Should I use 2 or 4 RAM sticks?

When it comes to computer hardware, usually, more is better. That applies system-wide; for example, the more cores there are in a CPU, the more efficiently the CPU operates.

So, how does that apply to the amount of RAM you use? Should you use 2 or 4 RAM sticks for best performance?

Why does the motherboard have 4 RAM slots?

Most consumer motherboards have 4 RAM slots; The main goal of these RAM slots is to connect the CPU to the RAM sticks using the motherboard. Between the RAM slots and the CPU is the memory driver, which handles communication between the CPU and the RAM slots through the motherboard.

Most modern CPUs advertise a dual-channel memory driver because it can communicate with two RAM slots at the same time. This means that when the CPU requests data from RAM, the driver can receive data from two different RAM sticks at the same time and transmit that data to the CPU.

Should I use 2 or 4 RAM sticks? Picture 1

So, if the memory driver only receives data from two RAM sticks, why does the motherboard have 4 RAM slots?

The 4 RAM slots on the system form pairs of two sticks and are connected. So, in theory, you have two pairs of RAM connected to the CPU via the motherboard and controlled by the memory driver.

Connecting two pairs of RAM slots allows users to add more RAM, increasing RAM capacity.

Difference between 2 and 4 RAM sticks

Now that we understand why motherboards have 4 RAM slots, we can determine how many RAM sticks we should use.

There is no configuration that provides the best performance, the article will explain the pros and cons of each option. So, when choosing between 2 or 4 sticks of RAM, here are the things you need to consider.

Element	Describe
Memory access speed	Using 2 RAM sticks can provide faster speed. The main reason for this is the dual-channel memory driver, which allows your CPU to communicate with 2 sticks of RAM at the same time. In the case of 4 RAM sticks, 2 pairs of RAM sticks are connected together, running in parallel. However, although 2 sticks of RAM will run slightly faster, this is a negligible difference in speed for most people. Some high-end motherboards have memory drivers that can use all 4 memory slots without any performance issues (although performance drops slightly as mentioned above).
Price	Buying 4 sticks of RAM is usually more expensive than 2 sticks, so using two RAM modules will save money (and possibly provide better performance).
Upgradability	A dual RAM setup leaves two RAM slots on the motherboard empty. Therefore, you always have the option to upgrade to 4 memory sticks in the future.
Compatibility	When buying new computer RAM, it's important to make sure you buy a suitable pair of RAM with adequate specifications. An unsuitable pair of RAM can lead to performance issues, where the computer will default to using the slower of the 2 RAM sticks. Likewise, if you're upgrading, try combining existing RAM or changing all 4 RAM modules at once for smooth performance.
Capacity	Using a two-stick RAM setup will reduce the maximum amount of RAM you can put on your system. Therefore, it is recommended to use all 4 slots if you need a higher amount of RAM. Remember, sometimes fast RAM is better than more RAM.
Bandwidth	CPUs and motherboards with quad memory drivers and 4 RAM sticks can provide higher bandwidth than CPUs and motherboards with dual memory drivers and 2 RAM sticks. However, again, this is unlikely to be a problem for most people.
Overclocking	If you want to overclock the RAM on your system, use two slots. This makes overclocking easier and provides more stability.

Note : When using 2 RAM sticks, it is important to use the motherboard manufacturer's two optimized RAM slots. In most cases, these are slots 2 and 4, but you should look at your motherboard's spec sheet to find the best slot. You can also find manufacturer-recommended RAM specifications!

How many RAM sticks should I use?

There is no fixed amount of RAM that is suitable for every computer. That really depends on what you're doing.

If you want to check email and watch some YouTube videos while streaming Spotify, two 4GB RAM sticks, providing a total of 8GB of storage, will be the perfect solution.
If you want to add some games to the number of tasks mentioned above, it is recommended to increase the size of each stick to 8GB, providing a total RAM capacity of 16GB.
On the other hand, if you want to play AAA titles while streaming, two 16GB sticks are recommended, providing 32GB of RAM.
For those looking to edit long 4K footage, four 16GB sticks (64GB total) are recommended, as editing requires higher bandwidth and RAM capacity.

Luckily, it's not difficult to buy more memory for your computer, so you can upgrade the hardware if you need more. Upgrading memory on laptops is more difficult, especially since many machines now have soldered memory, meaning you can't change it.

RAM

David Pac

Update 15 August 2024

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