Adding more Ram

[Ciaran92]

Hi I have the Crucial 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3-1333 Memory already, and thinking about adding the Corsair CMV4GX3M1A1333C9 Value Select 4GB (1x4GB) DDR3 1333 Mhz to my build, just wondering will it work.. thanks in advance!!

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... The problem that can arise is, if your MB BIO's will let you switch to Single Channel mode VS Dual... You need to operate in Single Channel with 3 sticks for 12gb to work.

 

[littleleo]

You are going to be falling down the rabbit hole if you try that. The best thing to do if you want to go to 8GB is to buy a new 8GB kit (2x4GB). The DDR3-1600 will probably be cheaper the the DDR3-1333.

 

[madmatt30]

^ not necessarily - its board dependant - I've seen plenty of boards run 2 sticks on channel a & a single stick on channel b in dual channel mode if the channel total is the same.

Saying that I'd just sell the 2x2gb sticks & buy a 2x4gb pair to play it safe personally.

 

[Ciaran92]

So I would be better off buying 18gb stick or 2x4gb rather adding this one to what I got ?

 

[madmatt30]

Absolutely mate - its a safer option - you tend to get a 2x4gb set for around 60% more than a single stick anyway - flog your current sticks on eBay or something.

 

[Ciaran92]

cheers mate

 

[littleleo]

So I would be better off buying 18gb stick or 2x4gb rather adding this one to what I got ?

An 8GB kit is the best way to go unless you only have 2 RAM slots. Then you will get dual channel mode for your ram which increases performance, and if in the odd chance one stick goes bad you still can run your computer until you get it replaced.

 

[littleleo]

^ not necessarily - its board dependant - I've seen plenty of boards run 2 sticks on channel a & a single stick on channel b in dual channel mode if the channel total is the same.

Saying that I'd just sell the 2x2gb sticks & buy a 2x4gb pair to play it safe personally.

So I'm wrong but I'm right, lol. You sound like my other 1/2.

 

[Tradesman1]

Most all recent mobos (last few years) use Flex mode (on Intel) or AMD has their own variant of Flex, which allows running of dual channel with equal amounts of DRAM in each channel and if one one channel has more than the other, the odd overage in that channel runs in single channel mode - more on flex in my article, FAQs, item 7 here:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-2741495/ddr3-faqs-fiction.html

 

[littleleo]

He is running 2 x 2GB sticks of one brand then wants to add 1 4GB stick of another brand. I think that is an invitation for all kinds of issues like BSOD, freezing, crashing... I think madmatt talked him out of it.

 

[Tradesman1]

The info I presented was for anyone interested, especially Ironsounds who indicated in his response that all would run in single channel, and to back up MadMatt30's statement

"^ not necessarily - its board dependant - I've seen plenty of boards run 2 sticks on channel a & a single stick on channel b in dual channel mode if the channel total is the same.

Saying that I'd just sell the 2x2gb sticks & buy a 2x4gb pair to play it safe personally."

I agree about mixing DRAM and probably point it out to people at least a half dozen or more times a day, it's covered in the Fiction part of that article, Item 2:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ddr-dram-myths,4155.html