RAM

[IHateSandals]

So can I mix 16gb 2400 mhz ram with 4gb 2400mhz ram?

[GrockleTD]

you can, but why?

[Necrovarius]

in short, yes. Many system building companies in the past have done 2GB and 1GB sticks to get to 3GB ram. (Im looking at you Dell). 

Its frowned upon in the community, and I personally wouldnt recommend it, but it wont hurt anything.

[Sakkura]

It could hurt performance if the memory drops into single channel mode rather than flex mode. That usually shouldn't happen though.

 

And there's always some small risk of compatibility issues when mixing RAM, regardless of size or speed or brand etc.

[Princess Luna]

15 minutes ago, IHateSandals said:

So can I mix 16gb 2400 mhz ram with 4gb 2400mhz ram?

You can but ultimately shouldn't from a performance stand point.

[Vector0102]

It's better to mix two sticks of the same size and speed to get the best experience.

[caldrin]

Generally you want to keep ram in matching pairs to run dual channel as you get some extra performance out of it.

I guess you already have a single 16gb stick ? if so dont think you would lose any performance adding an extra 4gb

[GrockleTD]

Just now, caldrin said:

Generally you want to keep ram in matching pairs to run dual channel as you get some extra performance out of it.

I guess you already have a single 16gb stick ? if so dont think you would lose any performance adding an extra 4gb

although, if they did already have 16, why bother adding 4?

[caldrin]

20 minutes ago, GrockleTD said:

although, if they did already have 16, why bother adding 4?

Maybe they found it on the floor ? lol no idea hahaha

[Vector0102]

I tried adding an extra gig of ddr2 to my 2 gigs already in the system and guess what? My mobo actually displayed a message on first boot saying that adding "Different memory modules may not take full advantage of dual channel memory"

[Vortex88]

The rule of thumb is to use the same brand and model of ram. Even if they are the same speed, they're likely going to have different timings. You'll likely lose some performance or even cause some stability issues.

[Sakkura]

11 hours ago, caldrin said:

Generally you want to keep ram in matching pairs to run dual channel as you get some extra performance out of it.

I guess you already have a single 16gb stick ? if so dont think you would lose any performance adding an extra 4gb

Depends, often you'll get flex mode so there's no performance loss.

7 hours ago, Vortex88 said:

The rule of thumb is to use the same brand and model of ram. Even if they are the same speed, they're likely going to have different timings. You'll likely lose some performance or even cause some stability issues.

That's a bad rule of thumb. Brand and model isn't enough to ensure it's actually the same memory underneath, and even if it was the kits still weren't validated to work together. Mixing RAM always has some small risk of compatibility issues, there's really no way to avoid that.

[Vortex88]

13 hours ago, Sakkura said:

That's a bad rule of thumb. Brand and model isn't enough to ensure it's actually the same memory underneath, and even if it was the kits still weren't validated to work together. Mixing RAM always has some small risk of compatibility issues, there's really no way to avoid that.

If it's the same model, then it's not really "mixing ram." If this was something to really worry about, then dual channel kits would be inherently risky simply because their are two sticks of ram instead of one.

[Princess Luna]

Just now, Vortex88 said:

If it's the same model, then it's not really "mixing ram"

Technically it can still be, a kit is made where they go through proper testing to validate it works flawlessly together at the advertised XMP, when you buy two individual memory sticks even if they are the same model and same XMP profile they were not validated to work together.

 

Just because the greatest majority of time it should work it doesn't mean you're not still open to issues just like if it were different models altogether.

 

Also sometimes we have same models with same XMP profiles may carry different DRAM modules may come from different manufactures, like you can have a stick with SK Hynix inside and the other with Micron inside.

[Sakkura]

10 minutes ago, Vortex88 said:

If it's the same model, then it's not really "mixing ram." If this was something to really worry about, then dual channel kits would be inherently risky simply because their are two sticks of ram instead of one.

Dual channel kits are tested together to ensure compatibility. Even if you buy two identical sticks separately, they have not been tested together and there could be issues.