[SOLVED] The relation between laptop's dedicated video card and memory module frequency. Will I lose performance?

[Doni Dozh]

I recently bought a Ryzen 5 3500U 8GB Aspire 3 A315-42G-R5Z7 for music production (just playing tracks and loops in Ableton, and some very light VST instruments, in case you wanna know).
But, this laptop comes with a dedicated video card that uses 2GB of total system memory, so I bought another 8GB 2400mhz HyperX module (since the manufacturer website said it could go 2400mhz max frequency and had a spare slot). By my counts, I would have 14 GB in total.
An then came the issue: when I opened the laptop case I saw 2x4GB 2666mhz modules and no spare slot!
A lot of questions ran through my mind like "why did they put 2666mhz modules if the max frequency is 2400..?"
But then I thought it could be some "spare frequency" for the GPU. Can someone confirm this? 🤔

And if it is true, will I lose too much performance going with another 8GB 2400mhz module?
I though about giving it back and buying 2x8GB 2666mhz instead, but it will be way more expensive than just buying just one more 2400 module (where I live)

What you guys say? The more expensive 2x8 2666mhz or just another 2400mhz module?
BTW, it's a Ryzen 5 3500U processor.

TL;DR: I got a Ryzen 5 laptop with 2x4GB 2666mhz modules, no spare slot, and bought a 8GB 2400 module. Will I lose too much perfomance if I buy another 2400 module (cheaper) or should i go with 2x8GB 2666 modules (more expensive) instead?

 

[tennis2]

Download CPUz and locate the memory tab where it will say whether the RAM is running at 1200MHz (DDR4-2400) or 1333MHz (DDR4-2666).

The only thing that counts is what the RAM is being run at.

 

[Doni Dozh]

Download CPUz and locate the memory tab where it will say whether the RAM is running at 1200MHz (DDR4-2400) or 1333MHz (DDR4-2666).

The only thing that counts is what the RAM is being run at.

Well, it shows me this:

and this

 

[tennis2]

So it's running at 1866MHz....? That's.... unfortunate.

AMDs website says the 3500U does DDR4-2400, so that's all I'd expect to get from a laptop.

Since the machine already has 2666 capable sticks, I suppose the best course of action is to poke around in the BIOS and see if/ what you can get out of RAM settings. That then will answer your own original question.