Help Choosing Ram for MSI Z170A M5 Motherboard

hyperslug

Distinguished
Nov 4, 2009
5
0
18,510
Hey a bit help here would be much appreciated. The MSI website lists which RAM the motherboard will support but there are a couple of things on the chart that I don't understand and the website doesn't explain. FYI, I'm looking at speeds around 3000 and with 2x8GB with hope of expanding to 4x8GB if needed and possible.

DIM 4 Column Not Checked- All have checks below DIMM 1 and 2 and but there is no DIM 3 and some models check DIMM 4 and other don't. It seems if I use 2x8GB of RAM I won't be able to add 2x8GB more down the road to make 32GB. Is this correct?

Single Side (SD) vs Double Sided (DS)- Does one have an advantage over the other?

Thanks for any guidance you can provide.
Jeff

 

Tradesman1

Legenda in Aeternum
First it's never a good idea to playn to mix/add DRAM, always best to get the full amount you want in a single package, that way you are ensured the sticks have been tested to play nice together. We often see people buy 2 packages of 2 sticks to save a few bucks and then, Oooops, they don't want to play nice. If going 16GB or 32GB I'd go the GSkill Ripjaws V or their Trident Z line of sticks
 

hyperslug

Distinguished
Nov 4, 2009
5
0
18,510
Thanks Tradesman 1,
Yes I have read that mixing RAM is bad so I will skip it and just go with 16GB for now which is more than enough for my current needs. With DDR4 being so new and not fully exploited it is bound to drop in price and get better in time. Maybe down the road I will have a need for 32GB but will probably want to upgrade a few other things at that time as well.