Can I use 2 2x4gb (4) --Dual Channel-- Corsair Vengeance Ram Sticks in a Quad Channel MSI B85m Gaming mobo?

calebgriffin · Jul 1, 2015

I know I can use at least 1 set of the 2x4gb (2) --Dual Channel-- Corsair Vengeance RAM sticks in the mother board, but since they are --Dual Channel-- RAM sticks, will they function the same with 2 2x4gb (4) in a quad channel.

i7Baby · Jul 1, 2015

No. You need a quad channel kit. Otherwise mixed sticks most likely won't work.

IInuyasha74 · Jul 1, 2015

Not quite true. If they are the exact same kit and you just buy two of them, there is a good chance that they will work fine together. It won't be a quad-channel, but its dual-channel with 4 sockets. That is what your motherboard supports.

Tradesman1 · Jul 1, 2015

IInuyasha74 :

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It's a definite MAYBE, sticks in a single package are tested to all play and is why a 4 stick package often cost a little more than buying 2 two stick packages. Have seen lots of people get a pair of 2 sticks packages for this very reason thinking they are getting over on the manufacturer and saving a few bucks.....then they often get to pay return postage and restocking fees and then....paying the full price for the 4 stick set

If it was as easy to mix as many would have you think the manufacturers would simply sell single sticks and bring in higher profits

IInuyasha74 · Jul 1, 2015

Tradesman1 :

You still must admit there is a good chance it will work. The odds go down, but still good chance.

4-RAM stick kit has about a 95% chance to work together, excluding DOA (but including functional RAM which just can't run at full speed)

Two identical 2xdimm RAM stick kits bought at the same time lowers those odds to probably about 70% chance they will be fine.

Identical individual RAM sticks lower that a bit more to where its probably a 50/50 chance.

Different models or series from the same maker drops that probably to about a 30-35% chance of working.

Then RAM from different manufacturers is really low chance, like 10%.

Granted this is just based off what I have seen and experienced in general, but seems about right. If he is saving $20 by doing it this way i would try it. If he is only saving like $5 it is definitely better to go with the 4-DIMM kit.

Tradesman1 · Jul 1, 2015

I wish the odds were that good! Between build, upgrades and system in for other work I see well over a 100 sets a year, and I generally try mixing them with other sticks/sets. Also it should be mentioned that when sticks/sets don't want to play, one can often get them to play with voltage and timing adjustments, I spend a fair amount of time doing that here on a daily basis, but again there are no guarantees.

With all of the above, it boils down to while yes it 'may' work out, one needs to think of the counter side which may include paying return postage, restocking fees, etc not to mention not having the DRAM you want/need, all the time you might spend trying to get them to play together (not sure about you, but know my time and the time of my clients often exceeds the price and or differential in costs if one has to spend a few hours playing around w/ balky stick. So is the possibility of going through all this really worth saving $5 by getting 2 packages instead of one, when it could costs (easily more than twice the price of the single package? I don't like to put clients or anybody else in that position.

IInuyasha74 · Jul 1, 2015

Like I said, to just save $5 I wouldn't bother trying with it. If I was saving $20 on it, I think the odds of it working are good enough that I would try it.

Tradesman1 · Jul 1, 2015

That's your call, that's about the return postage and restocking fees if applicable, not counting time, and most people I know, figure their time as worth more than $10 an hour....of and then you get to pay the full price, what you payed before plus the $20 difference and wait a couple of weeks for the 4 stick set. As said, have seen lots of threads of people doing this to save the few bucks, for some it works and others not. I'll hand it to you that you say the possibility for failure is there, what saying two identical sets is about 70% positive in your thoughts, all to many simply say "yeah it'll work and be perfectly fine" and funny thing, if the OP comes back needing help to get the sticks to play - their "perfectly fine" advisor is nowhere to be found

i7Baby · Jul 1, 2015

I try to be conservative with answers. And its more straight forward and easier to understand if you recommend getting just one kit than recommending experimenting with voltages and timings.

