Can you mix RAM sticks?

Can You Mix Different RAM Brands? In short, the answer to this question is: yes. No matter the brand, speed, and size of the RAM, theoretically, you can mix and match RAM in your system, though it may prove to be problematic.

Do sticks of RAM have to match?

Most laptops or computers come with at least two slots for RAM sticks, if not more. Most modern motherboards will provide four RAM slots. There's a prevailing misconception you cannot use different RAM sizes together or that you cannot mix RAM brands. Simply put, that's not true.

What happens if you mix 2 RAM sticks of different speeds?

You can use memory modules of different speeds as long as they are faster than those specified for your computer. It is recommended to use modules of the same speed as those already installed in your system. If you do mix speeds, the modules will all run at the speed of your slowest modules.

Can you mix DDR3 and DDR4 RAM?

Every DDR generation is different from the others. DDR4 is not backward-compatible with DDR3 so a DDR4 DIMM will not fit on a DDR3 DIMM slot. Not only is the key notch of each DDR generation different (please refer to Figure 1 above), but the DDR4 pin size and arrangement is different from DDR3.

Can I mix DDR3 and DDR5 RAM?

Motherboards are built to support only one type of memory, so you can't mix and match SDRAM, DDR, DDR2, DDR3, DDR4, or DDR5 memory on the same motherboard. They won't work, and they may not even fit in the same sockets.

Just How Bad is Mixing Memory?

Can I use 2 different RAM brands?

Theoretically, you can mix different RAM brands in your computer system, but you may encounter some problems. Sometimes mixing different RAM brands can lead to a drop in performance, but if you consider your options carefully, you may be able to avoid issues.

Can I put DDR5 RAM in a DDR4 slot?

Conversation. Just to clarify DDR5 is not backwards compatible with DDR4, it's a completely different DIMM slot. There will be DDR4 and DDR5 Alder Lake motherboards, but you have to pick which memory type you want to use, this is very important information for those upgrading.

What happens if you put DDR3 in a DDR4 slot?

In addition to this, DDR3 requires 1.5 V for normal operation and 1.35 V in power saving mode whereas DDR4 RAM requires only 1.2 V so even if you could fit DDR3 RAM in a DDR4 slot, it would not work since the motherboard would fail to provide the required voltage.

What happens if you put DDR3 RAM in a DDR4 motherboard?

All RAM isn't the same and DDR3 and DDR4 can't be used interchangeably. You can't insert a DDR3 RAM stick into a DDR4 slot because it's not backward-compatible. The stick won't fit into the slot and, even if you did get it wedged in there somehow, your motherboard won't recognize the format.

Can I run DDR3 RAM on a DDR4 motherboard?

As DDR4 will only work in DDR4 compatible motherboards and DDR3 will only fit in DDR3 compatible motherboards. The speed is backward compatible but will need the motherboard to be compatible.

Is 32 GB RAM overkill?

32GB of RAM is considered high and is generally overkill for most users. For most everyday use and basic tasks such as web browsing, email, and basic office work, 8GB of RAM is more than enough. Even for gaming or video editing, 16GB is typically sufficient.

Is 64 GB RAM overkill?

Is 64/128 GB of RAM Overkill? For the majority of users, it is. If you plan on building a PC purely for gaming and some general, basic, everyday activity, 64 GB of RAM is just too much. The amount of RAM you need will ultimately depend on your workload.

Is 32GB RAM better than 16GB for gaming?

16GB is the recommended amount of RAM for playing most games and will provide a noticeable increase in performance from 8GB. You will also be able to run applications in the background without affecting gameplay.

How do I know if two RAM sticks are compatible?

If you're getting two RAM sticks or more, then advisably the two should have a matching MHz size. Another information to look out for is the number of RAM slots you have on your motherboard. Generally, PCs like laptop or desktop come with two and above slots.

Can you just put in new RAM sticks?

Is it possible to just add a new RAM to the existing RAM in order to boost the memory of my desktop PC? Yes, but if you do, you will have to use the exact type of memory that came with your computer. You also have to have enough RAM slots.

Can I use 1333mhz and 1600MHz RAM together?

Yes, you can mix 1333 and 1600 MHz RAM sticks, however the system will downclock all RAM to the speed of the slowest stick.

How do I know if RAM will fit my motherboard?

The easiest way to find what RAM is compatible with your motherboard is by checking your motherboard's Memory QVL list. As you browse for your motherboard's RAM specifications on the manufacturer's website, look for a page or section called “Memory QVL” or “RAM support list”.

Is DDR4 better than DDR3 for gaming?

While DDR4 has an increase in latency, it's for the most part the same as for DDR3 thanks to better clock speed. Still, DDR4 RAM offers almost twice as much bandwidth as compared to DDR3 RAM: 21.3GB/s versus 12.8GB/s.

How much faster is DDR4 than DDR3?

DDR4 versus DDR3 RAM

DDR4 is not just more power efficient — it's a lot faster, too. DDR3 specifications range between 800 to 2,133 MTps (millions of transfers per second). In comparison, DDR4 RAM ranges between 2,133 to 3,200 MTps, not to mention the faster kits available through XMP and overclocking.

Is DDR3 good for gaming?

Yes, it is still great in this day and age. The real-world performative differences between DDR3 and DDR 4 modules just aren't all that significant for gamers, but if you're a content creator, we do suggest that you make the upgrade as you will find high performance DDR4 ram suits your needs better.

What's the fastest DDR3 RAM?

The clock speed of DDR3 vary from 800 MHz to 2133 MHz, where 2133 MHz is the its peak in some cases, generally clock speed is vary between 1600 to 1800 MHz.

Is 8GB DDR5 better than 16GB DDR4?

Compared to DDR4, DDR5 RAM kits have a higher base speed, support higher-capacity DIMM modules (also called RAM sticks), and consume less power for the same performance specs as the previous generation. However, DDR4 still holds some key advantages, like overall lower latency and better stability.

What's the fastest DDR4 RAM?

Is it worth upgrading from DDR4 to DDR5?

Finally, considering that DDR5 memory kits are still sold at high (often prohibitive) prices, I'd say that in the short term, it's not worth upgrading from DDR4 unless: You're a professional who needs top performance regardless of costs. You want to build a PC based on one of AMD's latest Ryzen 7000 series processors.