[SOLVED] Need help upgrading ram for Z170 motherboard

[bijan.950]

Hi there folks
My system currently has 2 X 8GB DDR4 G.Skill TridentZ 3200 CL16-18-18-38 1.35V ( Motherboard: Asus Z170 Deluxe - CPU : i7 6700K)
never had any problem with them but recently really felt the need for more memory (damn After effects!)

If I can find another pair of my current memory from same vendor with the same capacity/freq/timing, are they going to work fine? (4X8GB for total of 32GB) or do you suggest to ditch my current modules and go for four new modules?(4X16GB for total of 64GB )

my question isn't about amount of ram but about possible incompatibility and pushing the system too far, because I read somewhere that when using all 4 memory slots on z170 it's going to be more pressure on CPU and and you can't use XMP2.0 to overclock them. is this true? (in this case how can someone reach 64GB ceiling of Z170 since apparently it doesn't support memory modules higher than 16GB either)

so what's the best path for me?

thank you in advance

 

[DRagor]

If I can find another pair of my current memory from same vendor with the same capacity/freq/timing, are they going to work fine?

Maybe, maybe not. Trick with RAM is you never know until you try.

or do you suggest to ditch my current modules and go for four new modules?

That's always safest route.

I read somewhere that when using all 4 memory slots on z170 it's going to be more pressure on CPU and and you can't use XMP2.0 to overclock them. is this true?

Using 4 slots is always more pressure no matter what board. But that does not mean you can't overclock, it just gets harder. With good board it may be no difference at all.

so what's the best path for me?

If you wanna go safe buy 2x16. If you wanna gamble buy 2x8 but try to find exactly same kit as it increases chance it will work.

 

[bijan.950]

Maybe, maybe not. Trick with RAM is you never know until you try.

That's always safest route.

Using 4 slots is always more pressure no matter what board. But that does not mean you can't overclock, it just gets harder. With good board it may be no difference at all.

If you wanna go safe buy 2x16. If you wanna gamble buy 2x8 but try to find exactly same kit as it increases chance it will work.

Thanks mate, but how about 4 X 16? (although I couldn't find 4 channel memory near me so I have to buy 2 double channel)

 

[DRagor]

Thanks mate, but how about 4 X 16? (although I couldn't find 4 channel memory near me so I have to buy 2 double channel)

Your board does not support quad channel, only dual channel. That said if you go for 4X16 make it one kit of four sticks, not two kits of two sticks each, because again mixing two kits (even same model bought as same time) is not guaranteed to work.

 

[bijan.950]

Your board does not support quad channel, only dual channel. That said if you go for 4X16 make it one kit of four sticks, not two kits of two sticks each, because again mixing two kits (even same model bought as same time) is not guaranteed to work.

and Based on Murphy's law : Everything that can go wrong will go wrong!
Dual channel it is! (2x16gb 3200 CL16 )
Thank you very much mate

 

[bijan.950]

Your board does not support quad channel, only dual channel. That said if you go for 4X16 make it one kit of four sticks, not two kits of two sticks each, because again mixing two kits (even same model bought as same time) is not guaranteed to work.

Hello again!
Just got the new sticks (2X16 with exact details from my 2X8 modules)
After initial testing, installed all 4 in ABAB array and with XMP profile, every one is running at same clock with same timing. system recognize 48GB and so far can't see any issue with it.