Am I better to replace my current ram or add?

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anotheregostar

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May 2, 2013
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Hi all,
Hopefully an easy question for you. I built my computer a few years ago and for my ram I use a 2x4 ddr3-1600 pair of gskill sniper (https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/89mLrH/gskill-memory-f312800cl9d8gbsr).

I am wanting to upgrade to 16g (or more if economical) so I am wondering which of the following options would be best for me:
1) buy another 2x4 to bring me up to 4x4 of ddr3-1600?
2) buy another 2x8 to go with the current 2x4 of ddr3-1600 and be able to upgrade further in the future?
3) buy a 2x8 of better ram and forget about my current 2x4?
4) any option you would propose?

I'd like to do the option that gives me flexibility in the future, but as cheaply as possible.
Thanks for your advice!
Brian

edit: forgot to mention, here is a link to my mobo if that helps https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/VvMFf7/asrock-motherboard-z77extreme4
 
Solution
geofelt
I vote for option 2.


Ram is sold in kits for a reason.
A motherboard must manage all the ram using the same specs of voltage, cas and speed.
The internal workings are designed for the capacity of the kit.
Ram from the same vendor and part number can be made up of differing manufacturing components over time.
Some motherboards, particularly AMD can be very sensitive to this.
This is more difficult when more sticks are involved.
That is why ram vendors will NOT support ram that is not bought in one kit.

If you do buy more disparate sticks, they must be the same speed, voltage and cas numbers.
Even then your chances of working are less than 100%

What is your plan "B" if the new stick/s do not work?

Sometimes increasing the ram...
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DSzymborski

DSzymborski

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Nov 19, 2010
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Since you can still buy the exact RAM, you have a very good shot at being able to add 2x4 and the motherboard cooperates. Not 100%, but it's not a FrankenRAM situation. I wouldn't worry about the future; it's an old platform (don't feel bad, I'm on a Z77 motherboard on my main rig too!) and I think if you were ever going to need 32 GB of RAM on this motherboard, that need would be apparently be now.
 
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geofelt

geofelt

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Oct 9, 2006
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I vote for option 2.


Ram is sold in kits for a reason.
A motherboard must manage all the ram using the same specs of voltage, cas and speed.
The internal workings are designed for the capacity of the kit.
Ram from the same vendor and part number can be made up of differing manufacturing components over time.
Some motherboards, particularly AMD can be very sensitive to this.
This is more difficult when more sticks are involved.
That is why ram vendors will NOT support ram that is not bought in one kit.

If you do buy more disparate sticks, they must be the same speed, voltage and cas numbers.
Even then your chances of working are less than 100%

What is your plan "B" if the new stick/s do not work?

Sometimes increasing the ram voltage in the bios will make things work.

If you want 16gb, my suggestion is to buy a 2 x 8gb kit that matches your current specs.
Then, try adding in your old 8gb,
If it works, good; you now have extra ram.
If not, sell the old ram or keep it as a spare.



 
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