I'm looking to upgrade my current PC RAM and I'm torn between getting four 16GB sticks or two 32GB sticks. I need some advice on which option would be better. If the consensus is to go with four sticks, how do I properly set them up in my motherboard? Currently, I have two sticks in A2 and B2 slots according to the mobo manual, but it doesn't specify how to configure four sticks effectively.
5 Answers
If you opt for four sticks, make sure you keep them paired correctly as you currently have them (2-1-2-1) with the two being the new ones. Just a heads up, with four sticks, you might experience some instability at higher speeds. For instance, I have four sticks of 32GB RAM running at 3600MHz, but they were unstable, so I dropped it down to 3200MHz, which is working fine.
I had a similar issue with my four sticks of 3200MHz RAM. They were unstable at first, but after switching up my settings and XMP configurations, they seem to be doing much better. So, experimenting can help!
For most situations, two 32GB sticks are the way to go. Particularly for gaming, since 64GB is likely overkill for what you need.
Are you going with DDR4 or DDR5? If it’s DDR4, you might want to check if your current sticks are dual-rank vs. single-rank. Getting identical sticks is the best way to go. For DDR5, I’d suggest sticking with two sticks to keep everything running smoothly with XMP settings.
Honestly, I’d recommend going for the 2 x 32GB sticks. Dual-channel memory usually offers better performance since you're reducing potential compatibility issues. Plus, 64GB is a bit overkill for most gaming and general tasks.
Thanks for confirming that! I just needed to double-check.
Remember, four sticks can still operate in dual-channel mode, but it's typically cleaner and more stable with just two.
Having fewer sticks can be advantageous, as long as you make sure to get a matched pair. It can simplify upgrades later on too.
Exactly! Four sticks can be a bit tricky speed-wise, but it can be worth it, especially if the price difference isn’t huge between getting more RAM or replacing what you have.