Help with new RAM selection?

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1

I'm looking to upgrade my RAM from 8GB to 16GB and I need some advice/opinions.

Currently I have 2x4GB DDR3-1333 Corsair Vengeance installed but I'm unable to get the same RAM modules. So my first question is this, would it be fine if I add DDR3-1600 RAM? Will it be better to add 1600? from reading around, it sounds like it should work fine, just looking for an extra opinion.

Then, which of these options should I take?

(I live in South-Africa, so any recommendations from other vendors would likely be useless, sorry)

1) 2X4GB DDR3-1600 Corsair Vengeance

or

2) 1X8GB DDR3-1600 Corsair Vengeance

To clarify, this is a Gaming PC and the only reason I'm upgrading RAM is because I'm running a small private Minecraft server with almost 200 mods, and my RAM is no longer sufficient.

From what I've read, the 2X4GB option would be best, with the only reason for taking the 8GB being for later expansion? will this be necessary for anything but minecraft?

And then a final question, how should the RAM modules be laid out? i.e. 2x4GB 1600 in slots 1&3(same channel), with 2x4GB 1333 in 2&4(same channel)? (Motherboard: Gigabyte Z77X-UD3H)

2

If you put 1600 ram with 1333 ram, you will need to downclock the 1600 ram to 1333 or else it will not work. Even then I am not completely sure it will work. I think that if you put the 1600 RAM in, then downclock it in your motherboard, then add the 1333 ram, and it is all running at the same frequency, it might work. Can someone else who has more experience than me confirm?

3

Yes it will work. He shouldn't even have to downclock it manually. When he puts it in it should all run at 1333Mhz.