Advice on whether to add new RAM to existing or replace the old RAM too?

[Jack the crackerman]

Hi,

I have a computer which I have had for 4 years. It was pretty decent when I bought it but times have moved on...

Current specs:

Intel i52500k
Asus P8Z68-V Pro Mobo
GTX970 GPU (upgraded this about a year ago as old GPU died)
8gb DDR3 RAM
1TB HDD

I am thinking about upgrading my RAM after looking at the min specs for a few games coming out that say 8gb RAM needed and 16gb recommended.

The RAM has not been upgraded since I bought the PC (it is DDR3 but I can't remember the make - CPUZ says it is running at 668MgHz - it is 2 x 4gb sticks).

I game at 1080p but may increase this (though not to 4k at this stage). Should I take out all the old RAM and replace with new or just add to the existing RAM that I already have?

Also, can anyone recommend a decent RAM that will do the job without being too expensive?

Thanks in advance guys!

 

[blazorthon]

When upgrading RAM, it is best to replace the current modules if you're buying more memory. There is never a guarantee that new modules will work when mixed with old modules even if the specs are the same. Keeping RAM modules is best done only if you already have the new modules and can test them to see if they work together. That way, if they don't work together, at least you didn't buy a new kit just for it to not work in tandem with your old kit.

If CPUz says 668MHz, then you have DDR3-1333 memory. CPUz should also tell you the timings and voltage currently in use. You want to get a new kit with those same specs. You can get a 2x8GB kit or a 4x4GB kit. If you go for a 2x8GB kit, then you could try to see if your old kit will work with the new kit for 24GB total just because you can try it, but again, no guarantees.

Before you go buying anything though, are you sure you need to upgrade your RAM? You could try playing the new games when they come out first to see 2x4GB will work fine for the settings you play on.