Question Stupid question about adding more RAM

[Stg-Flame]

I have an older gaming rig that I'm trying to spruce up bit and the only thing holding it back right now is the 4gb of RAM. I've never added more RAM to an existing machine so I apologize if this is a really stupid question but will there be any issues if I just grab another two sticks of a different brand and throw it in with the existing sticks? I have 2X4GB of DDR3 Patriot in there and my buddy is sending me 2x4GB Corsair DDR3. I know they have to match the motherboard but I've never mixed brands before.

 

[damian101]

Mixing RAM normally isn't a problem. I would expect it to just work.

 

[Charlie98]

In most cases it should work without problems. Sometimes the machine will throw up a window saying the system configuration has changed, but it's not anything.

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,

It should work. The timings and cycles may be different, but it will simply operate at the slowest value of the entire lot.

Very best,

 

[Stg-Flame]

Thanks for the answers.

 

[Shmee]

Should work, but it depends on the board and CPU. What are the current system specs?

 

[mindless1]

In some cases memory compatibility can be increased with a bios update. That might be even more relevant in a case of populating all 4 slots.

 

[VirtualLarry]

If one stick is slower than the other(s), place it in the FIRST RAM slot, some BIOSes take their timings from the FIRST RAM stick, and apply them to all of them. (At least this was the case back when mixing PC100 and PC133 memory...)

BTW, if you have a few $, I have a matched set of 32GB (4x8GB) DDR3-1866 1.5V RAM. PM me if interested.

 

[Stg-Flame]

BTW, if you have a few $, I have a matched set of 32GB (4x8GB) DDR3-1866 1.5V RAM. PM me if interested.

I appreciate the offer, but I'm getting these extra sticks for free from a friend who bought these and never used them. It's an older machine with SLI 780s and an i3 (can't remember which but it's not terrible) but it only had 4GB to start. I had some 2X4GB from another machine I decommissioned recently so once I get the extra 8GB, it's going to be packaged up and sent to another friend of mine.