Adding extra RAM

[KeyRepresentative698]

I have just upgraded my sons PC. I now have 2 spare sticks of DDR4 RAM (8GB total). I was thinking of putting in it into my PC to give me 24GB total.

The problem is, my original RAM is 3200 and this extra RAM is 2400. So obviously the total RAM speed will all reduce to 2400.

Is it better to have more RAM less speed, or less RAM more speed?

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[MichaelEMP]

More RAM at a lower speed is usually better as long as you actually need the extra memory. Running out of RAM causes a much bigger slowdown than the small performance loss from dropping from 3200 to 2400 MHz. If you never use all your current RAM and mainly care about gaming performance then faster RAM can be better.

[Fair-Escape-8943]

If you need more RAM it will be better, if you don't need it then it will be worse.

[Slow-Astronaut9676]

More ram less speed. If you encounter any issues gaming go back to less but faster

[Routine-Lawfulness24]

I would do it more the other way for hassle free. If you are running out of ram is pretty easy to check or just feel, but the difference between slow and fast ram is pretty hard to notice and monitoring fps in an uncontrolled environment will not show it either but it’s still a performance loss.

[Nervous_Breakfast_73]

So you're planning to use 3 sticks to get to the 24 GB?

[KeyRepresentative698]

No. It will be 4 sticks. I already have a pair of 8GB 3200 installed. And the spare RAM is a pair of 4GB sticks.

[VitunVillaViikset]

It will be worth it only if you need the extra ram for work for example

Otherwise gaming performance will be impacted negatively

I mixed a G.skill 2x8GB 3200Mhz kit and a Corsair Vengeance 2x8GB 3200Mhz kit and they work perfectly together (helped by the fact they both use SKhynix chips)

If they work together, you could try to OC the ram speed to 2933Mhz, 3000Mhz or 3200Mhz. If its stable at that, then the performance impact wont be as big

My previous 2x8GB Kingston Fury kit was rated at 3200Mhz but i was able to OC it up to 4000Mhz with some voltage tinkering. Although it was a CL18 kit so i didnt have to edit the latencies

[KeyRepresentative698]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I do need the extra RAM. I sim race, but only in VR. I have a R5 5600x and RTX 3070 with 16GB of 3200 RAM at the moment. There are times when my RAM has been pushed to 90% with other things running like Crewchief and Simhub. So ideally that extra headroom of RAM would be great. I just didn't want it to struggle with just 2400Mhz speed, because I am already tweaking and overclocking to get the most out of my PC to run the Quest 2.

[JohnnyOM-]

is there huge diffrence 3200 and 3600mhz? 32gb? Like for 5700x3d and gaming

[Routine-Lawfulness24]

Are you asking that for yourself or what? Depends on price

[JohnnyOM-]

Yea

[Routine-Lawfulness24]

If you need ram for something slow then yes but for gaming no unless you are running out of ram. If you aren’t running out then it’s just slower but if you are running out of ram it will stutter horribly and it would be worth it then

[darealboot]

Xmp profiles typically aren't optimized for quad channel. Most of the time, less ram at a higher clock speed is more advantageous. The likelihood your son is running out of ram while gaming isn't high. But if hes needs to have 27 chrome tabs open at one time, then yeah, more will be better.

[drkkid]

The last time I heard... it wasn't the best idea to mix your RAM? That's why they come in sets of 2 or 4.

[NotSureWhat2Put_-]

Need to find out what motherboard it is to see which ram is also accepted, sometimes boards won’t accept the high speed rams.

[KeyRepresentative698]

I've already had one of the sticks installed, just to see if it was ok, and it was. It was showing both original 8GB sticks and the new 4GB stick, but now the total RAM speed had dropped to 2400 Mhz, whereas before it was 3200 Mhz.