1. Does Ram Slot Matter
2. Does Ram Slots Matter Transfer
3. Does Ram Slots Matter Games
4. Does Ram Slot Matter
5. How Many Ram Slots

Summary :

Question: Q: does the order of Ram Slots matter when adding two 8GB to the original 4GB ram? Should I add the two 8GB into slot 1 and 2 and move original two 4GB from slots 1 and 3 into slots 3 and 4? I'm using a late 2015 27' iMac. It's kind of misleading because to truly test this, you actually need to do a frame average while actually playing. And the amount of ram does matter if you're running 1440p or higher on ultra. I've seen some at 1440 using 12gb ram. For me, at medium on 1080, I'm using just under 6gb. RAM is a core computer component, but we don’t talk about it much. If it doesn’t have rad heat spreader designs and RGB accessories, RAM rarely gets a day in the sun. The CPU sets the condition that the rest of your build operates under, but you can coax a little more speed out of your PC with faster RAM. If the RAM is mismatched then you want to Place matching pairs together If all RAM is the same brand and size, then it does not matter. If you have 2 4GB RAM cards and 1 8 GB Card then the two 4GB cards go in slots 0&1. And the single 8GB card goes in slot 2. Does it matter which DIMM slot I put my ram in?

It is extremely important to make a RAM compatibility check when purchasing a new RAM, right? If the RAM is not compatible with your motherboard, your computer won’t run as normal. How to check RAM compatibility? Let’s explore this question together with MiniTool.

Does Ram Slot Matter

Why Check RAM Compatibility

Does RAM matter? RAM is an integral component of your system. Once your RAM gets damaged or incompatible, your computer will not operate properly. It is necessary for your processor to run an operating system and different programs on the computer.

Usually, the more RAM you have installed, the faster your processor can handle and the more process your computer can run at a time. However, the RAM storage capacity depends on your motherboard specs can support.

So, it is necessary to make a RAM compatibility check before upgrading RAM. How to check RAM compatibility? Is my RAM compatible with any motherboard? Please keep reading to get the answers.

Is My RAM Compatible with Any Motherboard

When it comes to RAM compatibility, it is inevitable to discuss the motherboard. In fact, the RAM compatibility checking depends on what motherboard you have installed. As is well known to us, there are all types of RAM memories such as DDR3, DDR4, and so on. Not all RAM chips can mix and match the memory slot of your motherboard.

For example, if your motherboard was designed for DDR4 RAM, the memory slots of your motherboard cannot fit other types of RAMs like DDR3. Besides, the motherboard memory slots usually are integrated into the board and cannot be changed.

So, it important to make a memory compatibility check on your motherboard.

How Do I Know My RAM Compatibility

How to check RAM compatibility for your computers? Your operating systems and motherboard are 2 important components that have great significance on the RAM compatibility. So, you need to know your system information first. After that, you can refer to the following information to make a RAM compatibility check.

Here’s a way to check your Windows 10 system information.

Step 1. Press Win + E keys to open the File Explorer.

Step 2. Right-click This PC on the left side and select Properties to open the system information window. Then you will see the current Windows edition as well as the system type.

The operating systems will affect the maximum capacity of RAM you can use on your computer. Compared to the consumer editions, a typical server Windows version can support several times the maximum RAM.

Usually, the Windows 8 Enterprise and Professional editions can support a maximum of 512GB RAM, while the consumer version only supports up to 128GB. Windows 10 operating systems have similar RAM limits. You can refer to the information from Microsoft.

It is different between a 32-bit and 64-bit processor as well. Without considering the Windows editions, a 32-bit system has the limitation of 4GB physical memory, while a 64-bit system can be able to handle a 128GB RAM physical memory.

In addition, your motherboard also determines how much RAM your computer can support. This is because your motherboard has a memory module slot limit. If you don’t know how to check the motherboard model, please read this post.

Here are several common memory types that you can refer to:

• DDR 2 SDRAM: This technology is commonly found in those computers that are made after 2003.
• DDR3 SDRAM: It is suitable for those computers made after 2007.
• DDR4 SDRAM: It is the newest RAM type. So, please make sure you are using a modern PC with the latest builds.

Choosing RAM can be daunting, because this decision may have a tangible impact on your user experience. How many browser tabs can you keep open, how many layers can you have open in Photoshop, and how fast will your game load? All of this is directly affected by your choice of RAM.

How does RAM work?

