[SOLVED] PC RAM Upgrade: Upping 8GB (to 16GB?)

[Zorozephyr09]

My pc currently is running on 8GB of DDR3 RAM from 2 Corsair Vengeance 4GB sticks (the blue model). The motherboard that the RAM is on has 4 slots for RAM, and the two sticks are on alternating slots (not next to one another). As I've never done a RAM upgrade before, I was wondering if I was fine to just get another two sticks of the exact same type of RAM (the blue Corsair Vengeance x2 4GB), and just put them in the remaining open slots, or if I need a different variant of RAM in order for all of them to work fine together. My goal is to get a total of 16GB of RAM afte the upgrade, though if more is possible with my current setup then that would be more than welcome.

My motherboard is an ASUS P8Z77-V LX LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel, and (as stated earlier) the RAM it has at the moment are x2 Corsair 4GB sticks of the blue variety. I'm asking about this bc on the amazon link for the RAM I used there are some review pictures with the two sticks next to different colored RAM sticks, and I wasn't sure why that was.

Thanks!

 

[PC Tailor]

Mixing RAM modules is not guaranteed to work. This is why manufacturers sell RAM in packs. Because technically, the packs are the only ones guaranteed to work together. It's why it is never recommended to mix RAM modules. The fact that they might be the same size / make / model is irrelevant. So you CAN mix RAM modules, and you'll usually be fine, but there's no guarantee, and you're not always covered if you make this error.

But matching timings / frequencies / voltages as far as possible will minimize any problems.

Your MB can support up to 32GB. Newer socket means I wouldn't worry about any memory controller stress really. The colour of RAM modules can be irrelevant in some cases, so just check the actual model / part number.

 

[Zorozephyr09]

Mixing RAM modules is not guaranteed to work. This is why manufacturers sell RAM in packs. Because technically, the packs are the only ones guaranteed to work together. It's why it is never recommended to mix RAM modules. The fact that they might be the same size / make / model is irrelevant. So you CAN mix RAM modules, and you'll usually be fine, but there's no guarantee, and you're not always covered if you make this error.

But matching timings / frequencies / voltages as far as possible will minimize any problems.

Your MB can support up to 32GB. Newer socket means I wouldn't worry about any memory controller stress really. The colour of RAM modules can be irrelevant in some cases, so just check the actual model / part number.

If I was going with my original plan, then I would literally be ordering the exact same product from amazon that I got last time as the RAM that is currently in my system, (link if you're curious): https://www.amazon.com/CORSAIR-Veng...s=pc+ram&qid=1553550320&s=electronics&sr=1-24

So in that case I would be good, correct? Though bc I did not know that my mobo had a capacity for 32GB RAM, I'm now debating whether to replace the two 4GB sticks there at the moment and instead get 4 sticks of 8GB RAM.... do you think its worth it to go up to 32 GB? My cpu is an intel i5-2500k and my graphics card is soon going to be the GTX 1660 ti (right now it's the 650 ti).

 

[PC Tailor]

If I was going with my original plan, then I would literally be ordering the exact same product from amazon that I got last time as the RAM that is currently in my system, (link if you're curious):

You should be fine yes. But just to confirm my original point, just because it is the exact same model, doesn't mean they're guaranteed to work, it's still a different batch. In effect they make the pack to work together, not the model, as the manufacturing process can change over time on the same model RAM.

There are theories that putting 4x8GB may stress the memory controller, but this is less of a problem on modern boards / CPUs. So realistically, I would say go with whats more cost effective.

However you have to take into consideration what you're using the PC for, if it's gaming, 32GB will be a complete waste, and you may as well just get 2x8GB to get 16GB.

 

[Calvin7]

Memory is guaranteed in the form sold. Exact match, identical, same thing may have a better chance of working together rather than using random modules, but have no guarantee to be compatible together.

 

[Zorozephyr09]

You should be fine yes. But just to confirm my original point, just because it is the exact same model, doesn't mean they're guaranteed to work, it's still a different batch. In effect they make the pack to work together, not the model, as the manufacturing process can change over time on the same model RAM.

There are theories that putting 4x8GB may stress the memory controller, but this is less of a problem on modern boards / CPUs. So realistically, I would say go with whats more cost effective.

However you have to take into consideration what you're using the PC for, if it's gaming, 32GB will be a complete waste, and you may as well just get 2x8GB to get 16GB.

Thanks; I plan to use the machine primarily for gaming, and I don't do any video editing or whatever else 32 GB might be useful for, so I think I should be fine with ordering another pair of the same sticks. It's odd that there is still a chance that the next two may not work with my current RAM, but considering what you said about model #'s and everything, this is the only choice that leaves the least possible chance for RAM failure. Fingers crossed on this one, I guess.

 

[PC Tailor]

Sounds good sir.

Yeah just gaming, you won't need more than 16GB. You should be fine, but it's just so you're aware of the caution that's all.
Many mix ram modules without issue, just don't be shocked if on the off chance that they don't work.

Obviously just check your CPU supports the memory too, I'm guessing on your chipset that it should be fine, but just double check.

 

[Zorozephyr09]

Sounds good sir.

Yeah just gaming, you won't need more than 16GB. You should be fine, but it's just so you're aware of the caution that's all.
Many mix ram modules without issue, just don't be shocked if on the off chance that they don't work.

Obviously just check your CPU supports the memory too, I'm guessing on your chipset that it should be fine, but just double check.

Thanks for all the info you've already given, but just out of curiosity, what examples might you have of other ppl mixing modules? Like different brands of the same kind of RAM stick (Corsair w/ another brand) or you mean like having an 8GB stick adjacent to a 16GB?