Check your system before increasing RAM.
Check your system before increasing RAM.
I bought two 16GB modules of the 3200MHz Corsair Vengeance RGB PRO. Before swapping, I need to check if replacing RAM will affect my 1TB 7200SEAGATE Barracuda HDD with Optane storage and my 550W PSU. I also want to know if using a 32GB 3200MHz RAM will use more power than an 8GB 3000MHz one, and whether my PSU is actually 550W or if it could fail.
The variation is probably only around 6 watts at best. Most 4GB RAM sticks use about 1.5 watts, increasing with size and power (roughly doubling for each 16GB). DDR4 uses significantly less power than DDR3—around 1.5 watts for 4GB, 3 watts for 8GB, and 6 watts for 16GB. A 32GB system typically draws between 11-12 watts, even with some power reduction from RGB lighting. It’s unlikely to exceed 15 watts unless your PSU is near its limit. What models are you using? If your GPU isn’t extremely power-hungry (like a 300W one), you should be okay. You’re in good shape.
Your system runs an Intel i5 8400 with a GTX 1060 3GB graphics card.