Mix dual channel RAM

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Joshua Martin

Joshua Martin

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My current desktop:

Win8.1 x64
H81 Haswell Micro-ATX
i5 4440 3.1Ghz
GTX 760 2GB - Nvidia Reference Card
8GB RAM (1x8GB)
120GB PNY XLR8 SSD
2TB HDD
1TB HDD
500w PSU


I've done a lot of research and most people say it "works" but isn't recommended.
I have an Micro-ATX mobo with 2 RAM slots. It already has 1x8GB stick which is:

A-DATA DDR3 1600MHz LONG DIMM 8GB 240PIN (This is the model ASUS gave me)

I was thinking of getting this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820211815&cm_re=RAM-_-20-211-815-_-Product

Would these two sticks work together ok? I can't find the RAM timing on the original.
They are both ADATA 1600MHz. I really want to have 16GB of RAM but would hate to pay the price for two new 8GB sticks. What would be the bad effects of having these two different types of RAM? Thanks for the help everyone!

Joshua Martin
 
Solution
Tradesman1
It might or might not play together, any time you mix DRAM from different packages, it's a crapshoot. If they don't play, you can often get them to play with voltage and/or timing adjustments, but no guarantees.....the forums are full of threads where people have mixed packages of DRAM and they didn't play nice
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Tradesman1

Tradesman1

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It might or might not play together, any time you mix DRAM from different packages, it's a crapshoot. If they don't play, you can often get them to play with voltage and/or timing adjustments, but no guarantees.....the forums are full of threads where people have mixed packages of DRAM and they didn't play nice
 
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Solution
hans_pcguy

hans_pcguy

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I have used mis matched ram many many times over the last 25 years. I have never once had an instance where they wouldn't work together. And most of the time I used performance test to test them and they rarely have a noticeable decrease in performance. I wouldn't hesitate to buy the ram that you mention.
 
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Tradesman1

Tradesman1

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__________________________

It was seldom a problem through most all of those years with SIMMs, DDR, even DDR2, but with DDR3 and in particular with the higher freqs it's not so easy anymore, thumb through thre threads here and at most any other forum and you'll find plenty of threads where mis-matched DRAM won't play, I help a few people every day having problems - best to get a full set of the amount you want, you can expect DRAM manufacturers to say this, but when mobo makers have added their voices also, it lets you know they have problems with it when they have to go through RMAs, etc and spend time on tech support for mis-matched DRAM.
 
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hans_pcguy

hans_pcguy

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Joshua, Why dont you open your pc and pull the ram and copy down the exact number and try to match it. Then there is not problem. Although I still don't think that you would have a problem as long as it's the same speed ram.
 
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Tradesman1

Tradesman1

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I'm not trying to be, but I see people every day in here, telling others (in effect) "yeah, spend your money it will be perfectly fine, it will always work, etc" and more often than not they've mixed DRAM one or two times, and low freq DRAM or not in years, etc. As I mentioned, manufacturers recommend against it, mobo makers recommend against it, all the builders and IT folks I know recommend against it. Also as mentioned you see threads EVERY day of people that take this kind of advice and end up with sets of sticks that won't play nice....and the funniest thing, NONE of these people recommending "yeah, go ahead it will be fine" are ever around to help the people get the sticks to play, these people just disappear until the next time they can tell others "I never have seen sticks that won't work together". Then there's me and a few others that do know DRAM and we are out here helping all this people. Just in general, you can go right to the manufacturers production line and pull off 10 consecutive sticks - out of the 10 you might find four that will all play nice in a 4 stick set, (which is one of the reasoons a 4 stick set often costs more than 2 sets of two of the same exact model - all the sticks that go into a package are tested to play nice, and it takes more testing to find 4 or 8 sticks that all play nice.

So if you think I'm being A## trying to actually help people, so be it, I'd rather they be informed of what they can possibly run into, rather than feeding them false expectations that might well end up costing them money and time (which is also money) with trips back to the store, or postage and RMA fees and restocking fees ...or in some cases if it's a no return thing being stuck with sticks that won't work - and yes the Egg will take them back - YOU pay the return postage and up to a week or so after they get it before you get a refund - o they send you a replacement - that may well not play either....but it's not your money is it?
 
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hans_pcguy

hans_pcguy

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Yes you are being an a**.. You ignore all of my good advise and screech about one point. I am trying to save the guy some money too. You don't care about that. You just want to get on your soap box. That's why I said, "go play with your legos", because you are acting like a child.

 
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Tradesman1

Tradesman1

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And if they don't play - how is this saving money? It's all this 'good advice' from people like you that bring people here because the sticks won't play, and cause so many RMAs - appr 85% of all DRAM that is RMAed has nothing wrong wih it - it's people trying to mix packages of DRAM and not knowing how to set DRAM up...
 
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