this particular mixed configuration at 3200 MHz. A matched 2×8GB kit is more likely to run at its rated speed, although no memory overclock is guaranteed.
You can tune it manually: match the primary timings, use the recommended DRAM voltage, and lower the frequency if needed. Change one setting at a time and run a proper memory stress test after each change. If you push it too far, you may need to clear CMOS, so make sure you can reset the board easily.
Yes, mixing kits can cause instability even when the capacity, speed, and advertised timings are identical. Try updating the motherboard BIOS first, then run the memory at standard JEDEC settings or manually set both sticks to the slower module’s timings and voltage. If that is stable, you can cautiously test higher speeds again.
It can take a fair amount of trial and error. Sometimes the better-performing stick has to run at the slower stick’s settings, or both modules need to drop below 3200 MHz for reliable operation.