IS MIXING RAM SIZES FINE?

[Ryzen_Gamer_69]

Soo... my pc has currently 8gigs(4x2) of ram and my mobo has four slots.... Im gonna upgrade it, Im gonna buy new ram at the same manufacturer, same frequency, but with a different size because they ran out of stock of the 4gigs one and  also I want higher gigs cuz I want it for future editing like after effects, is it fine like, 4gbx2 sticks and have 8gbx2 sticks both at 2400mhz, is it ok? However, I didnt mixed frequency speed, they're the same speed so no underclocking the highest memory will be happening. Appreciate for your help!

[TukangUsapEmenq]

I ran an old laptop since I bought it and untill now for 9 years, 1 + 2 GB of DDR3 and it works without problems at all. And I saw a lot of people actually using different size RAM like 3 GB/6GB/12 GB or else.

 

But rather to wait another with more good info of it.

[dilpickle]

Its fine you are just not going to be able to run them at full speed.

[Ryzen_Gamer_69]

9 minutes ago, dilpickle said:

Its fine you are just not going to be able to run them at full speed.

But they're at the same speed or frequency like both of them are 2400mhz but the other one is 4gb and the other one is 8gb. @dilpickle

[jaslion]

5 hours ago, Ryzen_Gamer_69 said:

Soo... my pc has currently 8gigs(4x2) of ram and my mobo has four slots.... Im gonna upgrade it, Im gonna buy new ram at the same manufacturer, same frequency, but with a different size because they ran out of stock of the 4gigs one and  also I want higher gigs cuz I want it for future editing like after effects, is it fine like, 4gbx2 sticks and have 8gbx2 sticks both at 2400mhz, is it ok? However, I didnt mixed frequency speed, they're the same speed so no underclocking the highest memory will be happening. Appreciate for your help!

You can totally do this however if this is a ryzen system then do not. This will mean you'll lose dual channel and thus suffer a pretty big impact in performance.

[Ryzen_Gamer_69]

1 hour ago, jaslion said:

You can totally do this however if this is a ryzen system then do not. This will mean you'll lose dual channel and thus suffer a pretty big impact in performance.

but the rams that I'm gonna buy is totally the same, only the sizes aren't, so it still has impact for dual channel? And y e s I use Ryzen 5 2600 procesor @jaslion

[SpikeSpiegel]

I've done it as well.  I put x3 2 GB DDR3 1333MHz RAM and x1 1 GB DDR3 1333MHz and it works.  But running Windows 10 64 bit OS with 7 GB isn't the sweet spot. 

[Ryzen_Gamer_69]

2 minutes ago, CalintzJerevinan said:

I've done it as well.  I put x3 2 GB DDR3 1333MHz RAM and x1 1 GB DDR3 1333MHz and it works.  But running Windows 10 64 bit OS with 7 GB isn't the sweet spot. 

But I plan to run my system at x2 4gb 2400mhz and x2 8gb 2400mhz, same speed, same manufacturer does it affect dual channel? @CalintzJerevinan

[SpikeSpiegel]

6 minutes ago, Ryzen_Gamer_69 said:

But I plan to run my system at x2 4gb 2400mhz and x2 8gb 2400mhz, same speed, same manufacturer does it affect dual channel? @CalintzJerevinan

It might run it in Single Rank mode not Double Rank mode.  Which can lower performance.  On my Ryzen build I had to get two different brands of RAM 2400 MHZ and 2133 MHZ and I XMP it and it's running in Dual Channel but it's in Single Rank because I got two different brands of RAM with the timings aren't the same.

 

Your best bet is to look at the label of the RAM sticks and see if the timings are the same.

 

https://www.legitreviews.com/amd-ryzen-single-rank-versus-dual-rank-ddr4-memory-performance_192960

[BTGbullseye]

7 minutes ago, Ryzen_Gamer_69 said:

but the rams that I'm gonna buy is totally the same, only the sizes aren't, so it still has impact for dual channel? And y e s I use Ryzen 5 2600 procesor @jaslion

To run in anything except single-channel mode:

 

1. All modules MUST be the same capacity.

2. All modules MUST be the same rank. (single-rank, dual-rank, etc)

3. All modules MUST function at the same speeds and timing settings.

 

If you don't have ALL of those, the system will only run in single-channel mode, and that significantly reduces performance on ANY system, no matter the CPU vendor.

