Any reason not to add RAM to computer.

[zlolslavez]

My old computer broke for an unknown reason, so I built myself one since it was getting old anyway. My question about it, however, is that the old build ran 4 sticks of 2GB ram, and currently I am running 2 sticks of 8GB ram, is there any reason NOT to use those other 2 sticks for 20GB ram, I know I won't use all of it.

(The only issue I have at hand is the ram runs at 1333 MHz, and I am overclocked so the closest I can run at would be a speed around 1100, and that the computer may have stopped operating due to a RAM stick, but those apparently rarely die.)

 

Full specifications on my profile.

[TheRetiredSlave]

As long as the old kit is DDR3 (I don't know how old it is), it should work just fine.

 

It doesn't really matter either way. I believe that having mismatched kits will cause the RAM to run in single-channel mode, but that doesn't really affect real-world performance by all that much.

[Lolzious]

What @TheRetiredSlave said.

[i_build_nanosuits]

As long as the old kit is DDR3 (I don't know how old it is), it should work just fine.

 

It doesn't really matter either way. I believe that having mismatched kits will cause the RAM to run in single-channel mode, but that doesn't really affect real-world performance by all that much.

mismatched ram will still run on dual channel mode but they will do it at the speed of the slowest sticks...so if for example you have 2 sticks at 1333mhz and 2 sticks that are 1600mhz...it will all run at 1333mhz...the most important spec is the VOLTAGE for the ram sticks...you want them to run at the same voltages...so if your kit is 1.5v...make sure you pick another 1.5V kit

[Ertman]

you could always test the ram to see if it has gone bad if that's something you are concerned about.

[sgloux3470]

You should never mix and match RAM.

 

 

Should always be the same size from the same kit.  

[NumLock21]

Add it, the more the better!

*check out my rig, it's got blah blah blah, 8GB of ram*

*Oh yeah? I got 16GB!*

You: *pfff... 20GB!*

[y11971alex]

There's no reason why not, as long as they're operational. 

 

I've done this on multiple computers, including on my grandfather's investment computer, which has 3 sticks total of 256 + 256 + 128 mB @ 233 mHz (?).

[vembutech]

Most of them mix the RAM. This cause frequency and memory variation.

It's better to maintain same size of RAM in all slots.

[TheRetiredSlave]

mismatched ram will still run on dual channel mode but they will do it at the speed of the slowest sticks...so if for example you have 2 sticks at 1333mhz and 2 sticks that are 1600mhz...it will all run at 1333mhz...the most important spec is the VOLTAGE for the ram sticks...you want them to run at the same voltages...so if your kit is 1.5v...make sure you pick another 1.5V kit

 

I was talking about mismatched capacity. IE, you can't have 4 GB (2x2) on one channel and then 16 GB (2x8) on the other channel. 

 

I'm not sure about this one, but I'm pretty sure that it also won't run in dual channel mode if you have 10 GB (8 + 2) in each channel.