G.Skill RAM, 4GB + 2GB +2GB - bad idea?

[Shrake907]

Hi all,

 

I recently received my order for a new budget build and I have a pair of 2GB DDR3 1600MHz GSkill sticks as well as the 4 GB stick which arrived via FedEx tonight. My question is, will it be alright to mix 'n match a 4 gig stick with 2x 2 gig sticks? 

 

The photos are pretty blurry but you should be able to make out the model #s and timings.

 

They -LOOK- compatible, but I just have to be sure. Motherboard in question is the MSI Z97M-G43.

Thanks for any help!

-Steve

 

[dragoon20005]

yea both are the same speed and CAS timing

 

but note that because you have 3 sticks

 

you will only be running at single channel instead of dual

 

dual channel RAM need even number of sticks of RAM

[Ryan Leech]

It will be fine as long as you set all of the timings the same in the BIOS

[Shrake907]

yea both are the same speed and CAS timing

 

but note that because you have 3 sticks

 

you will only be running at single channel instead of dual

 

dual channel RAM need even number of sticks of RAM

 

Hm, about how much of a difference is the performance? I spotted a 4 gig stick of the same stuff for 35 bucks on Ebay earlier today, but if the performance difference isn't too shabby than a dual-channel kit, I don't need to spend more money. X)

[Mooshi]

There have cases of customers with G.Skill sniper ram that bought identical 8GB kits years later expecting to bump it to 16GB only to have it not be  compatible on top of G.Skill reps even telling them they should have bought a matching kit in the first place. kinda lost trust for the brand after that since I myself had a Sniper kit I was wanting to bump to 16GB, ended up going with Mushkin.

 

Those dimms might work, but I dunno.

[Shrake907]

It will be fine as long as you set all of the timings the same in the BIOS

Ah! Awesome, and as I asked dragoon: Is the performance difference between 8 gigs of single channel vs dual channel noticeable?

[dragoon20005]

Hm, about how much of a difference is the performance? I spotted a 4 gig stick of the same stuff for 35 bucks on Ebay earlier today, but if the performance difference isn't too shabby than a dual-channel kit, I don't need to spend more money. X)

not much difference in game unless it work like video editing which uses the RAM more

[Shrake907]

There have cases of customers with G.Skill sniper ram that bought identical 8GB kits years later expecting to bump it to 16GB only to have it not be  compatible on top of G.Skill reps even telling them they should have bought a matching kit in the first place. kinda lost trust for the brand after that since I myself had a Sniper kit I was wanting to bump to 16GB, ended up going with Mushkin.

 

Those dimms might work, but I dunno.

 

Hmm, wow. That's nice info to take into consideration. 

They do seem pretty similar, it's just the generation is different while everything else of the model number is the same, from the looks of the labels.

 

It might be best to buy a 4gig stick on Ebay to pair with the one I got from NewEgg an hour ago.

[Shrake907]

not much difference in game unless it work like video editing which uses the RAM more

 

Alright, cool. I was thinking of getting into vid editing later on, but I'll see if these will work once my other components arrive later in the week. Thanks again for your helpful replies!