Yes, you can mix 16GB and 32GB sticks for 48GB total — with caveats.

It works, but you’re at the mercy of your motherboard and CPU. Most modern systems (DDR4 or DDR5) will run in “flex mode”: the first 16GB from each stick runs in dual channel, the remaining 16GB from the 32GB stick runs single channel. Performance takes a small hit, especially in memory-sensitive tasks like gaming or video editing. For general use (browsing, office work, light creative work) you probably won’t notice.

The bigger issue is stability. Mixing brands, speeds, or timings can cause crashes or failure to boot. If both sticks are the same brand/speed/timings (and ideally same die revision), you’re fine. If they’re mismatched, you might get lucky or you might spend an afternoon swapping slots and resetting BIOS.

I’d only do it if you already own both sticks. If you’re buying new, just get a matching pair. The headache isn’t worth saving twenty bucks.

Final thought: Flex mode is better than no dual channel, but worse than matched pairs. Choose your adventure.