Can you mix RAM brands – Different Sizes and Speeds
Each one of us is a fan of computers, without any doubt. The invention of computers has made our lives easier in ways we could never think of. At times, it happens that some task that used to take us hours to complete is completed in just a couple of minutes using computers and other gadgets. Computers are wonderful! But oh, are they so confusing as much as helpful. Not all of us are tech-savvy, and sometimes it gets so confusing to deal with some problems or doubts that we might have related to our devices. One such doubt is – Is it okay to mix RAM brands? Can we use the RAM of multiple brands together in our machine? Would it boost the performance of our computer? Or would it have a negative effect on it? We are here to solve all these doubts that you have. Just keep reading further to know everything about mixing RAM brands.
Can RAM brands be mixed or not?
We are not going to beat around the bush. We will answer it very simple for you – Yes! To be honest, you can do anything with your computer if you have the technical knowledge about the process of making the changes in the device and its configuration. Just make sure that you know your device well and have a proper understanding of its specifications to avoid any failures while doing so. So we hope the question is answered? You can mix RAM brands.
Is this not what you were looking for? Of course, you want to know whether it is safe to do so? So next, let’s jump on to that.
Is it okay for the device if RAMs are mixed?
The answer to this question can be a little complicated. It is safe to mix RAM brands if you take care of specific points. You need to ensure that the RAMs from different brands that you are mixing have the size, speed, voltage, and frequency. If all these factors match, then you are not going to face any problems after mixing RAM brands. Let’s see each element in detail so that the complications get a bit easy to comprehend.
Different RAM sizes
So we talked about how the size should be the same when mixing two different RAM brands together; actually, let’s rephrase that – it would be better to have the size same than different, which means yes, size can be different and is not going to affect much. Just make sure, in no circumstance should the RAM voltage be different. Even if you have RAMs of different sizes, their voltage rating must be the same for them to function together without any complications.
Different RAM speeds
RAM speeds can be different, and it is not that big of a problem. So there is not much talking about how to deal with RAMs of different speeds. You just have to be sure that you match all those important elements, including timings, voltage, and CAS latency. You will be performing to the speed of the slower RAM, and your motherboard will automatically underclock the faster one. Even so, there shouldn’t be any problems.
Why do people mix RAMs?
We have seen the mixing and matching of different RAM brands of different sizes and speeds but always of the same voltage rating. Why is it done anyways, the mixing of RAMs? We are all fans of high speed and high performance when it comes to computers because, come on, who wants to sit all day waiting for a process to end when it can happen in just a few seconds if your computer is fast. So the reason why RAMs are mixed is to achieve a high-performance rate and better efficiency. Not always you are going to succeed, but it is always worth giving it a shot.
Effect of mixing RAMs
RAM or Random Access Memory is a volatile storage device which essentially means it will destroy any data stored when the system shuts off. So, it has to work very fast, usually in the nanoseconds, to work and communicate effectively with the CPU. The performance of your device highly depends on this communication speed, and hence people mix RAMs in order to increase the RAM speed and ultimately the efficiency.
Disadvantages
More than the advantages, we are always more concerned about the downsides of something we are experimenting with. So the question that must be on your mind is whether there are some disadvantages to mixing RAM brands. You might see some people complaining about the worse performance after having mixed RAMbrands. But it is not about the mixing that causes these issues, but the difference in latencies, timings, frequencies, and voltage of the RAM sticks used. As long as you take care of those factors’ similarities, you are not going to face any issues, and we are optimistic that your system is going to work just fine.
