[SOLVED] What would happen if i upgrade in the future in this scenario?

[Flonne]

I read this sticky thread and now i am wondering how to properly choose a ram. To be honest, i thought memory was the easiest, no-brain part to upgrade. "Just pick the correct DDR, put it in the motherboard and done!" basically, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

It seems the correct brand, speed, number of sticks and even manufacturing date are super important, but the thread does not specify why, which makes a possible future upgrade a biiiiiiiiig hassle.

I am making a budget build, importing parts from outside the country, the motherboard says:

1. 4 x DDR4 DIMM sockets supporting up to 128 GB (32 GB single DIMM capacity) of system memory
2. Dual channel memory architecture
3. Support for ECC Un-buffered DIMM 1Rx8/2Rx8 memory modules (operate in non-ECC mode)
4. Support for non-ECC Un-buffered DIMM 1Rx8/2Rx8/1Rx16 memory modules
5. Support for Extreme Memory Profile (XMP) memory modules

So, i decided to get 8GB RAM (2 x 4gb) because that seems pretty good for my needs, i might upgrade in the future, either getting 4gb or 8gb more:

1. If decide to upgrade by getting 8gb, why should i pick 2 x 4gb instead of one 8gb? Most sellers just sell 1 x 8gb.
2. If i decide to upgrade later, adding one 4gb stick or one 8gb stick, how would it negatively affect the PC to have 3 sticks?
3. If i decide to upgrade later, will get another brand really matter? (The brand of the 2 first sticks i am importing would be close to impossible to find where i live)
4. If i decide to upgrade later, will get another speed really matter?
5. What do i need to look for to know an upgrade will work correctly?

Amazon and other stores sell mostly single sticks, does that mean almost everyone has single channel motherboards? I really don't understand.

That sticky really made me doubt everything i assumed about memories, even getting another brand seems like a massive mistake. I am starting to wonder if i should just buy them where i live to make sure it's the same brand if it is THAT important.

If it is not, i would rather just import them and then upgrade with another brand stick of the same speed in my country if i upgrade, because where i live ram sticks are like 70%+ more than the US price (even with shipping...) and i would rather not pay almost twice if can avoid it.

 

[Wolfshadw]

Most of this depends on the rest of your system specifications. Most of the memory compatibility issues started with DDR4. If you're using older tech, then you needn't worry so much about compatibility.

On the other hand, If you are using more current components (using DDR4 RAM), then the best advice I could give would be to get as much RAM as you think you'd ever need, right now. If you're thinking you might need 16GB of RAM in the future for this system, get it now as a kit 2x8GB/4x4GB). RAM kits modules are guaranteed to be compatible with each other. On the other hand, you could purchase a single 8GB DDR4 RAM module now, and two weeks from now, go to the exact same store, purchase the exact same 8GB RAM manufacturer and model number, bring it home, install it only to find out it won't work with your current RAM.

If your motherboard supports Dual-Channel RAM configurations (some older boards support triple or even quad-channel), then you should always purchase memory in paired kits. (2xXGB or 4xXGB). Not doing so isn't going to harm anything, but you're losing the dual-channel capability and speed of your RAM set up.

-Wolf sends

 

[Vic 40]

1+2 ) If you get 2x4 now do you have dualchannel which is better for performance, Adding an 8gb stick is possible, can even get dualchannel with that as long as you keep the 2x4 sticks in one channel and the 1x8gb stick in the other. Usually channels are slots next to each other, like slot 1+2 (A) from the cpu out and 3+4 (B) from the cpu out are channels.

3 ) Would be best to get the same maker+model+speed for best compatibility and least likelyness that the sticks won't play nice, but even with the same this can happen. In theory should any ram fit and would the motherboard choose slowest sp[eed and timings to work on. Which kinda answers question nr4 as well.

5 ) Best would be as said same maker+model+speed and timings

Need to emphasize that mixing ram can go good, but also bad even when using same maker+model+speed and timings, as someone who was a mod here said, "it's a crapshoot".

Getting 16gb in matching kit right now would indeed be best and in these days preferable anyway, but depends on what you do, if gaming can 8gb become a bottleneck easily.

 

[Flonne]

I see, thank both for your answers.

I guess i am going to buy 2 x 8gb, as it is unlikely i'll need more than 16gb.

Any recommended brand? All RAM i find on amazon have people saying they are defective, don't pass module tests and the like.

An additional question: is pcpartpicker.com trustworthy?

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/2PnNbh

Here it says a 3200MHz 2 x 8gb ram is compatible with the motherboard (no compatibility problem found), but the specs site on the motherboard says...they do not support that speed:

http://ee.gigabyte.com/products/page/mb/B460M-DS3H-V2-rev-10/sp#sp

It says (and i quote):

Support for DDR4 2933/2666/2400/2133 MHz memory modules

So i do not know who to believe or if trust pcpartpicker.

 

[Wolfshadw]

PC Part Picker is fairly accurate. Understand that there are literally thousands RAM modules/kits and motherboard manufacturers do not test each and every one, so not all supported RAM modules are listed on the QVL.

That said, I suspect the DDR4-3200 RAM you have listed would work, but not at 3200MHz (since 2933 is the max listed as supported). It would probably clock down to a lower speed.

As for manufacturers, I tend to stick with G.Skill, but I really don't see any issues any of the usual suspects (Corsair, Crucial, Kingston, HyperX, AData, etc...)

-Wolf sends