Can I use dual channel RAM and single channel RAM at the same time?

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freeman21

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Nov 6, 2014
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Just have a brief question as I couldn’t actually find a straight answer to this:

I currently have 2 x 4 GB RAM installed (DDR3, 1333 mhz)

I want to upgrade to a total of 16 GB

Is there any problem if I just add a a single 8 GB stick (single channel, but also DDR3, 1333 mhz) ? Are there any issues with using dual channel memory sticks with a single channel memory stick at the same time?

 
Solution
BFG-9000
The answer depends on the system you have.

If you still have the Phenom II X4 965 on the MSI 770-C45 from the last time you were here 3 years ago, the answer is probably no, as everything is likely to drop to single-channel only no matter how you install the 3 sticks.

If you have a relatively modern Intel system, then it is very likely you will be able to run the 3 sticks in dual-channel if you install both 4GB sticks in one channel and the 8GB stick in the other. If you install the sticks wrong, the first 8GB will be in dual-channel and the last 8GB in single-channel under Intel's Flex-Memory mode.

If you have an older Intel such as Core 2, it will not recognize the full capacity of the 8GB stick and may not even POST. Note that...
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BFG-9000

BFG-9000

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Sep 17, 2016
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The answer depends on the system you have.

If you still have the Phenom II X4 965 on the MSI 770-C45 from the last time you were here 3 years ago, the answer is probably no, as everything is likely to drop to single-channel only no matter how you install the 3 sticks.

If you have a relatively modern Intel system, then it is very likely you will be able to run the 3 sticks in dual-channel if you install both 4GB sticks in one channel and the 8GB stick in the other. If you install the sticks wrong, the first 8GB will be in dual-channel and the last 8GB in single-channel under Intel's Flex-Memory mode.

If you have an older Intel such as Core 2, it will not recognize the full capacity of the 8GB stick and may not even POST. Note that if you have a Nehalem to Ivy Bridge Intel system, the 8GB stick must have 16 chips because the memory controller can only address low density 4Gbit chips. If the 8GB stick has only 8 high density chips it will have the same problem of not recognizing the full capacity or even POSTing.
 
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coope46

Apr 8, 2018
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Did it end up being fine? I have the same sort of situation going on but I have an i5 4670k and I cant get it to work
 
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freeman21

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Nov 6, 2014
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Yes, everything is fine. I'm actually using that system right now and it works great (4+ months). It's probably a mainboard issue in your case...

 
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Vic 40

Vic 40

Titan
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Oct 22, 2013
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You might have better made your own thread since this one is marked as solved.You'll get more responce that way.

 
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