I recently got a 1x16GB stick of 3200MHz RAM, but I don't have enough budget for another one. I'm wondering if I should use this new RAM instead of my old 2x8GB sticks of 2666MHz. My motherboard only has two RAM slots (A1 and B1), so I'm looking for the best performance option here.
3 Answers
I’d go for the 2x8GB 2666MHz option. In most cases, that setup will outshine the single 1x16GB stick. If you can’t return the 16GB, you might try mixing it with the 8GB stick. If it works without issues, you’ll still be at 16GB total with a decent performance boost from dual channel.
I had a similar choice, but I went with 2x8GB 5600MHz RAM instead of 1x16GB 6000MHz. It made a noticeable difference in performance, so I'd recommend going with the dual channel for DDR4 too.
Using 2x8GB in dual channel is generally better for performance compared to 1x16GB in single channel. I'd stick with the 2x8GB setup until you can grab another 16GB stick. Dual channel can really boost your speed in most scenarios.
Yeah, two channels at 2666MHz give you more bandwidth than just one channel at 3200MHz. That's why many prefer the dual setup.