5 Things to Know About Mixing RAM Speeds

The system runs at the slowest stick’s speed The motherboard forces all RAM sticks to the same settings based on the slowest stick’s JEDEC profile. A 3200MHz stick will downclock to match a 2666MHz stick.

Timings follow the slower stick The looser timings from the slower stick apply to all sticks. An 8GB 2666 CL16 stick plus a 16GB 3200 CL22 stick will run at 2666MHz with CL16 timings.

Dual-channel mode is limited Dual-channel only works for the capacity shared by both sticks. With an 8GB and a 16GB stick, only the first 8GB runs in dual-channel; the extra 8GB runs in single-channel.

DDR4 is forgiving Mixing speeds rarely causes compatibility issues. The system will boot and run stably, just not at peak performance.

Replace with a matched kit for best performance For memory-sensitive work like video editing or gaming, buy a matched kit. For everyday use, mixing works fine but leaves performance on the table.