How To Add More Ram Slots To Motherboard
RAM, is one of the most well-known and deceptively simple parts of a computer.
You just buy the highest speed yous can afford that'south as well compatible with your motherboard, slot information technology into your motherboard, and you lot're off to the races, right?
Non exactly. If you're non careful with that last point especially, yous could be leaving a lot of functioning on the table.
So let's take a await at how exactly RAM slots factor into the equation and whether you might need to open your PC to rearrange your RAM.
Does RAM Slots Matter?
Does RAM placement matter? Information technology depends.
Do yous only take one stick of RAM? So it doesn't really matter where you put it.
But if you have more than i stick of RAM, it absolutely matters where and what order you put them in.
Image Credit: MSI
This is because of something called "multi-channel memory architecture", which is basically a fancy style of saying that if you accept two or more sticks of memory, they can exist used together to work in tandem (dual-channel, triple-channel, quad-channel, etc.) faster than they would be able to work lone.
Information technology effectively doubles (or triples, or quadruples, or— you go the point) the datarate at which your CPU can access the retentivity stored in your RAM.
This doesn't mean double the performance for everyday applications, however. Yous'll definitely meet performance improvements based on how retentiveness intensive the application is, but it's sadly non a consummate doubling.
Only, in order for this process to work, y'all demand to brand certain that the RAM is slotted into the designated location—you can't simply employ any ol' RAM slot.
Then, if you use mismatching RAM slots on a dual-aqueduct (or more) motherboard, yous'll end up running in unmarried-channel mode instead and leave a lot of performance on the table.
Which RAM Slots Should You Use?
The safest and most effective manner to determine which RAM slots y'all should use is past checking your motherboard manual as information technology can exist different for every motherboard.
But, in general, the rule is every bit follows:
If you have i RAM stick, you should use the slot furthest away from the CPU socket regardless of the number of RAM slots that your motherboard has.
This will give you the maximum corporeality of clearance for your CPU cooler setup.
If you have two RAM sticks, you should use the slot furthest away from the CPU socket and the slot i slot away from the CPU.
If you lot have three RAM sticks, y'all should use the 3 slots furthest away from the CPU socket.
If you have four RAM sticks and a 4-slot motherboard, then you can just populate all four slots with all 4 RAM sticks.
If yous have more than than 4 slots on your motherboard, so you either accept a server motherboard or a very fancy high-end desktop / workstation motherboard.
Image Credit: ASUS
If yous accept a high-finish motherboard, then you most probable accept viii RAM slots on your motherboard, double what'south usually available on most motherboards.
These boards might besides support triple-aqueduct (rare) or quad-channel memory back up.
Regardless, what I've said previously applies here as well. Cheque the transmission showtime – Yous'll find a table such as the following in any manual:
Source: GIGABYTE
It'll about probable accept a table like this showing how and where to install your RAM, and following information technology is your best bet to having a smooth experience.
But, in general:
- If you for some reason only have i RAM stick available, it can go anywhere.
- If you have two RAM sticks, they have four potential spots they can become in now compared to the 2 before.
You should put the sticks in the slots furthest away from the CPU for maximum clearance. But brand sure that both sticks are but ane slot apart and everything should exist alright. - If you have three RAM sticks, just put them in the furthest slots right next to each other.
- If you accept four RAM sticks, y'all can put them all next to each other or space them out for symmetry. If you have a motherboard that supports quad-channel memory, then it might be required for you to have the RAM sticks in a certain pattern.
Yous have to consult your manual for this one. - If yous have v RAM sticks, information technology's the same as four, just stick that extra stick somewhere in-between.
- If you take half dozen RAM sticks, put three on each side for symmetry.
- If you lot have seven RAM sticks, information technology's the aforementioned as five, just stick that extra stick in there somewhere.
- If you have eight RAM sticks, and then only populate all slots.
All of that said, I actually don't recommend y'all employ uneven RAM stick configurations (iii, 5, 7).
You'll virtually probable be mixing and matching RAM for configurations similar that, and so the risk of running into problems increases because of it. You'll also screw up the multi-channel configuration with an uneven number of RAM modules.
