Upgrade memory - mixed sizes

lawred2

Hi,

Currently have 12GB on a windows 10 machine. Using it quite a lot recently what with lockdown. I'm a developer so would run some memory hungry tools a lot of the time.

There are four slots.. currently configured with 3 x 4GB cards. I know that's not an optimal configuration but I was given a spare one at work years ago and I just stuck it in.

Anyway I'm thinking of taking one of the cards out and adding 2 x 8GB cards. For a total of 24GB.

Is that configuration going to be ok? Don't really want to buy 4 x 8GB for the sake of having the perfect configuration.

Also does anyone know of somewhere decent to pick up memory? If I could get 32 at the right price I might. I've looked at AMZ. Is that as good as it gets?

Need type DDR3 1333MHz.. it's an old i7 machine with an SSD in it. It's a perfectly capable desktop. Just needs that bit more memory.

Thanks

lawred2

Could a mod move this into PC Building and Upgrading please? This forum looks dead to me.

https://touch.boards.ie/forum/842

H3llR4iser

It's not ideal, but should be ok; However, it's better if you check the motherboard's manual / specs to see what kind of configurations it can support and how much is the max ram you can install. Most motherboard of that era tend to support up to 32GB (more for high-end models) with no issues, but it's better to double check, especially if it happens to be an office-spec machine (e.g. DELL, Lenovo etc.).

Amazon might indeed be the best way, as you're looking for what effectively are old banks. Ebay if you feel adventurous

ED E

Yeah DDR3 is EOL so retail prices can be a bit all over. eBay is a good idea.

Btw it's more common to call units of RAM "sticks" or DIMMs.

lawred2

Got 16GB of some crucial stuff for €60... Just wait for the slow delivery now

Added in an SSD as well to be a higher speed data disk for code files.. should hopefully help during builds. The OS is already on an SSD

H3llR4iser

ED E wrote: »

Yeah DDR3 is EOL so retail prices can be a bit all over. eBay is a good idea.

Btw it's more common to call units of RAM "sticks" or DIMMs.

Actually true...over the last 30 years I've heard them called "sticks", "banks", "modules", SIMMs and DIMMs (proper names, tbh), but never "cards" - although they ARE indeed "cards" with chips soldered on

lawred2 wrote: »

Got 16GB of some crucial stuff for €60... Just wait for the slow delivery now

Added in an SSD as well to be a higher speed data disk for code files.. should hopefully help during builds. The OS is already on an SSD

Yeah I think I know which ones you ordered - I almost posted the link to them last night, but I didn't as I didn't know your motherboard model. In all fairness 'though, anything that's the same spec as the installed module(s) should work.

ED E

I'd take exception with banks but this is wayyy OT.

lawred2

Odd thing to be bothered about...

Anywho

Memory arrived and fitted. All good.