s about expanding memory often involve setup, compatibility, and performance.
s about expanding memory often involve setup, compatibility, and performance.
i have a single 16gb g.skill 3200mhz ddr4. i'm thinking about adding another one. i have a few questions tho. 1. does slot matter? or is slot 2 and 4 the only option (4 memory slots on motherboard)? 2. do i have to go with the exact same brand and model? can i go with a different model with the same specs? 3. do i need to do shit like disable xmp then re-enable it or some other wacky maneuver to make sure both memory sticks are correctly recognised & operating at the correct speed? cheers
Varies by motherboard design. Certain models only require slots 2 and 4 for dual sticks, others prefer slots 1 and 3, while some are flexible as long as both memory channels are active. Refer to the manual for details. For full compatibility, use identical sticks. Even if they share the same brand and model, RAM makers adjust the memory ICs based on availability, increasing the risk of mismatched chips. If you buy two sticks at different times, chances of them working together are similar only if they fall within the same speed range, regardless of manufacturer. It’s usually safer to purchase a 2x16GB package and replace your single stick if you need more RAM. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Often, when a board detects RAM changes, it resets related settings—though some boards need a specific procedure to sync properly.
It's smarter to trade in your existing board and purchase a 2x16 or four identical 8GB used PCBs with the same chipset. This approach works well if you're aiming for cost-effective high-performance RAM, though you'll need to handle the installation yourself—modern setups can run smoothly at speeds of 3800-4200 MHz.
Reject the idea of pushing OEM limits for overclocking. Those kits perform poorly under stress, and I only invested because my system didn’t need fast RAM. The only successful overclocks I’ve had were at modest speeds like 3200 CL20-20-20-40. Exceeding rated speeds is extremely challenging. I’d rather avoid crashes than risk hardware failure. Also, targeting 3800-4200 MHz seems unrealistic for most platforms, especially with dual-rank setups. Without more details, giving a safe frequency recommendation isn’t possible.
I think I'm relying on my DDR3 PSCs that handle 2200 smoothly (both 1x2 and 1x4) on my Crap P8Z68 Deluxe, which tops out at a disappointing 2200. What OEM did you get? There are 2133, 2400, and 2666 options (m378a1k43bb1-cpb m378a1k43bb2-crc/ctd respectively), and it looks like some of these models are circulating locally. Older Zen and Zen+ chips seem to be pretty bad, but Intel's chips have been decent lately and should at least reach 3600 in dual-rank even with Skylake.
I made a risk and maybe won (my local consumer regulations are quite strong too, and all PC parts shops provide a 7-day change-of-mind return policy as long as you keep the original packaging). I purchased a stick identical to the one I bought and placed it in my computer. The system reports normal performance. However, both on the BIOS and in the Windows Task Manager, the memory speed is listed as 2133MHz. I’m not sure if the system is simply reading general module information from the sticks or if they weren’t properly configured. After installing the new stick, I went through the BIOS, turned off XMP, saved the settings, restarted, and then re-enabled XMP—essentially flipping it on and off again. So, is there a way to view the actual memory speed, or did I fail to configure it correctly? I haven’t used my tower in a while and forgot I had an ITX motherboard; I only have two memory slots.
Task manager doesn't consistently provide accurate memory frequency readings in my case. It often fails or gives unrealistic values, like claiming a 5930K was at 41GHz when it was actually around 4.3GHz during an overclock. I recommend using CPU-Z for more reliable data—it should display the correct speeds, such as 1600MHz instead of the misread numbers. The BIOS not showing the frequency is unusual but worth investigating. Some motherboards place JEDEC ratings in a confusing location, which might explain the discrepancy. If it doesn't work, checking your exact board and model could help. Clearing CMOS and re-enabling XMP settings on compatible boards can also resolve issues.
your motherboard comes from ASUS and is the ASUS Prime B560M-K. on the bios page the only details about RAM are shown at the top left, indicating a frequency of 2133MHz for both sticks. I turned it off then back on recently and the same number still appears. i recall from the DDR3 days that bios usually just show general module info without displaying OC frequency. they don’t have a special button to clear CMOS except pressing a physical key, which isn’t available on lower-end models like yours. your cpu is an i5-11500, not one of those older chips that only supported 2666MHz memory.
Choose one of the two methods: remove the CMOS battery from the system for 10 seconds, or locate the CMOS jumper and link it using a tool like a screwdriver.