If you have a motherboard of this caliber, I would suggest that you get a four or eight RAM stick set instead.
If you lot have a motherboard with even more RAM slots than what's shown higher up, you most likely have a professional or server-grade motherboard—with one or more than CPU slots.
Image Credit: ASUS
In this case, I highly recommend that you look at your transmission.
What I've said in a higher place for motherboards with eight RAM slots could apply here, but it might just as well atomic number 82 to instability equally well—especially if you have odd numbers of RAM like three, five, 7.
Doubly and then if you take a motherboard that supports dual CPUs. In motherboards similar this, each CPU controls half of the available RAM slots.
This means that if you simply populate some of the slots, say, four RAM slots on the first CPU's side, the 2d CPU won't have any RAM of its own and will accept to go through the offset CPU to get any RAM for the tasks that it might exist performing, which tin can atomic number 82 to major slowdowns.
So it's always best to consult the manual first.
It'due south hard to give info about motherboards like this because in that location are and then many potentially unlike configurations.
FAQ
Can You Run Odd Numbers of RAM sticks?
You definitely can, every bit long as all the RAM has matching or close to matching specs.
But you might non be able to benefit from dual-channel (or more) memory.
For example, some motherboards support triple-aqueduct retention. Information technology'due south quite rare, but they're out there.
And then if you have 3 sticks of RAM in a motherboard (and CPU) that supports triple-channel retentiveness, you'll be just fine.
Nonetheless, if you effort to use three sticks of RAM on a motherboard (and CPU) that only supports dual-channel memory, it might force all the RAM to run in single-channel mode.
I say "might" because certain CPUs handle this ameliorate than others.
There's a thing called "flex mode" that about modern CPUs support where, for example, if you have three RAM sticks populating a iv-slot motherboard (that doesn't support triple-channel mode), it'll simply run 2 of those three RAM sticks in dual-aqueduct way and the remaining RAM stick in single-channel.
If your CPU was made in the last 10 – fifteen years, so it near likely supports this characteristic, then as long as your RAM tin play nice with each other, y'all shouldn't have any problems running odd numbers of RAM.
Which Dual-Channel RAM Configuration Should You Apply? 1 + 3 or ii + 4?
Information technology doesn't thing.
The full general consensus is to utilise two + 4 if you lot demand a trivial more clearance for your CPU fan, only 1 + 3 works but fine if that's not an outcome for you lot.
Do RAM Slots Matter When Using ECC RAM or ECC Registered RAM?
They affair as much as they do with normal consumer memory.
ECC or ECC registered/buffered retentiveness benefits from being placed into the proper RAM slots simply as much as normal RAM.
Can Y'all Mix and Match RAM?
If the different RAM modules are same-ish specs-wise, and so it'll probably work.
But mixing and matching RAM is something I really don't recommend.
Try to get as much RAM as y'all need in a kit from the first get, instead of adding more than random sticks—even if information technology's the same type of RAM—later on.
Chances are that it'll work, but you might come across stability issues 'cause of timing shenanigans and whatnot, and they're a flake— Really difficult to diagnose.
Random bluescreens when you lot're working or gaming is non a fun time.
Can I Use DDR3 and DDR4 RAM Together?
No. RAM generations are not interchangeable.
Y'all can only employ DDR3 with DDR3, DDR4 with DDR4, and then on.
Can I Employ an 8 GB RAM Stick and a 4 GB RAM Stick Together?
If the other specs are the aforementioned as the viii GB RAM stick or like, it might work.
But you might run into stability problems. Or you lot might not. It'south a bit of a crapshoot.
The all-time mode to find out is to examination information technology out yourself.
Over to You lot
Hopefully, that answers all your questions when it comes to RAM slots. Information technology's not all that flashy compared to other topics concerning PC building, just figuring out where exactly your RAM should go is important to get the most out of your system.
Even if information technology'south just simply 3 – 12% more operation, why waste it when the fix is so unproblematic?
If you accept any specific questions regarding RAM, RAM compatibility, RAM slots, and other fun stuff like that, feel gratis to leave a comment below or send us a message in our forums. We'd exist happy to assistance you out.
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How To Add More Ram Slots To Motherboard,
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