Mixing RAM brands vs mixing RAM speeds: Brands are fine, speeds are risky

Mixing different RAM brands is usually fine as long as speed, timings, and voltage match. Mixing speeds (e.g., 3200MHz with 3600MHz) forces the faster stick to slow down, which is stable but not ideal. The real risk is mixing different timings (like CL16 vs CL18), which can cause instability or hurt performance. Brands don’t matter much since most RAM is made by Samsung, SK Hynix, or Micron, but matching specs does.