Different RAM sizes on the same motherboard

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
DangerousPie03

DangerousPie03

Honorable
Jul 11, 2014
5
0
10,510
I have a motherboard with 4 RAM slots. Currently, each of them has a 1 gig chip giving me four total. Would there be a problem with upgrading only one of the chips to a two or four gig and leaving the rest as 1? Thanks.
 
Solution
Tradesman1
IF they will play together, which can be a big IF, in most all mobos, you would want the 2GB sticks in 1-3, and the 1 GB sticks in 2 and 4, that way you have 3GB in each channel, if you were to place them as God-father-board said you'd have 2 GB in channel A and 4 in channel B and in best case scenario you'd have 4 GB in dual and 2 GB running off in single channel which you don't want, added stress on MC (memory controller) and prob additional heat as it wouyld prob require extra voltage o run the sticks mismatched that way
Sort by date Sort by votes
cub_fanatic

cub_fanatic

Honorable
Nov 21, 2012
1,005
1
11,960
Not as long as that new stick is the same speed or higher. The timings are also affected like this. So, make sure that the speed (as in 1333, 1600, etc) and timings are the same or higher. If you get a lower speed it will bring down the speed of the others. If you get a higher speed, the new one will drop to the speed of the others. Also, most likely, you will be losing the "dual-channel mode" feature of one pair. The other pair will still be in dual channel mode.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DangerousPie03
Upvote 0 Downvote
Tradesman1

Tradesman1

Legenda in Aeternum
Jun 5, 2013
67,883
40
126,960
Any time you mix DRAM it can be and often is problematic. If it runs, it will start at the mobos default, then if they run together you can adjust them to a given freq and voltage - they don't automatically go to the slowest sticks settings, that went by the wayside with the 775 mobos. Best bet is to get a single set of the full amount of DRAM you want
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
God-father-board

God-father-board

Reputable
Jul 15, 2014
55
0
4,640
You didn't say what mobo you have but you usually can't mix the sizes like that. All four dosent have to be the same size and speed. Im sure your mobo is dual channel so it requires matching pairs. So you can have a two 2 gigs in slot 3 and 4 and keep the 1 gigs in slot 1 and 2.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Tradesman1

Tradesman1

Legenda in Aeternum
Jun 5, 2013
67,883
40
126,960
IF they will play together, which can be a big IF, in most all mobos, you would want the 2GB sticks in 1-3, and the 1 GB sticks in 2 and 4, that way you have 3GB in each channel, if you were to place them as God-father-board said you'd have 2 GB in channel A and 4 in channel B and in best case scenario you'd have 4 GB in dual and 2 GB running off in single channel which you don't want, added stress on MC (memory controller) and prob additional heat as it wouyld prob require extra voltage o run the sticks mismatched that way
 
  • Like
Reactions: DangerousPie03
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom