Go dual-channel – it matters more than total capacity here.

Yes, if you’re moving from single-channel 8GB (one stick) to dual-channel 16GB (2x8GB), you’ll see a noticeable lift in CS:GO and Valorant. But the hero here isn’t the extra capacity – it’s the dual-channel memory bandwidth.

The i3-10100 is a solid budget CPU, but it relies heavily on memory speed and channel configuration. In CPU-bound esports titles, single-channel memory can bottleneck the CPU by 20–30% in some scenarios. Going dual-channel lets the CPU feed data faster, which directly improves frame rates. 8GB of capacity is often enough for these games, but running it as one stick leaves performance on the table.

If you already have 16GB in dual-channel, an upgrade to more capacity won’t help much – these games don’t need 16GB, let alone more. But if you’re running 8GB single-channel, that 2x8GB kit is the cheapest performance gain you’ll get without swapping the CPU.

Don’t overspend on speed either – DDR4-2666 or 2933 is fine for this motherboard. Just get a dual-channel kit.

Future you will appreciate not stuttering when you flick to the enemy.