What is the rule with RAM if any?

Jun 15, 2018
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So I have a rig which can handle a maximum 64GB DDR4 RAM. I have 8GB installed on the Motherboard right now in the form of 2x 4GB chips. I am looking into getting 16GB more in the form of 2x 8GB chips. I am not sure what the MHz are on the currently installed RAM but I know the chips I am looking to buy are 3200 MHz. If my old chips and my new chips have different MHz capacities would anything bad happen if all are installed on the mother board?
 
Solution
Well first off, the more sticks/dimms you have installed, the more possible issues you have at higher speeds. Mixing brands and speeds is generally a bad idea. But if you run them at the lowest speeds (2133) it shouldn't be a problem (but pointless to buy expensive higher speed kits). I would take out your old ram and swap over to the 3200 kit. Otherwise you are just asking for trouble trying to run that 8GB kit @ 3200.

Not to mention, each brand can use different dies, sub timing, voltage and single or dual rank dimms. All not good when mixing. The system may end up just booting into single channel or BSOD with the other kit installed. Either way the new kit will match the slowest dimms which most likely is that 8GB you have already.

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


Mixing RAM sticks...it may simply fail to boot up. Or downclock the faster ones to the speed of the slowest. Or work just fine.
But it won't actually break anything.
 
RAM will run at the speed of the slowest stick. Also please note when mix and matching like you are doing it is best that any new sticks you buy be as close to the originals as possible. RAM is very finicky and can/will refuse to work with each other over minor timing differences.

Most of the time it will work fine but when you run into this problem its really frustrating because nothing is wrong with the new sticks they just won't work with your old ones.

You can use CPU-Z to find out exactly what RAM you have currently installed if you want.
 

iamacow

Admirable
Well first off, the more sticks/dimms you have installed, the more possible issues you have at higher speeds. Mixing brands and speeds is generally a bad idea. But if you run them at the lowest speeds (2133) it shouldn't be a problem (but pointless to buy expensive higher speed kits). I would take out your old ram and swap over to the 3200 kit. Otherwise you are just asking for trouble trying to run that 8GB kit @ 3200.

Not to mention, each brand can use different dies, sub timing, voltage and single or dual rank dimms. All not good when mixing. The system may end up just booting into single channel or BSOD with the other kit installed. Either way the new kit will match the slowest dimms which most likely is that 8GB you have already.
 
Solution