[BTGbullseye]

1 minute ago, CalintzJerevinan said:

It might run it in Single Rank mode not Double Rank mode.  Which can lower performance.  On my Ryzen build I had to get two different brands of RAM 2400 MHZ and 2133 MHZ and I XMP it and it's running in Dual Channel but it's in Single Rank because I got two different brands of RAM with the timings aren't the same.

 

Your best bet is to look at the label of the RAM sticks and see if the timings are the same.

That's not how rank works. Dual rank is when you plug in 4 single-rank modules into a dual channel system. Or two dual-rank modules. There are no consumer quad-rank modules, but there are in the server space. More ranks make for better performance, (even to the point of exceeding what overclocking in single-rank can achieve) more channels make for better performance.

 

Rank is simply the number of logical modules per channel. (if using more than single-channel, they must be the same rank)

[SpikeSpiegel]

1 minute ago, BTGbullseye said:

That's not how rank works. Dual rank is when you plug in 4 single-rank modules into a dual channel system. Or two dual-rank modules. There are no consumer quad-rank modules, but there are in the server space. More ranks make for better performance, (even to the point of exceeding what overclocking in single-rank can achieve) more channels make for better performance.

 

Rank is simply the number of logical modules per channel. (if using more than single-channel, they must be the same rank)

What about running two different brands of RAM?

 

[Ryzen_Gamer_69]

9 minutes ago, CalintzJerevinan said:

It might run it in Single Rank mode not Double Rank mode.  Which can lower performance.  On my Ryzen build I had to get two different brands of RAM 2400 MHZ and 2133 MHZ and I XMP it and it's running in Dual Channel but it's in Single Rank because I got two different brands of RAM with the timings aren't the same.

 

Your best bet is to look at the label of the RAM sticks and see if the timings are the same.

Team Elite Plus Memory 4gb Ddr4-2400 Black Red, Elite Plus U-DIMM DDR4 RAM 4 GB DDR 4 2400mhz Desktop memory, for DDR-4 Ready Motherboards, Team-Elite Plus Black Red Gaming Memory with Heat Spreader, DDR4 RAM Timing CL16-16-16-39, Computer Memory

DDR4 2400 (PC4 19200)Timing 16-16-16-39CAS Latency 16Voltage 1.2VMemory size 8GB (1X8GB)DDR4 2400 (PC4 19200)Timing 16-16-16-39CAS Latency 16Voltage 1.2V

so these are the rams that I will mix @CalintzJerevinan @BTGbullseye

9 minutes ago, CalintzJerevinan said:

It might run it in Single Rank mode not Double Rank mode.  Which can lower performance.  On my Ryzen build I had to get two different brands of RAM 2400 MHZ and 2133 MHZ and I XMP it and it's running in Dual Channel but it's in Single Rank because I got two different brands of RAM with the timings aren't the same.

 

Your best bet is to look at the label of the RAM sticks and see if the timings are the same.

 

[BTGbullseye]

1 minute ago, CalintzJerevinan said:

What about running two different brands of RAM?

Doesn't matter in the slightest, so long as they can operate with the same timings.

[BTGbullseye]

1 minute ago, Ryzen_Gamer_69 said:

Team Elite Plus Memory 4gb Ddr4-2400 Black Red, Elite Plus U-DIMM DDR4 RAM 4 GB DDR 4 2400mhz Desktop memory, for DDR-4 Ready Motherboards, Team-Elite Plus Black Red Gaming Memory with Heat Spreader, DDR4 RAM Timing CL16-16-16-39, Computer Memory

DDR4 2400 (PC4 19200)Timing 16-16-16-39CAS Latency 16Voltage 1.2VMemory size 8GB (1X8GB)DDR4 2400 (PC4 19200)Timing 16-16-16-39CAS Latency 16Voltage 1.2V

so these are the rams that I will mix @CalintzJerevinan @BTGbullseye

 

I would need to see the specific information for the modules, not just the marketing labeling that can be very wrong. Model number would help a lot.

[cr8tor]

So, you are going to upgrade it either way.

The two sticks you listed are as close as you are getting 2 different sized memory modules when it comes to matching specs.

 

So get the new sticks. Take out the old and put the new ones in those slots, then put the old ones in the other slots.

See if it boots and runs. 

If so, download CPU-z and run it, then go to the memory tab and see if it reprts dual channel mode or single.

If its single, pull the old stuff out, it will run faster with 8gb of memory in dual channel mode than it will with 12gb at single channel mode.

