Hi everyone,
I’m using a Dell OptiPlex 7020 with an Intel Core i5-14500.
Currently I have 2x16GB DDR5 RAM installed:
- Original Dell RAM: 16GB 5600MHz
- Patriot RAM: 16GB 5200MHz
The BIOS detects both sticks but runs them at 4800MHz.
The issue is that after installing the Patriot stick, my PC sometimes randomly freezes completely (hard lock). No BSOD, no restart, just frozen and I need to force power off.
I’d like to ask:
- Is mixing 5600MHz + 5200MHz DDR5 RAM the likely cause?
- Even if both run at 4800MHz, can different timings/chips still cause instability?
- Is Dell OptiPlex known to be picky with non-OEM RAM?
- Would replacing it with another identical Dell/OEM stick likely solve the problem?
Any advice or similar experiences would be appreciated. Thanks!
u/Existing-Kale-7112 — 15 days ago