I've been considering an upgrade for my setup, which currently includes a Ryzen 3600x and 16GB of DDR4 RAM running at CL18 3600 MHz. Windows 11 is using a lot of RAM, so I'm thinking about either adding two 8GB sticks or upgrading to two 16GB sticks. I've seen mixed opinions on whether using all four DIMM slots could negatively affect performance, particularly regarding the memory controller. Is it worth it in terms of everyday use and gaming, or should I prioritize performance over capacity? I'm hoping to save some money here and avoid building a whole new rig. Appreciate any insights!
2 Answers
The consensus seems to be that while you might face a drop in performance if you're using four sticks, the trade-off could be worth it if you're struggling with RAM usage—especially in demanding situations like gaming. If you're looking for maximum performance, consider using two 16GB sticks instead. Otherwise, if you go with four, you might be okay but could lose a bit of speed.
Using all four DIMM slots can be a mixed bag. Some motherboards handle it well, while others don't, which might lead to stability or performance issues, especially at higher speeds. If you stick with RAM that's on your motherboard's QVL list, you should be fine, but there's still a risk of not achieving the advertised speeds like CL18 at 3600 MHz.
So, it's kind of a gamble then? I guess I should check what’s compatible first.
It sounds like two sticks might be the way to go for gaming then. Thanks for the tip!