DDR4 2x8GB or 4x4GB

Exeonx

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Jul 5, 2015
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I'm wondering about this, as I've read before that the amount of sticks can affect preformance and speed, but how true is this? I was thinking of going with 2x8GB so I could later, if needed(though doubtfully) expand to 32GB without having to rebuy a 2x8GB set again

 
Solution


Unless you are running 64 bit enabled apps such as photoshop, 16gb should be more than enough.
A 2 x 8gb kit is good. In the past, ram speed has not been an important factor in real app performance or fps.
I am planning on DDR4 2400 which is the fastest you can go without using ram that needs to be overclocked past the stock 1.2v.

If, in the future, you think you might need more, you can take a chance with a second 16gb kit, or, you can sell your old 16gb kit in favor of a 32 bit kit.
Two different issues:

1. Buying one kit planning to buy a second later as an upgrade is not a sound idea.
Ram is sold in kits for a reason.
A motherboard must manage all the ram using the same specs of voltage, cas and speed.
Ram from the same vendor and part number can be made up of differing manufacturing components over time.
Some motherboards can be very sensitive to this.
That is why ram vendors will NOT support ram that is not bought in one kit.
If you will ever buy 32gb, do it up front with one kit that is certified to run together.

2. If I assume that your motherboard supports no more than dual channel, 2 x8gb or 4 x 4gb will perform exactly the same. A 4 x 4gb kit will be more expensive because it needs to be binned so that all 4 sticks will work together.
In addition, you sometimes need to apply more ram voltage to get 4 sticks to work vs. 2.
If you need 16gb, buy the 2 x 8gb kit.
 


Unless you are running 64 bit enabled apps such as photoshop, 16gb should be more than enough.
A 2 x 8gb kit is good. In the past, ram speed has not been an important factor in real app performance or fps.
I am planning on DDR4 2400 which is the fastest you can go without using ram that needs to be overclocked past the stock 1.2v.

If, in the future, you think you might need more, you can take a chance with a second 16gb kit, or, you can sell your old 16gb kit in favor of a 32 bit kit.
 
Solution

Exeonx

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Jul 5, 2015
220
4
10,715


Allright, thanks I didn't actually know kits were that important, right now I'm running Corsair DDR3 memory, and I'm using 2 2x4GB kits, as one set is low profile while the other one are the regular dominators, my CPU cooler turned out to be too big and i had to buy a low profile set, as the 2 channels needed to be filled couldn't fit with the regular ones, so i ended up getting 16GB but it didn't seem to give me any issues, i guess I got lucky