How easy is it to add more RAM?

[stannard97]

I'm planning on buying this spec:

Case COOLERMASTER ELITE 430 BLACK CASE
Processor (CPU) Intel® Core™i5 Quad Core Processor i5-3470 (3.2GHz) 6MB Cache
Motherboard ASUS® P8H77-M: M-ATX, DDR3, USB 3.0, SATA 6.0Gb/s, CrossFireX™
Memory (RAM) 16GB SAMSUNG DUAL-DDR3 1333MHz (4 X 4GB)
Graphics Card 2GB AMD RADEON™ HD7850 - DVI,HDMI,2 mDP - DX® 11, Eyefinity 3 Capable

I will be playing games like ArmA 2, Dirt 3 and Fallout 3 and I want to play them at very high settings. This spec was advised to me on these forums and it looks fine to me but the only options for RAM are 4,8 and 16GB. I've been doing a bit of research and have basically read that 8GB is plenty for gaming. I just want to check that if I go for 8GB I could add more easily and relatively cheaply. Is it as easy as just buying another 4GB RAM 'stick' and hooking it up in the PC?

 

[samwil]

RAM is very easy to install, literally just click it into position on your motherboard, my parents even managed it... and thats saying something

Found you a youtube guide, if you really think you need it that is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60yv1jY6T-4


+If your playing Arma 2, I guess dayz? Then you may want the 3570 i5, as Arma can be painful on your processor

 

[stannard97]

RAM is very easy to install, literally just click it into position on your motherboard

That's what I thought but would there definitely be room for more. The options are 1x4GB, 2x4GB, 1x8GB, 4x4GB and 2x8GB.

Does the 4x4GB mean there are definitely 4 slots? I know it probably is but I just want to check. Also, just adding 1 extra 4GB wouldn't be a problem would it? I don't really get why there isn't an option for 3x4GB.

 

[steaky360]

There are 4 RAM slots on the motherboard (bottom right hand side of pic - Black and Blue slots)

 

[stannard97]

Alright thanks for the help guys. Noobs like me would be lost without you

 

[samwil]

Your supposed to use the same RAM as well, so that's why its usually best to go with a single 8GB and then you have the possibility of 32GB of ram, if you ever needed it, which is doubtable.

 

[stannard97]

Your supposed to use the same RAM as well, so that's why its usually best to go with a single 8GB and then you have the possibility of 32GB of ram, if you ever needed it, which is doubtable.

Oh, I didn't know that. Thanks.

 

[samwil]

For clarification then, as you didn't know - There are colour coded slots for your Ram, 2 of one colour, 2 of another, each colour must use the same type of ram (size), and all 4 slots need to use the same speed, and make sure you don't put, 1 8GB stick of ram into 1 colour, and 8GB into another, you should fill one colour coded pair before you utilise another.

 

[Frank100]

Hi,

Yes 8GB is plenty but 16GB is only an extra £25-30 usually, so it's not a big upgrade now if you can afford it. Prices can vary and RAM can become expensive if there are supply problems. So an extra 8GB in a year could be £50+, or lower than the price now. I think the prices right now are pretty low though.

I'd recommend 1600Mhz RAM for all Sandy and Ivy Bridge processors because the default clock speed of the memory controller on these chips is 1600Mhz. If you look at the prices the 1333Mhz is about the same price, sometimes a few £s more and sometimes a few £s less.

Ivy Bridge processors do have quad channel support and therefore can address four sticks of memory at the same time, as long as the motherboard also supports this. I really don't think you'd see a difference though if you got 2 8GB sticks or 4 4GB sticks but 4 4GB sticks will probably be a little cheaper.

Unless you have some serious programs on the go I can't see you wanting more than 16GB.

 

[Corfate]

Hi,

Yes 8GB is plenty but 16GB is only an extra £25-30 usually, so it's not a big upgrade now if you can afford it. Prices can vary and RAM can become expensive if there are supply problems. So an extra 8GB in a year could be £50+, or lower than the price now. I think the prices right now are pretty low though.

I'd recommend 1600Mhz RAM for all Sandy and Ivy Bridge processors because the default clock speed of the memory controller on these chips is 1600Mhz. If you look at the prices the 1333Mhz is about the same price, sometimes a few £s more and sometimes a few £s less.

Ivy Bridge processors do have quad channel support and therefore can address four sticks of memory at the same time, as long as the motherboard also supports this. I really don't think you'd see a difference though if you got 2 8GB sticks or 4 4GB sticks but 4 4GB sticks will probably be a little cheaper.

Unless you have some serious programs on the go I can't see you wanting more than 16GB.

Generally, the price of RAM is going down, so until you actually need it i wouldn't go and buy more (not that i can, got all my slots filled with 2gb sticks )

The difference between 1333mhz and 1600mhz ram is pretty unnoticable if im honest, the other people that see it are heavy overclockers (Not trying to be a pain by disagreeing with you i swear!)