2x4GB RAM or 4x2GB RAM or 1x8GB RAM- Best RAM Combo!

Looking for RAM capable of running multi-tasks? Or gaming purposes keeping in mind might make your RAM-buying over concerning! 

We got your answers. In this article, you will know which one is better for which tasks. 

So, 2x4GB RAM or 4x2GB RAM or 1x8GB RAM– which one you should choose?

Well, in terms of RAM speed and frequency, 1x8GB RAM tops among these. Its 3200 MHz memory speed clearly shows the winner against the range under 3000 MHz. Meanwhile, dual-channel 2x4GB RAM dominates in gaming or high-load tasks. If you plan to upgrade RAMs, then, 1x8GB RAM suits your PC the best. 

We value your time. I’ve discussed why dual channeling and getting more RAM is important right here. So, let’s get going!

2x4GB RAM or 4x2GB RAM or 1x8GB RAM: A Quick Glimpse

Though these RAMs have so many differences, you might not want to miss their dissimilarities too. So, before starting our in-depth comparison among these, let’s have a quick look! 

Now, you get the idea of what we want to cover mostly. Things will be much easier to comprehend by the following section! So, keep your eyes roaming till the end!

2x4GB RAM or 4x2GB RAM or 1x8GB RAM: Detailed Comparison

It’s time to explore in-depth! By the end of this section, basic differences among these will be in your pocket. 

Accelerated Processing Unit

APU or Accelerated Processing Unit is just another CPU (Central Processing Unit) type. Just like AMD optimized RAMs, APU shows a great importance in RAM performance. If you are a gamer, then you must know about this processor. 

Coming with in-built graphics arrangements, APU is considered to provide users with the best screening experience. Meanwhile, PCs coming with APU in the motherboard can perform better and more efficiently. 

The Ryzen G-series APUs are the best right now in the market. If you pair a AMD Ryzen 7 5700G with Dual channeling RAM you’ll be able to play any mid to mid-higher tier games quite comfortably. 

Or if you’re in budget then you can check price AMD Ryzen 3 3200G from Amazon as well.

So, whenever you play higher graphics-based games, your PC won’t ask for extra graphics cards. Relevantly, no dedicated graphics card is required for the system booting. 

However, it might demand dual-channel RAMs for performing better. That’s why a single channel-based 1x8GB RAM will not get preference here. 

Though it has 8GB RAM that is a standard one, a single channel puts it behind. Not just gaming, but operating higher-end tasks require zero buffering. 

MaxxMem is a memory performance measurement tool. With this memory read, memory copy, memory writes, memory bandwidth performance, and memory delay are all measured.

These statistics are measured in Mega Bytes/s, latency in nanoseconds, and bandwidth in GB/s. This is simplified by converting it to MB/s.

On the other hand, 2x4GB RAM lets you do all these tasks comfortably. Along with that, users prefer dual-channel too. Interestingly, 4x2GB RAM is also a multi-channel RAM here.

I have personally used Corsair Vengeance® LPX (2x4GB) DDR4 in my setup early on. So, I can guarantee you that you won’t be disappointed.

However, if you want to save some buck the Patriot Viper 4 Blackout Series isn’t bad as well. It’ll give you a better speed boost with 3000 MHz speed.

But when it comes to 2GB RAM and might struggle with loading things. As a result, whatever you do there won’t be much faster. 

That’s why we prefer having 2x4GB RAM instead of 4 channels 2GB and 1x8GB RAM. 

You might as well wonder whether can you use one stick of DDR4 RAM in dual-channel or not? Interestingly, it will work like single channel.

Winner: 2x4GB RAM

RAM Upgrading Issue

Upgrading your RAM after a while is quite a common scenario, isn’t it? As it determines your system’s performance, neglecting this part might end up in trouble. 

As PC enthusiasts, constantly upgrading your PC components is one of the top most priority.

Let’s assume, you have less amount of RAMs. Meanwhile, this RAM does not bother you yet. This might be enough until you require heavy jobs to do, right? Then, it’s an obvious choice to upgrade the RAM. 

However, upgrading or changing RAMs mainly depends on what channel of RAM stick you use. Previously, you already have seen how dual-channel like 2x4GB RAM dominates the market. 

