[SOLVED] Memory Upgrade options

TaintedGG

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Mar 11, 2016
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I have:
i5 6600k overclocked to 4.5Ghz
Asus Z170 Pro Gaming
8gb of HyperX DDR4 2400MHz oc'd to 2700Mhz

I want to upgrade as I noticed I'm often getting to 95% memory usage when multitasking on my PC.

Should I:
1. Buy a 16Gb (2x8Gb) kit of the same ram, and have a total of 24Gb

2. Buy a 16Gb (2x8Gb) kit of a different ram (Higher Frequency) and use both, 24Gb total

3. Buy a 16Gb(2x8Gb) kit of a different ram (Higher Frequency) and sell my 8gb kit, total of 16Gb.

Cheers for any advice.
 
Solution
This goes against intuition. How can they guarantee that two ram modules in a kit work together? Do they test every single module?
Ram is sold in kits for a reason.
A motherboard must manage all the ram using the same specs of voltage, cas and speed.
The internal workings are designed for the capacity of the kit.
Ram from the same vendor and part number can be made up of differing manufacturing components over time.
Some motherboards, can be very sensitive to this.
This is more difficult when more sticks are involved.

Yes, they do test ram as a kit.
i would go for the 3rd option.Never mix different ram modules.You only have 100% chance of ram working when you buy it in a KIT.Like if you buy 2x8kit of idk corsair vengeance ram,and your mobo supports it,it is 100% quaranted to work,but if you later on buy another same corsair kit,it is not quaranted to work with your exsisting 2x8 kit which is already in your mobo.
 
Obviously, opinions differ.
I would pick option 1.
You will have a guaranteed 16gb.
Ram must be matched to run properly.
With the same specs, you increase your odds(89%?) that the old stick will play nice with the new.
If it does, great, you now have 24gb.
16gb will run in dual channel mode, and the single 8gb will run in single channel mode(if it was 2 x4gb then all will be in dual channel mode.
Take the time to verify proper operation by running memtest86.

Intel does not benefit much from faster ram so I think your current speed is fine.
Disparate ram will run at the lower of supported speeds.
And, as I recall, faster ram reduced my overclock one multiplier when I had a 6600K

If the old ram does not play nice, sell it or keep it as a spare.
 

TaintedGG

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Mar 11, 2016
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i would go for the 3rd option.Never mix different ram modules.You only have 100% chance of ram working when you buy it in a KIT.Like if you buy 2x8kit of idk corsair vengeance ram,and your mobo supports it,it is 100% quaranted to work,but if you later on buy another same corsair kit,it is not quaranted to work with your exsisting 2x8 kit which is already in your mobo.

This goes against intuition. How can they guarantee that two ram modules in a kit work together? Do they test every single module?
 

TaintedGG

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Mar 11, 2016
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Obviously, opinions differ.
I would pick option 1.
You will have a guaranteed 16gb.
Ram must be matched to run properly.
With the same specs, you increase your odds(89%?) that the old stick will play nice with the new.
If it does, great, you now have 24gb.
16gb will run in dual channel mode, and the single 8gb will run in single channel mode(if it was 2 x4gb then all will be in dual channel mode.
Take the time to verify proper operation by running memtest86.

Intel does not benefit much from faster ram so I think your current speed is fine.
Disparate ram will run at the lower of supported speeds.
And, as I recall, faster ram reduced my overclock one multiplier when I had a 6600K

If the old ram does not play nice, sell it or keep it as a spare.
This is the option I was leaning towards, to be honest. However, with futureproofing in mind, I wonder if going for a faster speed and selling my kit is the better move. I'm a little torn on this and I am getting varied responses ahah. Thanks for your advice.
 
This is the option I was leaning towards, to be honest. However, with futureproofing in mind, I wonder if going for a faster speed and selling my kit is the better move. I'm a little torn on this and I am getting varied responses ahah. Thanks for your advice.
Have you clearly determined what "Higher Frequency " with 8 Gb sticks would be supported by your mobo ? For example the GSkill configurator gives 2800 as the highest speed they guarantee for your mobo with 8 Gb stciks (which is more or less what you have by overclocking)
 
This goes against intuition. How can they guarantee that two ram modules in a kit work together? Do they test every single module?
Ram is sold in kits for a reason.
A motherboard must manage all the ram using the same specs of voltage, cas and speed.
The internal workings are designed for the capacity of the kit.
Ram from the same vendor and part number can be made up of differing manufacturing components over time.
Some motherboards, can be very sensitive to this.
This is more difficult when more sticks are involved.

Yes, they do test ram as a kit.
 
Solution
Ram is sold in kits for a reason.
A motherboard must manage all the ram using the same specs of voltage, cas and speed.
The internal workings are designed for the capacity of the kit.
Ram from the same vendor and part number can be made up of differing manufacturing components over time.
Some motherboards, can be very sensitive to this.
This is more difficult when more sticks are involved.

Yes, they do test ram as a kit.
Thanks for the help,i really didnt know how to answer him xD
All i know that the will 100% work if its both in the same kit.
 

TaintedGG

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Mar 11, 2016
134
0
4,710
Ram is sold in kits for a reason.
A motherboard must manage all the ram using the same specs of voltage, cas and speed.
The internal workings are designed for the capacity of the kit.
Ram from the same vendor and part number can be made up of differing manufacturing components over time.
Some motherboards, can be very sensitive to this.
This is more difficult when more sticks are involved.

Yes, they do test ram as a kit.
Makes sense, thanks :))
 

TaintedGG

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Mar 11, 2016
134
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4,710
Have you clearly determined what "Higher Frequency " with 8 Gb sticks would be supported by your mobo ? For example the GSkill configurator gives 2800 as the highest speed they guarantee for your mobo with 8 Gb stciks (which is more or less what you have by overclocking)
My motherboard supports up to 3400Mhz, I would be going for a 3200Mhz kit.