Upgrading parent's 1x4gb RAM kit to 2x4gb?*

[Ren]

*The exception being that I plan on saving money by buying an identically specced 1x4GB DDR3 kit to pair with the 1x4GB DDR3 that's already installed. I'm pretty much 99% sure that as long as the timings and frequency are identical, it will be totally ok. The brand of the RAM is the same as well (Corsair XMS 1600mhz 1.5v) so I'm not concerned if that were an issue.

Can anyone give me a little reassurance and confirmation on the matter before I drop ~$35 on a part that may never be used otherwise? I'd really appreciate it as this isn't something I've done before.

Link to the RAM I've bought and we are purchasing yet again - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233385

...Just in case that's needed (it shouldn't be).

[flibberdipper]

As long as they're "numbers matching" I would go for it.

[Ryukrieger]

Yes, it will be fine, I even have 2 different brands RAM in my computer and my friend has 4 1x4GB sticks bought within 2 years (yes, 2 years, latest one was just last month) and he's still fine.

You will have no problem.

Even if the RAM sticks have different specs, as far as I know, the faster one will be scaled down to the slower one, so it would still be fine.

[Speedbird]

It'll be fine. May I ask why are you upgrading? 4GB is enough.

[Ren]

It'll be fine. May I ask why are you upgrading? 4GB is enough.

- She's afraid of 8GB being needed at some point (part recycling, mostly) - partially my fault.

- I convinced her to go thru with it

- Gaming, and yes... Mother is above her 40s and is wanting to buy and play video games.

- Honestly, it's just one of the few upgrades that aren't a complete waste or far too expensive (basically $45 is about all she could spare atm). She'd have to buy an i5, something that she wouldn't need, to have another viable choice.

"Basically", she doesn't like her memory usage at like 80%+ when running Minecraft/whatever due to Win7 taking something like 1.3-1.8GB and Java being complete ass with efficiency. Wiggle room is ok and $35 is something she can spare. Buying this ram is nothing like going from a $180 GPU to a $240+ one or i3 to i5. And before people start saying "FUUUUUU why 4GB on blablablah" this was a minor-usage computer that was on sale. She just transitioned into gaming a bit and I informed her as I learned a little more.

[Ren]

I forgot to mention that an i5 or better + a 960/970 (along with the appropriate motherboard for all) and an SSD are in the cards within the next 6-18 months. There's some personal reasons why but it's mostly because we're waiting for something truly worth purchasing to come along for her. The i3 is aging, HDDs suck, etc..

Sorry to break your hearts but she isn't just watching Netflix, Hulu+ and spamming Facebook 24/7.

[Speedbird]

@Ren

Ah, so it will be used for gaming. Then sure, go ahead.

[William12h]

Do you even RAM Bro-ugh

It'll be fine. May I ask why are you upgrading? 4GB is enough.

[c0d0ps]

- She's afraid of 8GB being needed at some point (part recycling, mostly) - partially my fault.

- I convinced her to go thru with it

- Gaming, and yes... Mother is above her 40s and is wanting to buy and play video games.

- Honestly, it's just one of the few upgrades that aren't a complete waste or far too expensive (basically $45 is about all she could spare atm). She'd have to buy an i5, something that she wouldn't need, to have another viable choice.

"Basically", she doesn't like her memory usage at like 80%+ when running Minecraft/whatever due to Win7 taking something like 1.3-1.8GB and Java being complete ass with efficiency. Wiggle room is ok and $35 is something she can spare. Buying this ram is nothing like going from a $180 GPU to a $240+ one or i3 to i5. And before people start saying "FUUUUUU why 4GB on blablablah" this was a minor-usage computer that was on sale. She just transitioned into gaming a bit and I informed her as I learned a little more.

I would rather go with fx series instead of i3. But if she only play Minecraft or games like that I guess it won't matter since I think it doesn't require/use many cores.

But otherwise the extra cores are coming to be more and more needed not 6-8 in particularly but 4+.

And Minecraft is a great way for grownups to keep their creativity and stuff up so cudos to her for playing game/s.

[Ren]

Yeah CPU is kinda up for debate still. It's not relevant now since it'll probably be after FX-####E processors come out (who knows if they'll OC well of if FX will be a great deal) and mainly Broadwell. The reason behind the decision's indeed due to all games she plays being very dependant on ST/better IPC and less cores, which I know for a fact. The current GPU isn't exactly powerfuly and is much lower on the priority list as well because it's less necessary.

To be blunt. I think i3 is utter shit but it's her computer and I still feel that it's not a terrible decison. Most of the CPU upgrade shit is dependant on this fall/winters' sales and the releases coming up beyond that but I've leaned away from AMD due to recent disappointment, not that Intel hasn't acted similar, and the allegedly bad-ass CPU coming out in years instead of months. I'm not buying FX; it's not logical unless you have a very stong graphics card as far as I'm concerned.

Just my opinions. When the time comes, I'll be sure to ask LTT just as I have about this RAM upgrade. Thanks for the input even with my sort of back-n-forth posting. The word "Conflicted" doesn't do the situation justice.