However, existing dual-channel or double RAM sticks might block having upgrades. But how? 

While having two sticks coming with 4GB or 8GB, it won’t allow more RAMs from next. Simply your two slots are full now! If you want to upgrade then you’ll have to dispose the previous ones now.

Meanwhile, single-channel such as 1x8GB RAM might allow you to extend more RAMs. In the meantime, buying another 1x8GB RAM will come with another single channel. 

As a result, two single channels are getting combined. And, it will make your total RAM- 16GB in the future. 

However, want to take risks of wiping out memories to date? Then, there’s a way with a dual channel. But it will cost you to buy two extra RAMs in the future. So, if you have 2x4GB RAM existing, it can be removed. 

Meanwhile, you might need to add two 1x8GB RAMs instead. Moreover, 4x2GB RAM comes with 4 sticks and fewer RAM spaces is a waste of money. 

Unless required for upgrades in the future, these dual channels are suitable indeed. But considering different RAM add-ups for accessing things quickly, we recommend 1x8GB RAMs.

Winner: 1x8GB RAM

Speed And Frequency

RAM size can not be a determining factor in RAM performance. Meanwhile, you need higher speed and frequency to make the performance top-notch. 

Just like the CPU, you will find clock speeds on RAMs too. The higher the clock speed of RAM, the more operations the RAM performs in a second. 

We find a 2x4GB RAM providing 2400 MHz to 2700 MHz is its average memory speed. In the meantime, 4x2GB RAM has not more than 1066 MHz to 1666 MHz. Above these, single-channel 1x8GB RAM provides 2400 MHz to 3200 MHz. 

As ranging between 3200MHz to 3600MHz is the norm for high-end systems now. So, it’s an easy guess, which one serves better! 

Winner: 1x8GB RAM

Which to Choose Between 2x4GB RAM or 4x2GB RAM or 1x8GB RAM?

If you want to mix two different RAM sticks, it might come with some bad consequences. Even if you use the best frequency RAM 1x8GB, the motherboard’s competency can make performance worse. 

What if your motherboard does not support more than 1333MHz RAM. Then, picking 1x8GB RAM would be nothing but an average performer. 

In the meantime, mixing different speeds of RAM modules can be much more troublesome. While using 2x4GB RAM or 4x2GB RAM or 1x8GB RAM, these come with different frequencies. These differences exist between single vs dual vs quad channels too.

And, the processor would pick the slowest speed RAM here while getting RAMs mixed. So, despite using a higher memory speed, you will get slower speeds in RAM performance. 

But for the long run and lightweight tasks, 1x8GB RAM is better. But in terms of upgrading RAMs in the future, having a slot unused is better. 

And, that’s where 2x4GB RAM wins over others. Meanwhile, 4x2GB RAM is lacking here just because of its lower RAM efficiency. 

Winner: For lightweight tasks and upgrade issues, 1x8GB RAM suits mostly. 2x4GB RAM is best for gaming purposes.  

FAQs

Here are some of the commonly asked queries related to ram-

Is It Better to Have 2 Or 4 RAM Sticks?

It depends! Two sticks of RAM come less expensive than 4 sticks. Fewer sticks generate higher memory speeds and lower Column Address Strobe(CAS) latency. The dual-channel support is an assurance while quad-channel support is not supported. More modules only help in having a higher RAM capacity. 

Can I use 8 and 16 GB RAM together?

Yes, obviously. However, it’s not recommended as the 16GB will be utilized as 8GB for running dual-channel. Meanwhile, it’s rest of the part will be used as a single channel. So, it’s better to hold the same RAM types. And, it will not affect the overall performance regarding voltage, etc.

Which RAM Suits to Faster Speed?

It’s recommended to choose DDR4 memory while looking for a higher memory speed. Meanwhile, it is capable of operating 2400MHz or more. DDR4 speeds begin at 2400 MT/s to deliver quicker speeds. Along with that, buying DDR3 RAM for memory operating at 1,866MHz at least is required.

Final Words

That’s all from us about 2x4GB RAM or 4x2GB RAM or 1x8GB RAM. Hopefully, our article stands as a little help when you decide to choose between these. 

Left anything in your mind to share? Spell all those out to us! Glad to reach you back! 

See you next time!