Mixing RAM?

Eaglez · 2012-12-27, 08:05 PM

I just received a new set of RAM :

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231489

This new set of RAM is a 16GB kit, and it runs at 1.5V and 10 CAS latency. My RAM I built my computer with a few months ago is :

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820104262

Which runs at 1.65V and has a 9 CAS latency (dunno exactly what this is)

A friend of mine told me I can put both sets in, and they should run fine, but I don't want to take chances. I'd hate to retired my 3 month old RAM that I built my PC with. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Rbstr · 2012-12-27, 08:16 PM

Mixing voltages is asking for instability. I doubt anything would break, but I don't think it would work right.

8gb is sufficient these days 16 is more than enough. No reason to have 24 except if there's a specific reason.

Electrofreak · 2012-12-27, 08:46 PM

Personally I don't think it'll be a problem. The memory will just run at SPD at the appropriate voltages and I predict no instability.

That said, it's been about 6 years since I was into building and repairing PCs and Rob has kept up with the times better than I have. *shrug*

You can't really hurt anything using both sets. Worst case scenario you get some random reboots.

Ailos · 2012-12-27, 11:38 PM

Unless you have a specific need for 24 GB or RAM, this won't improve your experience in any way. It may even harm it, because most memory controllers switch to single-channel mode when they detect dissimilar memory modules.

Vancha · 2012-12-28, 08:55 AM

Couldn't you downvolt and downclock the Kingston so the only difference is the capacities?

Rbstr · 2012-12-28, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by Vancha

Couldn't you downvolt and downclock the Kingston so the only difference is the capacities?

Yes, but the memory modules might not work well down-volted. It isn't going to break stuff permenently, it might work fine or it might cause crashing. That's what I'm getting at with instability.

It's tested to 1.65V. You might get lucky but there's an awful lot of transistors to count on them all having thresholds that exceed specs.

Ailos · 2013-01-04, 02:35 AM

Originally Posted by Vancha

Couldn't you downvolt and downclock the Kingston so the only difference is the capacities?

Yes it should do that automatically to match whichever is the slower set of modules. However, the difference in capacity will throw most memory controllers into single-channel mode (and some pickier ones, like the ones in Ivy Bridge) will do that even if the modules are of different speeds.