Ice_Blue Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 I want to upgrade my curent RAM from 8GB to 16GB.Current configuration is 2x4GB Kingston DDR3 1333 purchased with the Mobo about 2 years ago.I cannot find these any more.Can I install 2 additional 4GB modules (1333 different brand), and have them co-exist with the existing RAM?Will this impact performance in any way? My Mobo is this. CPU is Intel Core i5-2310 @ 2.90 GHz EDIT: FWIW, I'm running 8.1 pro x64. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John.D Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 Should be OK if you use different ram, but it (may or may not) run in dual channel mode after Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice_Blue Posted November 27, 2013 Author Share Posted November 27, 2013 Bummer. But don't the 2 channels run independently? I can select single or dual in the BIOS (ganged or unganged)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mindovermaster Moderator Posted November 27, 2013 Moderator Share Posted November 27, 2013 If they are both the same speed, 1333 or 1600, they shouldn't have a problem. Dunno where John got no dual channel from. Most likely, they have the same RAM, just rebranded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_dandy_ Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 Your motherboard supports up to 32GB. Load that bitch up! If you truly have a need to go from 8 to 16, you'll find a use for 32. Ice_Blue 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice_Blue Posted November 27, 2013 Author Share Posted November 27, 2013 If they are both the same speed, 1333 or 1600, they shouldn't have a problem. Dunno where John got no dual channel from. Most likely, they have the same RAM, just rebranded. So, it should work then. But the higher speed RAM will run at 1333 also, no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice_Blue Posted November 27, 2013 Author Share Posted November 27, 2013 Your motherboard supports up to 32GB. Load that bitch up! If you truly have a need to go from 8 to 16, you'll find a use for 32. Yeah. I want to run multiple VMs simultaneously. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Praetor Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 (edited) Please look at the Qualified Vendor List (QVL) for the RAM for that board here: http://www.msi.com/file/test_report/TR10_2539.pdf Also you should be OK if the speed is the same (1333) even with a different brand (memory profiles should not work thought), but for 1333 there's a lot of choice. :) And of course, those are the memories that are qualified (as in, tested) by the brand of the mainboard, so they should work; others *might* work, but on your own risk. Ice_Blue 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jlobb2 Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 You'll want to find RAM with the same latency as well. So if your current RAM is CAS 9, get CAS 9. Try and look up the specs for your current RAM and you should be able to find something similar from the same maker. There is usually 3 things to look for....Speed, latency, and voltage. I would try to keep them the same with your current RAM. Since you already have Kingston in there, I would probably stick with Kingston too...but I've mixed brands before in the past with no problems. I have 32GB and it's nice running a bunch of vm's. Ice_Blue 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Praetor Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 yes, latency is important as well. you can run CPU-Z to find the specs of your memory, in case you don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice_Blue Posted November 27, 2013 Author Share Posted November 27, 2013 You'll want to find RAM with the same latency as well. So if your current RAM is CAS 9, get CAS 9. Try and look up the specs for your current RAM and you should be able to find something similar from the same maker. There is usually 3 things to look for....Speed, latency, and voltage. I would try to keep them the same with your current RAM. Since you already have Kingston in there, I would probably stick with Kingston too...but I've mixed brands before in the past with no problems. I have 32GB and it's nice running a bunch of vm's. Are they all the same brand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice_Blue Posted November 27, 2013 Author Share Posted November 27, 2013 You'll want to find RAM with the same latency as well. So if your current RAM is CAS 9, get CAS 9. Try and look up the specs for your current RAM and you should be able to find something similar from the same maker. There is usually 3 things to look for....Speed, latency, and voltage. I would try to keep them the same with your current RAM. Since you already have Kingston in there, I would probably stick with Kingston too...but I've mixed brands before in the past with no problems. I have 32GB and it's nice running a bunch of vm's. Current RAM is CAS 9. Will the new RAM run at spec, or will the mobo step it down? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Praetor Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 depends, RAM have memory profiles that have different speeds with different voltages. best if to buy same brand or at least same latency/speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jlobb2 Posted November 28, 2013 Share Posted November 28, 2013 Yes, they are. I got a deal last year $129.99 for 32GB (4x8GB) Are they all the same brand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jlobb2 Posted November 28, 2013 Share Posted November 28, 2013 Whatever you put in will run at the same speed as the slowest. If you start mixing speeds, latency, and voltages, you risk having an unstable system. That's why they say to buy your RAM in matched sets and spring for it all at once. Current RAM is CAS 9. Will the new RAM run at spec, or will the mobo step it down? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+PeterUK MVC Posted November 28, 2013 MVC Share Posted November 28, 2013 Kingston HyperX 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 1600 Cas 9 1.5V kit will likely work fine with the kit you have now at 1333MHz so long as it runs at that speed. The worst that can happen is you have to get it again should it not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snaphat (Myles Landwehr) Member Posted November 28, 2013 Member Share Posted November 28, 2013 Whatever you put in will run at the same speed as the slowest. If you start mixing speeds, latency, and voltages, you risk having an unstable system. That's why they say to buy your RAM in matched sets and spring for it all at once. I don't think the latencies are so much the issue; as long as everything lowers to match the slowest it should be fine assuming the Mobo supports the RAM. The voltages I do agree with though. Some mobos are pretty finicky with RAM voltages in general and won't work with certain ranges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_dandy_ Posted November 28, 2013 Share Posted November 28, 2013 Yeah. I want to run multiple VMs simultaneously. :) Then go for the full 32GB, no doubt about it. That's what I have in my main VM host at home, and frankly sometimes I wished my motherboard could go to 64GB. I have an i7 Sandybridge CPU, and constantly have at least 10 VMs running. The CPU can definitely keep up--the problem is RAM. I quickly found out that with 16GB, I was constantly worrying about proper resource allocation (I always needed "just one more VM" to be on). 32GB will give you a lot more elbow room before you have to start thinking about it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice_Blue Posted November 28, 2013 Author Share Posted November 28, 2013 Thanks for all the information, guys. I appreciate it. I'm going to try the 2x4GB Kingston 1600. If that doesn't work, I'll just spring for the full 32GB 4x8 @1600 Kingston DIMMs snaphat (Myles Landwehr) 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+PeterUK MVC Posted November 28, 2013 MVC Share Posted November 28, 2013 I'm going to try the 2x4GB Kingston 1600. If that doesn't work, I'll just spring for the full 32GB 4x8 @1600 Kingston DIMMs Or just get the same 2x4GB Kingston 1600 kit. Ice_Blue 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice_Blue Posted November 28, 2013 Author Share Posted November 28, 2013 Or just get the same 2x4GB Kingston 1600 kit. Good idea. Will save some money too. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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