12 GB or 16 GB RAM?

[Slo2018]

Now i have 8 GB (4x2). Is it 12 GB enough if i buy 2x4 GB and keep 2x2 GB or should i buy 2x8 GB?

 

[dorsetknob]

Now i have 8 GB (4x2). Is it 12 GB enough if i buy 2x4 GB and keep 2x2 GB or should i buy 2x8 GB?

Enough for what ???
PC Specs would help people help you further
https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/account/

 

[Folterknecht]

Now i have 8 GB (4x2). Is it 12 GB enough if i buy 2x4 GB and keep 2x2 GB or should i buy 2x8 GB?

Hi,

the fact that you have this question indicates to me, that you should probably just buy 2x 8GB and sell your old 2x 4GB kit. Mixing different RAM sticks can under certain circumstances lead to problems with system stability, that require manual fine tuning of memory settings (speed, timings) and sometimes even manual adjustments won't solve the problem. Personally I ve no problem fiddling around with RAM settings, but it 's not something I 'd recommend to inexperienced users.

 

[Komshija]

For what? For some gaming and general usage like internet, MS office etc. 8 GB will be OK. For video editing, image editing, heavy gaming etc. you will be better with 16 GB.

 

[PerfectWave]

more ram you have more smooth pc will work.
went from 16 to 32gb and there is a lot of difference

 

[jboydgolfer]

8Gb is enough, unless your doing some super intense stuff. Also, you can always buy additional ram later, so just buy 8Gb, and get more if needed

 

[27MaD]

16GB or go home.

went from 16 to 32gb and there is a lot of difference

U CAN'T B SERIES!

 

[Deleted member 178884]

U CAN'T B SERIES!

Heard of multitasking? Not everyone is a gamer, 16gb should be the best.

 

[MyTechAddiction]

i have a simple rule : You can never have to much RAM.
There are really no downsides, if you can afford it, of course.

 

[theFOoL]

16GB should be more than enough but if your say a programmer or something then you should get 32GB if your Motherboard supports it which now in days most do. Having 3 Sticks isn't good. Having 2 sticks is better because of Dual-Channel memory Learn

 

[cucker tarlson]

16gb. 12 will be fine though it can be borderline and you'll end up runnning 128-bit+64-bit channels. 32gb is needed only in very specific scenarios. I have 16 and I rarely see it go above 11,even though when I game I tend to have other stuff open on my second monitor.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Now i have 8 GB (4x2). Is it 12 GB enough if i buy 2x4 GB and keep 2x2 GB or should i buy 2x8 GB?

Generally speaking, the 8GB you have is more than enough for most computing tasks. The only reason, at this point in time, that you'd need more is if you are doing high-level gaming, any kind of resource heavy productivity work(such as video editing, 3D modeling, etc.) or database/web hosting. In the case of gaming 12GB would really be enough for every game out today, though 16GB would future proof you a bit. For productivity work 16GB is a starting point, with 32GB being recommended. For database/web hosting, 32GB is a start and if you can manage more, get it.
Just my 2cents though.

 

[king of swag187]

Matching mismatched RAM is a big no no

 

[Static~Charge]

Matching mismatched RAM is a big no no

Not an issue here: 2 x 4GB in channel A, and 2 x 2GB in channel B. 12GB total with dual-channel memory access in each channel.

 

[theFOoL]

Not an issue here: 2 x 4GB in channel A, and 2 x 2GB in channel B. 12GB total with dual-channel memory access in each channel.

That's different. You have 4 RAM Slots both are for dual. Course you can use different models for each. Doesn't have to be the same for both

 

[dorsetknob]

So far the only info we can glean from the op is

Now i have 8 GB (4x2).

IF he Buys same spec (timings ) but bigger ram size then he should still have duel Channel capability
for Stability tho if he can afford he should buy up to 16gig (as he has a 4 slot motherboard of unknown make)
If he gave/filled his specs then a better Recommendation can be given

 

[27MaD]

Heard of multitasking? Not everyone is a gamer, 16gb should be the best.

I mean 16 should b more then enough 4 almost everything.

 

[Deleted member 178884]

I mean 16 should b more then enough 4 almost everything.

"almost anything"? You mean games, which isn't "almost anything" - 16gb is enough for a gaming system, we don't know the OP's use case, and you making the assumption he's a gamer.

 

[Static~Charge]

That's different. You have 4 RAM Slots both are for dual. Course you can use different models for each. Doesn't have to be the same for both

I assumed that the OP has 4 DIMM slots after reading "Is it 12 GB enough if i buy 2x4 GB and keep 2x2 GB", and I assumed that matched pairs would go in each channel. Of course, it would help if the OP would update his/her system specs so we know what we're dealing with here....

 

[lexluthermiester]

I have to disagree with the push to fill out the system specs page. Filling out system specs are not needed. The OP gave enough information for us to make viable recommendations.

 

[27MaD]

"almost anything"? You mean games, which isn't "almost anything" - 16gb is enough for a gaming system, we don't know the OP's use case, and you making the assumption he's a gamer.

Gaming? , video editing? , rendering? , 3D modeling?
I think 16 gigs will be OK.