Mixing 2x512MB Premium RAM with 2x512MB value RAM?

[Jonathan Bones]

I've got a Chaintech VNF4/Ultra, 3200+, 7800GT, XP Pro x64. It currently has 2x512MB plain Crucial RAM.

Kingston HyperX RAM is on sale for $35 a stick of 512MB. So for $70, I could double up to 2GB of RAM.

Would this be a good purchase? I'm thinking 2GB is much better than 1GB, even if it can't all run in dual channel, etc. I'd rather have 2x1GB, but this is a really good deal (and I wouldn't have to sell the RAM I have). Is it likely there would be problems?

Thank you.

 

[turtile]

You will just loose the speed of your faster sticks (will match the slower)

You should have to change anything. It should work right after you stick them in.

 

[Jonathan Bones]

Should I care that I'm not using my RAM to its maximum potential? I mean, 2GB is 2GB, right?

I can:

A) Buy the sticks, upgrade to 4x512MB mismatched for $70.

B) Wait and add a stick of 1x1GB to bring me to 2GB. (At today's prices, about $110-- $40 more to go to 2GB.)

C) Sell my 2x512 and buy 2x1GB. (Expensive and a hassle.)


Is A) stupid in any way? I don't expect to need more than 2GB total in this system, using all four slots is fine. And I'm not a performance freak-- I don't OC RAM. I might OC my CPU using stock cooling, but that's it.

 

[turtile]

If you are going to use 2GB most of the time. Its worth it. (even if its slower - since it will work much better than 1GB)