Edited October 26, 2020 by cr8tor
more words explaining

[Ryzen_Gamer_69]

3 minutes ago, BTGbullseye said:

I would need to see the specific information for the modules, not just the marketing labeling that can be very wrong. Model number would help a lot.

This is what Im gonna buy a team elite 8gb 2400 mhz: TPRD48G2400HC1601
 

and this is what I have team elite 2400mhz: TPRD48G2400HC16DC01

@BTGbullseye is that right?

[Ryzen_Gamer_69]

7 minutes ago, cr8tor said:

So, you are going to upgrade it either way.

The two sticks you listed are as close as you are getting 2 different sized memory modules when it comes to matching specs.

 

So get the new sticks. Take out the old and put the new ones in those slots, then put the old ones in the other slots.

See if it boots and runs. 

If so, download CPU-z and run it, then go to the memory tab and see if it reprts dual channel mode or single.

If its single, pull the old stuff out, it will run faster with 8gb of memory in dual channel mode than it will with 12gb at single channel mode.

My whole pc is new like 2 months ago, I can go for 4x4gb modules, but I think I should get more cuz I do editing as well specially after effects

[cr8tor]

I mathed wrong,

I meant it will run faster with 16gb of memory in dual channel mode than it will with 24gb in single channel mode

 

If you are worried about it, can you jump to buying two 16gb sticks instead of 2 new 8gb sticks?

What motherboard do you have?

[BTGbullseye]

3 minutes ago, Ryzen_Gamer_69 said:

This is what Im gonna buy a team elite 8gb 2400 mhz: TPRD48G2400HC1601
 

and this is what I have team elite 2400mhz: TPRD48G2400HC16DC01

@BTGbullseye is that right?

So you're getting two single sticks of 8GB? That's a very bad idea for system stability. (it's also $10 more than getting the dual-stick kit)

 

Do NOT mix RAM capacities if you want decent performance. Either get 2 of the 2x8GB kits, or settle for only 16GB of total system RAM. Also, what CPU and motherboard are you using? You can probably get better performance around the same price if using a different brand's kit. (like G.Skill)

[Ryzen_Gamer_69]

3 minutes ago, cr8tor said:

I mathed wrong,

I meant it will run faster with 16gb of memory in dual channel mode than it will with 24gb in single channel mode

 

If you are worried about it, can you jump to buying two 16gb sticks instead of 2 new 8gb sticks?

What motherboard do you have?

I use ASUS EX A320M gaming @cr8tor

[Ryzen_Gamer_69]

3 minutes ago, BTGbullseye said:

So you're getting two single sticks of 8GB? That's a very bad idea for system stability. (it's also $10 more than getting the dual-stick kit)

 

Do NOT mix RAM capacities if you want decent performance. Either get 2 of the 2x8GB kits, or settle for only 16GB of total system RAM. Also, what CPU and motherboard are you using? You can probably get better performance around the same price if using a different brand's kit. (like G.Skill)

Ryzen 5 2600 and ASUS EX A320M Gaming @BTGbullseye

[BTGbullseye]

2 minutes ago, Ryzen_Gamer_69 said:

Ryzen 5 2600 and ASUS EX A320M Gaming @BTGbullseye

Try this instead: https://www.newegg.com/g-skill-32gb-288-pin-ddr4-sdram/p/N82E16820232930

[cr8tor]

Can you jump to buying 32gb total instead of 16gb?

If you cant jump to 32gb total, then buy the two 8gb that you want, and do as i suggested before.

Get the new 8gb sticks.

Take out the old and put the new ones in those slots, then put the old ones in the other slots.

See if it boots and runs. 

If so, download CPU-z and run it, then go to the memory tab and see if it reports dual channel mode or single.

If its in single channel mode, remove the old sticks and store them for tsing purposes later, or sell them, or whatever.

[Ryzen_Gamer_69]

3 minutes ago, cr8tor said:

Can you jump to buying 32gb total instead of 16gb?

If you cant jump to 32gb total, then buy the two 8gb that you want, and do as i suggested before.

Get the new 8gb sticks.

Take out the old and put the new ones in those slots, then put the old ones in the other slots.

See if it boots and runs. 

If so, download CPU-z and run it, then go to the memory tab and see if it reports dual channel mode or single.

If its in single channel mode, remove the old sticks and store them for tsing purposes later, or sell them, or whatever.

That's seems to be quite right, welp that should do it thanks!