[SOLVED] Mixing ram kits

[NottaTubby]

I currently have 2x4gb of Crucial Ballistix Sport LT 2400 DDR4, https://www.amazon.com/Crucial-Ballistix-Desktop-Gaming-BLS2K4G4D240FSB/dp/B00UFF7Y72?th=1. It has 16-16-16 timing with a voltage of 1.2V. I am looking to upgrade my RAM, but the identical model of my current RAM is currently unavailable. I was wondering if it is possible to add RAM of the same brand, timings, voltage, and size but a different model, https://www.crucial.com/memory/ddr4/bl2k4g24c16u4b. And also, as a second option, will there be any problems with adding a single stick of 4gb 2400 DDR4 with the same timings, voltage, and I believe it is also the same make and model, https://www.crucial.com/memory/ddr4/bls4g4d240fsc. Thank you!

 

[Karadjgne]

Model doesn't matter.
All ram is made by a handful of OEMs, like Micron (Crucial is their public house brand), Samsung, SkHynix etc. It's their chips on the inside (looks identical to ugly green stick ram). The model is nothing more than the type of heatsink, color, rgb or not that's glued onto that ugly green stick and painted with whatever vendors (Crucial, Gskill, Patriot, Corsair etc) logo.

Being Crucial (Micron), strip off the heatsink and you'll see the same ugly green stick with the same chips as found in Kingston, Patriot, Adata and half a dozen different vendors and model numbers.

So no, model doesn't matter in the slightest.

Ram IC's are made of silicon. Each sticks IC's come from a different batch of silicon that has different levels and types of impurities. This affects the 40+ Secondary and Tertiary timings you don't see printed on the ram. Because of those differences, it's important to use kits containing multiple sticks, as the factory has access to hundreds of thousands of sticks and can mix and match easily to get a compatible pair/quad set.

When you personally mix ram kits, you become that testor, but only have access to whatever you have in hand. So that ram will either be compatible, be compatible with adjustments or not be compatible at all.

I've had Corsair ram with manufacturing numbers only 9 apart, literally they grabbed 1 stick and grabbed one 9 sticks later from that exact conveyor belt at the factory. Totally incompatible. Would not play nice at any timings or voltages.

I've had Kingston ram mixed with Patriot ram, different OEMs, very different models, different speeds, timings, even different voltages (one was 1.5v and the other 1.65v) stuck them in a mobo and they worked perfectly, no adjustment, plug and play.

There's only 1 Guarantee about mixing ram kits, of any kind, identical or not, and that is there simply are no guarantees at all. You will not know, nor is there any other way to know, exactly how the ram will react until you plug it in.