Tradesman1 · Jul 1, 2015

i7Baby :

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That's my take on it, though often an explanation of why helps - When it comes to DRAM here on the forums, I'm the naysayer, and in large part because many get bad advise and then I end up trying to and often succeed in helping them (which can be a pain doing it through a forum

), but I think I've gotten more Best Solutions than others have in just helping people adjusting timings and voltages on these mixed DRAM issues, let alone plain old DRAM questions or recommendations

calebgriffin · Jul 1, 2015

Tradesman1 :

I already have 2 of the sticks, bought about 7 months ago, so now i'm upgrading to a quad channel board, I just wanted to know if it would be okay to buy 2 more of the exact same sticks to use with the 2 I have now, or say screw it and buy two sticks of 8gb.

calebgriffin · Jul 1, 2015

IInuyasha74 :

I already have 2 of the sticks, bought about 7 months ago, so now i'm upgrading to a quad channel board, I just wanted to know if it would be okay to buy 2 more of the exact same sticks to use with the 2 I have now, or say screw it and buy two sticks of 8gb.

Tradesman1 · Jul 1, 2015

Can try, no guarantees

calebgriffin · Jul 1, 2015

Tradesman1 :

But using 1 set of 2 Dual channels wont hurt? if so, Is their a special order they need to go in?

calebgriffin · Jul 1, 2015

IInuyasha74 :

But using 1 set of 2 Dual channels wont hurt? if so, Is their a special order they need to go in?

Tradesman1 · Jul 1, 2015

The B85 is a dual channel mobo - with 2 sticks want them in slots 1-3 from CPU or in 2-4 - this will place the sticks correctly to run dual channel with 2 sticks

IInuyasha74 · Jul 2, 2015

You know really, I think we have forgot to ask an important question. What do you do with your system that you feel would benefit from more RAM? There are some situations that will benefit from having more than 8 GB of RAM, but if you are just gaming for example, you probably won't see even a single FPS increase by having 16 GB over 8 GB. It may not be worth buying more.

Tradesman1 · Jul 2, 2015

True to a point, with me it's somewhat ingrained, I've been suggesting 16GB as a starting point for awhile now (for builds I basically only do higher end) and if you go 8GB now, you'll be looking at upgrading prob with in a year. People point to gaming buyt their are already games that call for and use 8GB, and it's not going to drop, plus many folks run things right along with the games.

IInuyasha74 · Jul 2, 2015

Tradesman1 :

I some what disagree with this. As a tech enthusiast I monitor my hardware any time I give it any kind of a push. For games, even ones from this year, I use MSI Afterburner to monitor the RAM usage and it typically sits around 6 GB. Web browsing, typing word documents, numerous small tasks like that running simultaneously usually sits between 4 GB and 5GB. I currently have 26 tabs open in Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox open with other stuff, Skype, QQ, Steam, Snipping Tools, half dozen folders, and a word document. I'm only sitting at 4.7 GB.

I've seen the RAM usage go over 8 GB when doing lots of archive work with Winrar and when transcoding videos. For a high end system, I could see wanting it, but I'd really only recommend it for someone with an i7. Even at an i5 level, I'd say there are better things you can throw your money at to improve performance.

Tradesman1 · Jul 2, 2015

It's all in what you do and plan to do. One thing I've looked at for years is how much the average prebuilt has as they are notorious for being stingy with DRAM (among other things like bare basic PSUs

) and 6-8GB has been the norm for some months now and you see 16GB fairly often

calebgriffin · Jul 3, 2015

Tradesman1 :

You seem to know a lot, so when I am swapping boards, I want to do a fresh install of windows from the DVD. What do I need to do before I make the swap to do a boot up from the DVD? Or what do I need to do to install it fresh with the new mobo?

Tradesman1 · Jul 3, 2015

Are you talking a new mobo or still with DRAM when you say 'swapping boards' - there is no need to reinstall Windows on a DRAM change, unless you just want to. Either way, if you have data you want to save, (documents, pics, etc) make a good backup to another HD, Flash drive, DVD etc, then simply install Windows as you would at any other time

calebgriffin · Jul 3, 2015

Tradesman1 :

No, Im swapping boards and CPU, going from an AMD to Intel, Dual Channel RAM to Quad Channel RAM. I just wanted to know how to do the fresh install on the new board.

Tradesman1 · Jul 3, 2015

The mother board is dual channel each channel has two usable slots so whether 2 sticks or 4 it all dual channel, not quad. And here going from AMD to Intel yes good idea for a new Win install, simply get all together an dinstall Win

calebgriffin · Jul 3, 2015

Tradesman1 :

Okay Thanks!

Can I use 2 2x4gb (4) --Dual Channel-- Corsair Vengeance Ram Sticks in a Quad Channel MSI B85m Gaming mobo?

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