Does Ram Slots Matter Transfer

Let us use a busy highway as an analogy. The number of RAM sticks is kind of like the number of lanes on the road: the more sticks of RAM you have, the more lanes you have open, and the more cars the road can hold at a given time.

Does Ram Slots Matter Games

The size of your RAM, in this analogy, would be how many cars each lane can hold. And the speed of your RAM is like the speed limit sign posted on the highway.

Therefore, a stick of 8GB RAM with a clock speed of 2666mhz can process 8GB of data at a given time, and 2666mhz is the speed at which the information will be processed.

Does Ram Slot Matter

This is why adding more RAM will not necessarily make your computer faster: you’re adding more lanes to the road and more car capacity, rather than increasing the speed limit. Adding more RAM may be useful for users in certain RAM-hungry situations (heavily tabbed Chrome users, 3D rendering/modeling program users, and recent console—e.g. PS3, Wii U—emulation users), but more RAM is almost never the answer as to why a computer is not running a game at your desired performance level.

How do you determine RAM latency?

This is where CAS comes in. To understand how fast your RAM actually is, you must look at its memory timing. It will be listed alongside the RAM with numbers presented in this format: 15-16-16-35.

The first column represents CAS latency, also known as “Column Access Strobe.” This is the number of clock cycles that pass between when an instruction is given and when the information is made available. If you tell someone to “duck!”, CAS latency would be the delay between when you command them to duck and when the other person reacts.

But CAS does not exist in a vacuum, and must be put into a formula alongside other specifications in order to determine the true latency of your RAM.

To calculate the true latency of your RAM in nanoseconds, use the following formula:

(CAS latency/RAM clock speed) x 2000 = latency in nanoseconds

If you have a CAS of 15 and a clock speed of 2400mhz, this would be your true latency:

(15/2400) x 2000 = 12.5 nanoseconds

If you have a CAS of 17 and a clock speed of 2666mhz, this would be your true latency:

(17/2666) x 2000 = 12.75 nanoseconds

Thus, higher CAS timings can result in a higher latency even with higher clock speeds. However, that doesn’t explain what happens in a situation where the true latency of two sticks of RAM are tied, despite them having different clock speeds (because the faster-clocked choice has a worse latency). In situations where that kind of tie occurs, the higher speed of RAM takes precedence over which has superior CAS latency. Thus, when comparing a stick of DDR4-3000 RAM with a CAS of 15 and a stick of DDR4-3600 RAM with a CAS of 18 (which would both have a true latency of 10 nanoseconds), the DDR4-3600 should be preferred.

Similarly, the comparison of CAS latency between RAM options of identical clock speeds is where CAS matters most. A stick of DDR4-3600 RAM with a CAS of 15 has a true latency of 8.33 nanoseconds, while a same-size/same-speed stick with a CAS of 19 has a latency of 10.56 nanoseconds. In this case, the DDR4-3600 RAM with a CAS of 15 is objectively better than the DDR4-3600 RAM with a CAS of 19.

How do you choose RAM?

How Many Ram Slots

Motherboards and CPUs are rated for the maximum amount and speed of RAM they can handle. If your motherboard and CPU is only rated up to 3600mhz, then you should only purchase or overclock RAM up to 3600mhz. However, a quick perusal will reveal that there’s over a hundred variants of 3600mhz RAM available. If you narrow it down to the size of the RAM, perhaps to 16gb (2 x 8GB), you still have a few dozen options. This is where CAS (and cost) comes in.

For 16GB RAM at 3600mhz, you’ll find options ranging from a CAS latency of 15 to 19. You’ll also find the price has a range of nearly $100 USD difference, and that this difference closely correlates to CAS latency. For example, the G.Skill Ripjaws V DDR4-3600 with a CAS of 19 costs about $130 USD. By comparison, the G.Skill TridentZ DDR4-3600 with a CAS of 15 is roughly $230 USD. The lower the CAS, the faster the RAM—and consequently, the more expensive.

When deciding between RAM of different clock speeds, the RAM with the higher clock speed is superior; but when choosing between RAM of identical clock speeds, the RAM with lower CAS latency is faster. This is where the constraints of your budget must do battle with your desire for speed (as well as any aesthetic considerations such as RGB lighting).

When dealing in nanoseconds, the difference may not seem significant—and it can certainly be argued that, for the average user, the difference between a CAS of 15 and a CAS of 19 is not worth breaking the bank. But when choosing between RAM options within budget, you should choose the lowest CAS at a given speed for the best performance.