memory upgrade: 1x16gb or 2x8gb?

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Rappi

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hi, can anyone advice on which memory upgrade I should take?
I currently have one 8gb ddr3 1600 G.Skill RipJaws X on a AsRock z87m Pro4 motherboard.
it says on the mobo specs, that it "Supports Dual Channel DDR3/DDR3L 2800+(OC)" (which I am not sure about)

My pc is used for cad/rendering (from time to time)/gaming.

Which one should work well for my pc? to buy a 1x16gb ram or a set of 2x8gb (or just buy another 8gb ddr3 1600 Gskill?)

and another question - what does "1600" mean? i have seen others like 800, 1033, and some higher like 2000~? is it worth it to purchase ram higher than 1600?

thanks

**update:
i have a intel core i7 4770 3.4-3.9ghz cpu
 
Solution
Nuwan Fernando
16GB Single stick RAMs are not existing in the current market.

Since it says dual channel, adding another 8GB DDR3 1600 G.Skill RipJaws X will enable the dual channel facility and it'll increase the performance a bit.

Then if it's not fast enough and if you are using more than such RAM capacity, adding another set of RAMs are recommended.

1600 means the bus speed of the RAM. More the bus speed, the more data it can transfer per second. After 1600, the speed of the RAM can be noticed only by a little. Mixing different speed, timing and voltage marked RAMs are not recommended.
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mrmez

mrmez

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Dual channel means that ram will work faster in pairs. Better off with 2x8 than 1x16.
The numbers (1600 etc) is the speed. The faster the better to an extent, but you'll need to match speeds and timings on both sticks or they might not work together.
 
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Nuwan Fernando

Nuwan Fernando

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Jul 26, 2013
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16GB Single stick RAMs are not existing in the current market.

Since it says dual channel, adding another 8GB DDR3 1600 G.Skill RipJaws X will enable the dual channel facility and it'll increase the performance a bit.

Then if it's not fast enough and if you are using more than such RAM capacity, adding another set of RAMs are recommended.

1600 means the bus speed of the RAM. More the bus speed, the more data it can transfer per second. After 1600, the speed of the RAM can be noticed only by a little. Mixing different speed, timing and voltage marked RAMs are not recommended.
 
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Solution
cilliers

cilliers

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Jul 13, 2012
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Answers below:

Q: Which one should work well for my pc? to buy a 1x16gb ram or a set of 2x8gb (or just buy another 8gb ddr3 1600 Gskill?)
A: Buy whatever is most economical. Your motherboard supports dual channel, so probably be best to go with two separate sticks.

Q: and another question - what does "1600" mean? i have seen others like 800, 1033, and some higher like 2000~? is it worth it to purchase ram higher than 1600?
A: The 1600 refers to the ram frequency. More is better. However, the price increase, relative to RAM frequency doesn't justify the 2-4% performance gain you will see. In addition, you might very well be able to OC that G.Skill set of yours from 1600 to 1800 with not much effort.
 
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Tradesman1

Tradesman1

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What CPU do you have, that will be the determining factor as to what DRAM you can run, for CAD/Rendering, faster is better - if your CPU can support it 1866-2400 is the sweet spot in a performance to cost basis. Running dual channel can provide up to a 10-15% performance increase on Intel rigs ;)
 
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R

Rappi

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updated my forum question:
processor is intel core i7 4770 3.4-3.9ghz

what is the DRAM? sorry im not familiar with the term, or what it does for the pc. hehe.
 
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R

Rappi

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1) i guess, i'll go on having two sticks of 2x8gb (could be the same Gskill or a different brand/model)
can you suggest a good option of ram?

2) so then i'll stick to 1600 ram frequency for cost efficiency..about the overclocking part, im not sure. i only have the standard 120mm fans. is it enough for cooling? and i dont know how to OC the ram. and is it safe to OC it?

thanks
 
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cilliers

cilliers

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Jul 13, 2012
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Answers below:

Q: i guess, i'll go on having two sticks of 2x8gb (could be the same Gskill or a different brand/model)
can you suggest a good option of ram?
A: You will easily be able to find another G.Skill RAM module to match your current 8GB stick. Just use the serial number that is on the sticker for your search reference.

Q: so then i'll stick to 1600 ram frequency for cost efficiency..about the overclocking part, im not sure. i only have the standard 120mm fans. is it enough for cooling? and i dont know how to OC the ram. and is it safe to OC it?
A: RAM is the easiest part of overclocking your system and cooling is not an issue at all if you go from 1600 to 1800 mhz. This is an easy OC to do and can be taught in 5 mins.

Go get your additional RAM module first, then if you want to OC them, you can do another post or PM me.
 
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Tradesman1

Tradesman1

Legenda in Aeternum
Jun 5, 2013
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Wanted to know what CPU before getting too involved, though did suggest 1866-2400 vs the current 1600, as far as Cilliers suggestion to just get another stick, the article Vic mentioned covers that in Itenm 2, adding DRAM is a crapshoot, there are no guarantees when mixing DRAM even of the same exact model
 
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