Upgrading memory, is it important to use the same type of memory?

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Roninnico

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Jan 27, 2010
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Hello all,

I have 4gb (2x2gb) of G-skill 1600Mhz ram (F3-12800CL9D-4GBNQ) and would like to get another 4 gb, is it ok to get any 1600Mhz ram? are things like timings going to be a problem? also does it matter if i get 2x2gb or just a single 4gb stick?

Thanks for any help!
 
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Enthusiast Builder
I don't want to assume...you have a dual channel, 4 RAM slot MoBo right now?

If you put anything slower than 1600 in, then ALL the RAM will run at the slower speed. Same with buying anything faster than 1600...it will run only at 1600. So I'd buy 1600.

While most new motherboards can handle different types of RAM, there are no guarantees. There is a reason RAM is sold in kits. The chance things don't work is small, but to minimize it, you should try and buy parts from the same manufacturer with the same timings.

Also, depending on your MoBo, dropping in a single 4gig stick with the other two 2 gig sticks might cause your previous dual channel setup to run single channel; given you have 8 gigs of RAM vs four now, you should still...
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Enthusiast Builder

Enthusiast Builder

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Jan 17, 2014
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I don't want to assume...you have a dual channel, 4 RAM slot MoBo right now?

If you put anything slower than 1600 in, then ALL the RAM will run at the slower speed. Same with buying anything faster than 1600...it will run only at 1600. So I'd buy 1600.

While most new motherboards can handle different types of RAM, there are no guarantees. There is a reason RAM is sold in kits. The chance things don't work is small, but to minimize it, you should try and buy parts from the same manufacturer with the same timings.

Also, depending on your MoBo, dropping in a single 4gig stick with the other two 2 gig sticks might cause your previous dual channel setup to run single channel; given you have 8 gigs of RAM vs four now, you should still see a net performance increase, but its not ideal. For that reason, I'd get the 2x2gb to make sure you still operate in dual channel for all your RAM.
 
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Tradesman1

Tradesman1

Legenda in Aeternum
Jun 5, 2013
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Any time you mix DRAM it can be and often is problematic. Even getting another set of the same exact model provides no guarantees that the sticks will all play nice. Especially with newer mobos and the DRAM available today, most DDR3 DRAM coming out now uses higher density 4Gb chips where the norm a few years ago was 2Gb chips, another is that most all DRAM uses XMP for profiles, the new Fury line operates off PnP instead of XMP.
 
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