Best way to upgrade from 8GB to 16GB DDR3?

[Tulik]

I currently run 2x4GB Kingston DDR3 1600Mhz.
I've placed an order yesterday, for an extra stick (8GB, but the black hyperX rather than the red ones I currently have (correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the color is the only difference).
I then read about how it actually matters if you run 2 sticks instead of 1, and how it's easier to use 2 sticks of 4GB instead of 1 8GB, because of dual channel vs single channel etc etc, and I got pretty confused; I understood the logic as to why 2 sticks are better than one, but what is the best route in my case, when going from 2x4GB to 16GB? does it make a difference if I have 3 sticks, or 4? I simply picked the 8GB in order to leave room for future upgrades (to 24GB), but I'm not sure anymore.
I can still change the order if needed, but I would appreciate if someone could make some order in my head. browsing threads didn't make it easier, because people seem to be controversial.

In case it matters - I run i5-4670K (soon to be i7-4790k, so discard the i5) and Gigabyte Z87 (motherboard).

Thanks!

 

[reedo_43]

If you want 16 gigs, you want either 2 sticks of 8 or 4 stick of 4 to keep duel channel mode. In your case, I would run with 4 4's.

 

[Tulik]

If you want 16 gigs, you want either 2 sticks of 8 or 4 stick of 4 to keep duel channel mode. In your case, I would run with 4 4's.

Will do, then. Thanks!
And is it indeed okay to get blacks instead of reds? (just for aesthetics and the diversity)
How do I make sure I get the same models?
These are my current sticks:

p.s
also, will they be ideal for an OC, if at all?

 

[reedo_43]

Color does not matter specs do. Make sure to get the same speed and latency. You have ddr3 1600 cas 9. (pc3 12800) You can over clock your cpu separately from your ram depending on what it is which I do not know.

 

[jitpublisher]

For optimum performance, install RAM in identical pairs. RAM on modern boards is designed to run in banks of 2 sticks, in order to mantain dual channel operation. If your board has 4 slots, it has 2 "banks" of memory. You install 2 idnetical sticks into a single bank, and 2 idntical sticks into the other bank for optimum performance. You can have for instance 2x4 in 1 bank, and 2x8 in the other bank, or 2x4 and 2x4, or 2x2 and 2x8, or even 2 sticks in 1 bank, and none at all in the other. The key is "buy RAM in pairs" it does not matter that the size of each bank is the same or not, just that the 2 sticks in each bank are the same. If, however you stick a single stick into a bank, you lose dual channel operation all together.
Losing dual channel operation is not a huge thing, you gain 3-7% performance in some memory intensive applications by running dual channel mode. Dual channel mode theoretically doubles your memory bandwidth, but in real life most programs cannot make good use of it, single channle mode is plenty of bandwidth for them. Gaming doesn't really get much benefit from dual channel mode for isnstance. It If you were to buy an 8 gig stick now, and later when you had the money simply add another 8 gig stick to fill that bank, that would work out okay too. But you won't be running dual channel with only 1 stick in a bank.

 

[TNT27]

It usually works just fine.
I have 3 sticks, but 4 slots.
2 sticks are 2gb identical in dual channel slots, while the 8gb stick is in the slot next to them. Working great here.

WHile dual channel is ideal, the performance gains are not noticable unless you do heavy ram intensive programs.

 

[Tradesman1]

And keep in mind mixing set of DRAM can be and often is problematic, even if you were to buy an exact matching set of what you already have, it's only 50/50 they will play with the old sticks. The forums are full of people trying to mix sets of DRAM, including identical models and them not playing with old. Best upgrade path is a 2x8GB set and then try adding the old, put them in another rig or sell them off.