Mixing RAM sticks is riskier than you think.

Probably yes. It might boot, but you’re rolling the dice on random crashes, weird behavior, or just slower performance.

The issue isn’t brand—it’s the timings and voltage profiles baked into each stick. Your existing 16GB stick runs at specific CAS latency and voltage settings. The new one probably wants different ones. The motherboard will try to find a common ground, usually by running both at the slowest common speed. That part is fine. But if the sticks don’t agree on timings, you can get memory errors that only show up under load (gaming, video editing). Those errors suck to debug because they look like driver crashes or software bugs.

If you’re dead set on trying, at least match the speed (e.g., both DDR4-3200). Disable XMP/DOCP in BIOS and run them at the lowest JEDEC standard (often 2133 or 2400). That’s safest, but you’re leaving performance on the table. Even then, no guarantees.

Your best bet: buy a matched kit (2x16GB) and sell your old stick. Cheaper headache in the long run.