Adding ram ?

[Zangato]

I have prebuild system. I found my mother board support this: 2 x DIMM, Max. 16GB, DDR3 1600/1333/1066 MHz Non-ECC, Un-buffered Memory
Dual Channel Memory Architecture
I have 8gb ram. If I add another 4gb ram of same MHz will it work.
Or I have to get 8gb for it to work?

[Spawn of Totoro]

Depends. You may not have extra slots as it could be 8GB by useing 2, 4GB sticks.

If so, may as well upgrade to 16GB using 2, 8GB sticks.

[Sapph]

Originally posted by ldksparda07:

I have prebuild system. I found my mother board support this: 2 x DIMM, Max. 16GB, DDR3 1600/1333/1066 MHz Non-ECC, Un-buffered Memory
Dual Channel Memory Architecture
I have 8gb ram. If I add another 4gb ram of same MHz will it work.
Or I have to get 8gb for it to work?

You can get 4gb for a total of 12Gb, it will run partial-dual channel (only 4gb of the 8gb stick is running in dual)
But 8gb stick won't be all that much more than 4gb, so you might as well go for 16.

[FluffyPinkDecoyBunny]

While mixing RAM can work, it can also be problematic. Sometimes nothing happens and all works well, other times it can cause issues from booting problems to crashes.

General rule I go by when adding RAM to a system, try to find the exact modle that you're already using. If you have a stick of say, DDR3 1600 with 8-8-8-24 timings from Corsair, try to find the same RAM from them with the same speed/timings.

When you mix RAM, the system will force all RAM to run at the lowest speed RAM you have installed.

[Zangato]

That's the only info I found on my ram stick:
8Gb 2Rx8 PC3-12800U-11-13-B1
M378B1G73DBO-CKO

[_I_]

check with cpuz spd tab select dimms to see their specs
https://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html
‎
when mixing, its best to use highest common speed with lowest common timings

[upcoast]

Thaiphoon is a neat little ram program too, it gets into who made the chips too.

[Null_User]

Hmm. did you say your motherboard supports 2 dimm? As in, there are only two slots? If you have only two slots total, you may need to replace what you have with two modules, each at 8 GB to get 16 just like the first poster said. Unless you have a single 8GB stick... IF you have 4 slots, then you can add extra.

You can install 4 GB extra and most motherboards will accept modules of slightly different speeds. They will run at the speed of the slowest module, so if you intend on keeping your current ram (and IF you indeed have 4 slots), try to get similar ram in terms of speed and voltages. OR if you can afford it, get all 4 sticks of the same model and brand.

But first, check if you have two or 4 slots...

[Zangato]

Originally posted by Hanuke:

Hmm. did you say your motherboard supports 2 dimm? As in, there are only two slots? If you have only two slots total, you may need to replace what you have with two modules, each at 8 GB to get 16 just like the first poster said. Unless you have a single 8GB stick... IF you have 4 slots, then you can add extra.

You can install 4 GB extra and most motherboards will accept modules of slightly different speeds. They will run at the speed of the slowest module, so if you intend on keeping your current ram (and IF you indeed have 4 slots), try to get similar ram in terms of speed and voltages. OR if you can afford it, get all 4 sticks of the same model and brand.

But first, check if you have two or 4 slots...

Yeah I have slots its dual chanel. I havd 8gb 1600 Mhz, and I added another 8gb 1600 Mhz.
Would it work if I add 4GB? Will it work well in dual chanel ?

[Null_User]

Originally posted by ldksparda07:

Originally posted by Hanuke:

Hmm. did you say your motherboard supports 2 dimm? As in, there are only two slots? If you have only two slots total, you may need to replace what you have with two modules, each at 8 GB to get 16 just like the first poster said. Unless you have a single 8GB stick... IF you have 4 slots, then you can add extra.

You can install 4 GB extra and most motherboards will accept modules of slightly different speeds. They will run at the speed of the slowest module, so if you intend on keeping your current ram (and IF you indeed have 4 slots), try to get similar ram in terms of speed and voltages. OR if you can afford it, get all 4 sticks of the same model and brand.

But first, check if you have two or 4 slots...

Yeah I have slots its dual chanel. I havd 8gb 1600 Mhz, and I added another 8gb 1600 Mhz.
Would it work if I add 4GB? Will it work well in dual chanel ?

As far as I know, you don't lose dual channel functions by having 3 slots of 4 occupied. But don't take my word for it. The actual pros can answer that one here for certain. The definition of dual channel I read says it works on two "or more" ram sticks, so you should be fine on that regard. Again, as far as I know. I myself ran my PC with 3 sticks for a few days and saw no noticeable changes. And I'm running on supposedly slow 1600mhz...

On the other side, I and I think most here, recommend trying your best to have similar sticks in all or as many stats as possible, to avoid any hidden problems from popping up. The most important numbers in ram, I believe are size (4gb- 8gb and so on), type (ddr3, ddr4), cas (the numbers in the format x-x-x-xx) and speed (in mhz). So whatever stats are in your current ram sticks, try to get modules of the same capacity. I believe having same performing modules is more important than how many modules you are installing.

[Sapph]

Dual channel always requires even amount of sticks. 2, 4, 6, 8 (of course, if motherboard supports 6 or 8 slots, it usually can make use of Triple channel or quad channel instead)

Dual channel is also possible with 2 different capacity sticks. For example 8gb + 4gb. But in that case, it runs in mixed-multi channel where only 4gb of the 8gb stick will run dual channel with the 4gb stick.

If there is 4 slots, but only 3 sticks, all sticks will run single channel.

[Zangato]

Originally posted by Sapph:

Dual channel always requires even amount of sticks. 2, 4, 6, 8 (of course, if motherboard supports 6 or 8 slots, it usually can make use of Triple channel or quad channel instead)

Dual channel is also possible with 2 different capacity sticks. For example 8gb + 4gb. But in that case, it runs in mixed-multi channel where only 4gb of the 8gb stick will run dual channel with the 4gb stick.

Cool thx for info man. That make more sense now.

[Null_User]

Originally posted by Sapph:

Dual channel always requires even amount of sticks. 2, 4, 6, 8 (of course, if motherboard supports 6 or 8 slots, it usually can make use of Triple channel or quad channel instead)

Dual channel is also possible with 2 different capacity sticks. For example 8gb + 4gb. But in that case, it runs in mixed-multi channel where only 4gb of the 8gb stick will run dual channel with the 4gb stick.

If there is 4 slots, but only 3 sticks, all sticks will run single channel.

Cool to know indeed. Seems not all articles out there have the full story on this.

[MA☝Omgwtfbbqstfu™]

Always check the ram compatibility databases of big sites which sell ram, crucial and kingston have part picker tools on their site where you enter your pc model and they will tell you which are verified to work, some prebuilt machines are very picky. You'd be surprised. There were certain dells you could buy fast enthusiast ram for which wouldn't run at their rated speed, you had to buy exact spec ram or it would down clock.