will adding a second pair of 2x2gb kit work?

[lusk]

I have asked around on a couple of other forums, but without any satisfying answers. Most tend to agree going for a 2x4gb solution is simpler and safer. Nobody seams to be able to predict what the result of adding a second kit will be. Best I have got so far is that it will work sometimes, sometimes not. I doubt this really is that random. Maybe this is best suited for customer support, but as I bought this computer second hand I am not even sure I am entitled to it.

 

speccs:

 

ASUS P8P67 Deluxe, Socket-1155

ATX, P67, DDR3, 3xPCIe(2.0)x16, CFX& SLI, SATA

6Gb/s, USB 3.0, FW, BT, EFI

 

Intel Core# i7 Quad Processor i7-2600K with Corsair H50 Hydro

 

Corsair Dominator DHX+ DDR3 1600MHz 4GB

Kit w/2x 2GB XMS3 modules, CL7-8-7-20, for Core

i3/i5/i7, 1.65V, with Connector

 

Corsair AX 850W PSU

 

Corsair Graphite 600T

 

radeon xfx r9 280x

 

and some random harddrives & original case fans, though I dont see how that could be relevant.

 

 

Basically I am not happy with 4gb ram, its just not enough. I am not happy about spending something like 140 USD for similar performance 8gb kit (yes prices are that high here in sweden). If it came to having to buy a 8gb kit I would probably go for some cheaper & lower quality ram.

 

Seeing as I already have a 2x2gb kit, motherboard appears to have slots for another 2x2, would it not make more sense to buy a second kit?

 

I would like someone who knows for sure to enlighten me as to what second kit would work. I do not wanna gamble, surely there are some guidelines for this.

 

If you can suggest a swedish retailer that would be nice aswell, but I can probably manage to find one on my own aswell.

[JKeifer]

Your request for answers from someone who "knows for sure" whether or not adding memory to an existing installation will limit your responses. Nobody knows for sure if it will work and don't want to be made the bad guy for being incorrect if you spend money based upon their recommendations. All Corsair personnel and the friendly helpers will recommend against adding memory.

 

That being said, I've had great success over many years adding memory rather than totally replacing it. Maybe I have been lucky because I rarely overclock the memory or anything else for that matter.

 

Good luck with your decision whatever it may be.

[Yellowbeard]

It's completely impossible to say with 100% certainty that mixing any 2 kits will work. That said, in most cases, it does work if you mix similar or matching kits. However, these are untested configurations so we cannot guarantee it.

[lusk]

well, if its not possible to know for sure then its not! I have some trouble accepting that it should be so difficult to predict - is ram that sensitive? So far that seams to be the consensus.

 

If I go for a new 2x4gb kit it will have to be cl9/10 1600mhz, granted its not going to be a huge performance hit or anything. But if I can avoid paying more for less that would be nice obviously.

 

If it is impossible to predict than thats something I would like explained, thats useful information too. So far my impression has been that people just recommend a new 2x4 out of lazyness or lack of understanding but it might well be the opposite.

 

Would you say adding a identical kit would have the best chances or would it be about the same with any memory at the same timings&bandwidth? What are the issues if any in terms of performance etc.

[Yellowbeard]

It's not the memory that's sensitive as it is passive. It's the memory controller that may have the issues.

 

If you put 4 exactly matched memory modules into a MOBO, it "should" work, no problem. If you put 2 different kits in, these kits may have different characteristics as they may have different ICs, different PCBs, etc. Some combinations simply will not work.

[lusk]

So in theory, if I can track down that one other guy who is running the same mobo&bios, cpu and ram as me and see how he is doing on 4x2 I should be good?

[Yellowbeard]

It's completely impossible to say with 100% certainty that mixing any 2 kits will work. That said, in most cases, it does work if you mix similar or matching kits. However, these are untested configurations so we cannot guarantee it.

 

Asked and answered ::pirate::

[lusk]

Am I the first one to be annoyed by this? It really seams like this ought to be on a compatibility list somewhere :D

 

Well so I will just go through the hassle of getting a new 2x4 and sell my current then. And if games suddenly start needing more than 8 in a couple years and I have to go through this again I will simply ignore it out of spite.

 

Thanks for clearing things up for me.

[Yellowbeard]

There is no compatibility list as it would be virtually impossible to maintain it. In the past, users have run 2 mixed kits just fine and then one day a BIOS updates hoses it. We've seen where 1 revision of MOBO would run 2 mixed kits where a subsequent revision would not. We've seen CPUs from the same batch have vastly different results with mixed memory. There are thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of variables that we would have to test to try to and maintain a list. It's simply not possible.