Should i buy matched memory




















RAM works best when paired with matching hardware. For optimal performance, your RAM should use the same voltage, and their respective controllers should play well with each other and the motherboard. That's why it's best to use the same RAM model in all slots. However, this doesn't mean you can't use different size RAM sticks together.

For example, if your first stick is 4GB, you can still add a new 8GB stick. Once you switch on dual-channel mode also called flex mode , it will perform as two 4GB sticks running side by side in optimal performance.

The remaining 4GB of the new stick will run in single-channel mode. Overall, it's not as fast as using two sticks of the same size, but it's still faster than what you had before. It's the same with frequency or speed. Your RAM sticks will work together at the frequency of the lower stick by default. So, do RAM sticks have to match? No, but it's better if they do. You don't need extra," is common advice you'll find. Yes, it might be enough to run your apps, but that doesn't mean it can't be faster.

That's because of how programs are made. Most developers write their programs so that the app requests a certain percentage of the RAM available. If you have more RAM installed, the same requested percentage will mean more size for the program.

Just because you're using only 60 percent or any small percentage of your total RAM capacity, it doesn't mean you don't need more RAM.

Your regular tasks might only request 60 percent of RAM, saving the rest for other tasks you might start in the future.

As a general thumb rule for computers, 4GB is the minimum and 8GB is the recommended size for best performance for regular users.

The Crucial System Scanner will give you recommendations for the exact modules and eliminate any guesswork. Kris Sharma is a content creator living in Boise, Idaho. He writes frequently on technology topics, including automation, machine learning, and data security.

Feel free to hit him up on LinkedIn. The opinions expressed in these articles are those of the individual authors and not Micron Technology, Inc. Upgrading your systems and components can cause damage to the system or components, including potential data loss. Micron is not responsible for any damage or harm, including data loss or system interruptions, that may occur.

Neither Crucial nor Micron Technology, Inc. Micron products are warranted as provided for in the products when sold, applicable data sheets or specifications. Micron, the Micron logo, Crucial, and the Crucial logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Micron Technology, Inc.

Any names or trademarks of third parties are owned by those parties and any references herein do not imply any endorsement, sponsorship or affiliation with these parties.

Find a product Part no. Your search did not match any active Crucial part numbers or configuration IDs. However, some people believe that it's also important not only to match the sizes of the two RAM sticks, but to install what manufacturers sell as "matched pair kits". Others disagree. The tolerances of two single memory modules can be different. With a matched pair the tolerances are supposed to be close to the same if not the same. I don't think their is a difference, at least in the real world.

Two modules of the same part number should work just fine. Matched pairs seems to be little more than marketing and paying a 'tax' for intangible 'peace of mind'.

Typically the chips are the same production batch and that increases the likelihood that the paired modules will work approximately at the same speed, therefore being detected and usable as dual-channel.

I am going to assume that the memory in question has a manufacturer's warranty, as all memory I have ever seen does, and that the memory is warranted to perform within the specifications given by the manufacturer, which I think is reasonable. These timings specify to the computer's memory controller how quickly the RAM is able to interact with the system in various ways. For the speed, which is expressed in MHz, a higher number is faster, and for the timings, which are expressed in clock cycles , lower numbers are faster.

Each stick of memory you buy will have an SPD chip in addition to the memory. The computer's BIOS uses these to automatically configure the system to use the RAM, though many systems allow the user to override these values, e. Where things get interesting is what happens when you put memory in a system, where each stick of RAM has different speed or timings.

In this case, the system will run all of the RAM at the speed and timings of the slowest stick. As of this writing in , 16 GB is considered the sweet spot for price-to-performance considerations in the context of mainstream work-related computing tasks.

If you have several applications running simultaneously and a dozen Chrome tabs open you still should have plenty of headroom before you notice any lag in performance. Anything more than 16 GB would make sense for workstation computers that are used for graphics rendering, scientific modeling, and CAD applications. First, note that laptop memory and desktop memory are different and not interchangeable! The same goes for server memory. RAM upgrades are sold as modules, or sticks, of memory.

It is inadvisable to mix and match RAM modules in your system. Crossing brands might be OK if the modules are the same form factor and voltage, but ideally, you want all your RAM to be from the same kit. Engineer inspects final production of printed circuit computer logic board. Motherboards support only one, and which one mostly depends on how old your motherboard is. The most common varieties for desktop PCs include:.

NeweggBusiness is your go-to spot for any computer hardware upgrades you may need. We stock high-end computer memory modules of all generations and sizes at competitive prices.

The operating system you are running can affect the maximum amount of RAM you can use in your computer. Bear in mind these limitations are for workstations running virtual machines that are serving several instances of an application or operating system. End-user devices need not worry about these limitations. Systems running Windows 10 Home are capped at GB of memory. Older Windows systems have a lower threshold.

For bit Windows 7 editions:. NeweggBusiness has a memory finder built into our site. It provides vendor-neutral specifications and product suggestions to locate find memory that fits a specific system.



0コメント

  • 1000 / 1000