RAM inquire

Hello,

I'm looking to upgrade my desktop with some RAM.
At the moment I have 2 4Gb cards.
The motherboard has 2 more free slots.

My doubt is if I can add 2 8Gb cards to the ones I already have.
Would having different size cards create a problem?

Motherboard: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. Z87-A (SOCKET 1150)
CPU: Intel Core i7 4770 @ 3.40GHz
RAM: 8.00GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 951MHz


Thanks

joaroc said:

Hello,

I'm looking to upgrade my desktop with some RAM.
At the moment I have 2 4Gb cards.
The motherboard has 2 more free slots.

My doubt is if I can add 2 8Gb cards to the ones I already have.
Would having different size cards create a problem?

Motherboard: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. Z87-A (SOCKET 1150)
CPU: Intel Core i7 4770 @ 3.40GHz
RAM: 8.00GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 951MHz


Thanks

Click to expand...

What do you use the pc for?

Is it the system here: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...-specs-(3D-pc)&p=256705&viewfull=1#post256705 ?

In principle you can add 2x8gb sticks.

It's possible that it won't run (fully) in dual channel.

There is also a chance that the RAM you buy won't be compatible. You ideally want the same frequency and same timings and if possible the same model (you can look up the exact model using CPU-Z and looking at the SPD tab) https://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html - but sometimes even then it might not run with what you already have.

Why do you need more RAM?

@SpyderTracks

Motion Graphics mostly.
After Effects munches a lot of ram

@Oussebon

Yes, thats the one.

Oussebon said:

Is it the system here: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/foru...-specs-(3D-pc)&p=256705&viewfull=1#post256705 ?

In principle you can add 2x8gb sticks.

It's possible that it won't run (fully) in dual channel.

There is also a chance that the RAM you buy won't be compatible. You ideally want the same frequency and same timings and if possible the same model (you can look up the exact model using CPU-Z and looking at the SPD tab) https://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html - but sometimes even then it might not run with what you already have.

Why do you need more RAM?

Click to expand...

"You ideally want the same frequency and same timings"


Is it the DRAM Frequency ?

Use CPU-Z and post a screenshot of what the SPD tab says for each memory module

It will probably be the same info as Speccy, but I've seen Speccy sometimes give a few incorrect details (wrong VRAM on video cards for example) so I usually go by CPU-Z

Oussebon said:

Use CPU-Z and post a screenshot of what the SPD tab says for each memory module

It will probably be the same info as Speccy, but I've seen Speccy sometimes give a few incorrect details (wrong VRAM on video cards for example) so I usually go by CPU-Z

Click to expand...

Is it the number highlighted in yellow?

I was thinking about buying these RAM cards:

A) https://tinyurl.com/ycjm99hj
or
B) https://tinyurl.com/ycjwx86u

buy now 16Gb and in the near future buy 16Gb more.

So if you are buying 16gb now (going up to 24gb total) and in the near future buying 16gb more (going to 32gb total, as you'd have to replace your current 2x4gb) it makes much, much more sense to just buy 32gb outright as a matched kit.

There is no guarantee that 2x8gb you buy now will play nice with your 2x4gb, and even if it does, there is no guarantee the next 2x8gb you buy will in turn cooperate with the new stuff.

Buy 32gb (usually sold as 4x8gb) as a matched set (i.e. as part of the same kit, not as 2 separate kits) to guarantee all 4 sticks will work together.

A) is a different frequency and latency to your current RAM. B) looks like the same CAS and frequency, though I'm not sure on the rest of the timings. I was suggesting you post the SPD tab, not the Memory tab.

===

But - if you are looking to get 32gb RAM by far your best option is to buy 32gb outright in a single kit.

In which case it doesn't matter what your current memory is as you will be replacing it.

Something like this should probably work: https://www.amazon.es/Corsair-Vengeance-Pro-rendimiento-CMY32GX3M4A1600C9R/dp/B00D6E5K2A (it's not on the QVL, plus I don't speak Spanish, but it's RAM by a major manufacturer sold as a matched kit, so the odds are pretty good)

You could also look at Crucial who sell a 32gb kit: http://eu.crucial.com/eur/en/z87-a/CT4384224 though that's like 50€ more expensive.

Also, do you think you will upgrade your CPU at any point in the near-mid future? I ask because the RAM this CPU and motherboard uses is DDR3, whereas new CPUs use DDR4. Therefore, if you are going to upgrade your CPU soon, you may want to avoid buying RAM because whatever RAM you buy for this PC will not be usable in any future PC worth buying

To recap:

1) If buying 32gb RAM, buy a matched kit to avoid compatibility issues

2) Any RAM you buy will not be usable in a new system / after a CPU upgrade because all modern systems use different RAM.

Thank you very much for your input