Question about memory!

spooookz · June 11, 2023

Hey, I have a quick question and it's probably a weird one but I'm really a noob when it comes to PC's. I have DDR5 5600mhz CL40 memory installed in my computer, can I buy the same memory, but CL36?

RONOTHAN## · June 11, 2023

There's more factors to mixing memory than just the frequency and timings. We need a lot more details about this setup. What CPU/mobo do you have, what is the current BIOS on the motherboard, what is the current RAM model number, what is the current DRAM IC, etc.? It might be OK, though there's enough things to go wrong that you're probably better off trying to flip your current kit and just getting a whole new high capacity set instead.

spooookz · June 12, 2023

So my CPU is a Ryzen 5 7600X, (my ram is running at 5200mhz due to the CPU's max ram speed), my motherboard's a ASUS B650M-A Wifi, AM5, PCIe 5.0. My current ram part number is KF556C40BB-8, I couldn't find any info on DRAM IC, though. The ram I wanted to buy is this one KF556C36BBE-8.

20 hours ago, RONOTHAN## said:

There's more factors to mixing memory than just the frequency and timings. We need a lot more details about this setup. What CPU/mobo do you have, what is the current BIOS on the motherboard, what is the current RAM model number, what is the current DRAM IC, etc.? It might be OK, though there's enough things to go wrong that you're probably better off trying to flip your current kit and just getting a whole new high capacity set instead.

RONOTHAN## · June 12, 2023

5 minutes ago, spooookz said:

So my CPU is a Ryzen 5 7600X, (my ram is running at 5200mhz due to the CPU's max ram speed), my motherboard's a ASUS B650M-A Wifi, AM5, PCIe 5.0. My current ram part number is KF556C40BB-8, I couldn't find any info on DRAM IC, though.

Flip your RAM and buy a new kit. Those 2x8GB sticks have worse performance per clock than their 2x16GB counterparts, and it's not like you're saving money by just adding a second stick. An 8GB stick of DDR5 costs ~$35 for the same model number, while a 2x16GB kit can be had for as low as $70. You could sell your current stick for $20-30 and you get 4x the RAM with much better performance for ~$10-15 more, then you don't have to worry about mixing memory.