Can you use a 4GB stick and an 8GB RAM stick together?

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Yes, you can put 4GB and 8GB of RAM together in your computer, whatever your computer's basic RAM memory is 8GB or 4GB - It doesn't matter which slot the larger stick (8GB) or smaller stick (4GB) is in. But there are a few things to consider for it to work well:

• Compatibility: Make sure the two RAM sticks are compatible with your motherboard. Both sticks should have the same type, such as DDR3 or DDR4, and run at similar speeds (like 2400 MHz or 3200 MHz). Otherwise, the performance might drop.
• Dual-Channel Mode: Most modern computers support a feature called dual-channel mode, which improves performance. If you use 4GB and 8GB RAM together, the system may not fully benefit from dual-channel mode because the sizes are different. However, 4GB of each stick will still work in dual-channel mode, and the extra 4GB from the 8GB stick will run in single-channel mode.
• Performance Impact: Mixing RAM sizes (4GB and 8GB) will work, but you might notice that it's not as fast as using two equal-sized RAM sticks (like 8GB + 8GB). The computer will still run fine, but for optimal performance, matching RAM sizes is ideal.

In summary, mixing 4GB and 8GB RAM is possible, but for the best performance, it’s recommended to use RAM sticks of the same size and speed.

More RAM related topics,

• Can I put 8GB and 16GB RAM together?
• Can I use DDR4 RAM in DDR5 slot?