I've been running my system with Corsair 2x8GB 3200MHz RAM, but I'm starting to feel like I need more memory. I'm wondering whether I should buy another 8GB stick or go for a 16GB stick instead. The price difference between the two options is only $15. Also, if you have any other affordable suggestions for upgrades, I'd love to hear them!
5 Answers
I personally recommend going for 2x16GB sticks if you can afford it. That gives you plenty of memory for modern games, and DDR4 prices are quite low right now!
As long as your motherboard can handle it and all sticks are the same frequency, you should be alright! Just remember that you might lose some performance benefits in dual channel, but it’s usually a 95% chance of it working just fine.
Mixing RAM sizes generally works fine, but keep in mind it usually defaults to the slower speed of the two kits. For the best results and stability, it's a good practice to have matching kits. If you're short on cash, it’s still doable using mixed RAM, just make sure the slower speed meets your needs.
Yes, you can definitely mix RAM sizes like that! Just make sure to install the RAM sticks in the right slots to enable dual-channel mode. For example, you would place the 2x8GB in one channel and the 1x16GB in another channel for optimal performance. This way, you'll get all 32GB running in dual-channel mode. If you don't do that, you might end up with only 16GB in dual-channel and the rest in single-channel, which is not ideal.
Exactly, that's the key!
If you're looking to expand your RAM, ideally you want either 2 or 4 sticks for dual-channel mode to really boost performance. If you're only going to add one stick, it's best to replace your current RAM with a 2x16GB kit. While you could technically add 2x8GB sticks to reach 32GB, it might be tricky to stabilize them together since compatibility varies.
I've been using around 60-80% of my memory space. Should I be good with just my current setup?
Yes, if you're not maxing out your memory usage often, you might not need to upgrade just yet.
So if I want to ensure the best performance, I should stick to filling the channel pairs correctly, right?