[SOLVED] More RAM sticks or More RAM Speed?

Dec 26, 2020
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Hi all,

My PC is running with an Avexir Core 2 2x8 (16gb) ram. Due to work, I've decided to buy another pair just to make it to 32gb. (4x8)

Before my PC is running in 3200mhz with just 2 sticks (i've adjusted it's XMP profile) then after i installed the additional 2, my PC won't boot smoothly.
After checking it, none of the ram slots is busted or something.

After a few test, the XMP profile causes why my PC won't boot smoothly.
Before I was running in 3200mhz, now i set it to 2800mhz and it boot perfectly. It also boot with 2866mhz speed but some says 2800mhz is the most stable one.

Does this sudden change of ram speed affect my overall PC performance? I'm using 4x8 now.
Is there any other way I can set it to 3200mhz with 4sticks? or should i just stick 2x8 ram with higher speed?

My PC Specs are:
R5 2600
ASUS TUF B450M-Pro Gaming
4x8 Avexir Core 2 Ram
Gigabyte GTX 1650Super
 
Solution
If your PC is used for work related tasks, then a stable speed will be more useful than an unstable and a bit faster speed.
You might not see a difference in most day to days tasks between 3200MHz and 2800MHz RAM.
I would set the RAM to the fastest stable speed (2866MHz or 2933MHz ) supported and test it.

I suggest you run Memtest86 to make sure the RAM is working together. Even though the system boots, when mixing RAM the system could spew errors when you least expected.

You might be able to achieve faster stable speeds with a RAM kit that was tested to work together.
It is hard to predict the outcome when you mix and match modules that were not tested to work together.
Even though you are might have gotten two of the "exact...

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
when you buy ram in sets, its tested to work with the other sticks in that set. If you buy 2 sets and run them together there is no guarantee they will work. I expect that is what happened here.

If its the only problem you have, its not a bad trade off.

Possibly only way to get 4 x 3200 in XMP is buy a set of 4 sticks, as they will work together.
 
If your PC is used for work related tasks, then a stable speed will be more useful than an unstable and a bit faster speed.
You might not see a difference in most day to days tasks between 3200MHz and 2800MHz RAM.
I would set the RAM to the fastest stable speed (2866MHz or 2933MHz ) supported and test it.

I suggest you run Memtest86 to make sure the RAM is working together. Even though the system boots, when mixing RAM the system could spew errors when you least expected.

You might be able to achieve faster stable speeds with a RAM kit that was tested to work together.
It is hard to predict the outcome when you mix and match modules that were not tested to work together.
Even though you are might have gotten two of the "exact same" kits, there is no guarantee that they will work together. The DRAM that goes into a kit (package) has been tested to work together. Manufacturers don’t guarantee mixing or adding one set to another, even when they are the "exact same" model.
 
Solution
Dec 26, 2020
8
0
10
when you buy ram in sets, its tested to work with the other sticks in that set. If you buy 2 sets and run them together there is no guarantee they will work. I expect that is what happened here.

If its the only problem you have, its not a bad trade off.

Possibly only way to get 4 x 3200 in XMP is buy a set of 4 sticks, as they will work together.

Thanks for the quick response.

Yes it's true that i bought each 2 sticks of ram separately, but I didn't know that i should bought the 4 sticks that will work together from the very first start instead of buying 2 different pairs with the same name and speed.

Should I just stick with the setup that I have right now? or should i just downgrade with 2x8 with faster ram speed?
 
Dec 26, 2020
8
0
10
If your PC is used for work related tasks, then a stable speed will be more useful than an unstable and a bit faster speed.
You might not see a difference in most day to days tasks between 3200MHz and 2800MHz RAM.
I would set the RAM to the fastest stable speed (2866MHz or 2933MHz ) supported and test it.

I suggest you run Memtest86 to make sure the RAM is working together. Even though the system boots, when mixing RAM the system could spew errors when you least expected.

You might be able to achieve faster stable speeds with a RAM kit that was tested to work together.
It is hard to predict the outcome when you mix and match modules that were not tested to work together.
Even though you are might have gotten two of the "exact same" kits, there is no guarantee that they will work together. The DRAM that goes into a kit (package) has been tested to work together. Manufacturers don’t guarantee mixing or adding one set to another, even when they are the "exact same" model.

Thanks for the response

I didn't know these the time I bought the additional pair of memory kits.
My PC is used for both work and gaming (most of the time it's gaming) and still which setup would be better.

Should I run it at least at it's higher speed and keep the 4 kits? or Should I just downgrade it, sell the other pair and stick with 16gb with faster speed?
 
Thanks for the response

I didn't know these the time I bought the additional pair of memory kits.
My PC is used for both work and gaming (most of the time it's gaming) and still which setup would be better.

Should I run it at least at it's higher speed and keep the 4 kits? or Should I just downgrade it, sell the other pair and stick with 16gb with faster speed?
You won't notice the speed difference between 3200MHz and 2800MHz RAM.
In some games you could see only a couple of FPS difference.

If I needed the 32GB, then I would run Memtest86 to make sure the RAM will work without errors and if it does, then I would keep the 4 modules...otherwise I would go back to the original 2 modules.
 
Dec 26, 2020
8
0
10
You won't notice the speed difference between 3200MHz and 2800MHz RAM.
In some games you could see only a couple of FPS difference.

If I needed the 32GB, then I would run Memtest86 to make sure the RAM will work without errors and if it does, then I would keep the 4 modules...otherwise I would go back to the original 2 modules.

Thanks! I'll try to run Memtest86 later.