Is adding slower 16GB RAM worth it for $50?
Asked by
MellowCedar27
I currently have 16GB of memory rated at 4400 MT/s, which corresponds to 2200 MHz actual clock speed for DDR memory. I can buy another 16GB kit rated at 2400 MT/s for around $50. I would keep my existing memory and add the new sticks, giving me 32GB total. I understand that the system would likely run all the memory at the slower kit's speed, but I'm wondering whether the extra capacity is worth the performance tradeoff until I find a better deal. Would you add it, or wait for a matched kit?
Answers
Mixing memory isn’t automatically dangerous, but it can make stability less predictable. At default JEDEC settings it will often work, just at the officially supported lower speed. Trying to run an aggressive XMP profile with both kits could cause crashes or failed boots, while manual tuning may be needed to find stable settings.
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If this is DDR4, $50 for 16GB at 2400 MT/s is fair but not an amazing bargain. The mixed kits may work, but all four sticks will generally run at the slower kit’s settings. You could also have trouble enabling XMP, so check your motherboard and CPU’s supported memory speeds first.
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I’d look for a matched 2x16GB DDR4-3200 or DDR4-3600 kit instead. Those kits are commonly available at reasonable prices and should give you a better balance of capacity, speed, and stability than combining two different kits.
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It depends on what you do. For gaming, the slower memory could reduce performance enough that I’d rather keep 16GB at the higher speed and wait. For productivity, virtual machines, editing, or heavy multitasking, having 32GB can be worthwhile even if it runs slower.
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I’d probably wait. Mixing a 4400 MT/s kit with a 2400 MT/s kit means the system will usually fall back to the slower speed and looser timings. A matched 32GB kit would be a better long-term purchase, especially if you use the computer mainly for gaming.
MellowCedar27: I was also unsure about the conversion—is 4400 MT/s actually 2200 MHz because DDR transfers data twice per clock?
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MellowCedar27: So the safest option would be leaving XMP off unless I’m willing to test and tune the settings manually?