Very Technical--Ram Upgrade Question?

mkh1991 on 22/11/2022 - 15:00

Hi All,

I purchased this desktop (Refurb) a few weeks ago and it came with 8 GB RAM

https://www.dell.com/ae/business/p/optiplex-7050-micro/pd

I had a spare 16 GB RAM from a laptop, specs(16GB DDR4 SO-DIMM 1.2V C19 2666MHz). I have installed the RAM and so far the desktop is working fine (30 mins or so). Should I keep using it or revert to the old RAM. I did try googling it but couldn't find the accurate answer.

Link of 16 Gig RAM is below
https://www.ple.com.au/Products/641528/geil-16gb-ddr4-so-dim….

Also, Can I add both RAM modules to bump it to 24 gig as mix and match?

Thanks

Computing

Comments

  • Tech5 on 22/11/2022 - 15:02
    +2

    The 16gb is fine. There rarely are any ram compatibility issues. If you don't notice anything slowing or errors happening, then it is okay.

    Mix and match is a lottery- it won't cause damage but it may just not work.

  • jv on 22/11/2022 - 15:15
    +2

    as mix and match?

    no

  • randomusername2017 on 22/11/2022 - 15:48

    as mix and match?

    Maybe.

  • GordonD on 22/11/2022 - 16:21

    The manufacturer refers to 2400 MHz RAM. But it isn't clear whether that's the fastest RAM they supply, new, or whether that's the fastest RAM will run in the machine. If its the latter the likelihood is that your 16 GB 2666 MHz RAM stick is actually running at only 2400 MHz. That's actually the best scenario because then if you fit the supplied 8 GB RAM stick they'll both be running at 2400 MHz and there is very unlikely to be any problems. Even if that's not the case these days PCs can nearly always figure stuff out like mismatched RAM, and get them working perfectly together. Its more than worth trying.

    Maybe straight after you fit them both together don't boot into Windows, boot into the BIOS. That'll tell you if there's any problems, and there's probably a RAM test facility in there to make absolutely sure.

    Its generally preferred that if you have two RAM slots, and you want to use both, you fit two identical RAM sticks. But two mismatched sized RAM sticks is still no worse than only having one RAM stick in one slot. And it gives you more RAM.

  • AndyC1 on 22/11/2022 - 19:09
    +1

    I would do the following:
    1) Download the https://www.memtest.org/ USB installer exe
    2) Install the software on a USB stick and make sure the memtest986+ runs from the USB stick after booting the PC
    3) Put the 8GB so-dimm in the PC (total 24GB now)
    4) Run the memtest86+. Start this before you go to bed as it can takes a long zzzzzz….. time.

    And if the memtest86+ passes then leave it in otherwise if you get a failure pull it out and run the test again to ensure the 16GB stick is okay.

    Some chipsets need the same size memory sticks and some need the same size and speed and some allow you to mix and match but run at the slowest speed of the sticks. Unfortunately which option is not easy to find in the chipset specs from Intel or AMD, so the quickest it to try the option you would like to end up and see if it works.

  • Mumbles on 22/11/2022 - 21:14

    A tip for reducing hardware incompatibility
    is to consider flashing the motherboard BIOS with the latest firmware update.

    For the average home and office PC you probably will be fine as long as the PC boots and starts the operating system. If you are gaming then thats when it worth worrying about questions. RAM doesn't get much of a work out for office applications as there are many slower bottlenecks in a PC like the HDD. When you play games the RAM is the slowest bottleneck (eg. CPU cache is faster, video bus is faster, etc) thats when RAM really gets a work out and errors are more likely (eg. CAS RAS latency, CPU timings, voltage regulation, variances due to thermal management, etc).

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