12 Gb in (4+4+2+2) or 8 GB in Dual Channel RAM?

[Amartya]

My system specs:
MB : Gigabyte GA-Z97M-D3H
Processor : Intel 3.2 GHz i5-4460
New RAM : 2*4gb DDR3 @ 1600
Old RAM: 2*2gb DDR3 @ 1333
I'll be manually running all the RAM modules at 1333mhz which is the lowest freq.

Why I think I'll need the extra RAM. I will be playing GTA V. I have a standard HDD and not a SSD. So reading from page might be an issue.
All help appreciated!

 

[Rhezner]

Get the 8gb dual channel, technically 4 sticks only runs in dual channel on lga 1150 so getting more doesn not change performance.

look in the specs of your motherboard, it only runs in dual channel
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128717

 

[InvalidError]

If you put a 4GB DIMM in the first slot of each channel and a 2GB DIMM in the second slot of each, it should still work as dual-channel.

 

[Rhezner]

also the number of channels you run in doesnt affect performance much at all.

 

[blazorthon]

If you're buying a 2x4GB kit to expand your memory capacity, then you cn try doing the 12GB configuration first. As others have said, it is still only dual channel, you just have two modules per channel (this does not improve performance like going from dual to triple or quad channel). So it's as if you had two 6GB modules in dual channel.

However, there is no guarantee that it will work. Mixing RAM kits is not an exact science and even when you have two kits of the same model, they aren't guaranteed to work together. Mixing two kits that are so extremely different as these two is not very likely to work, but it is not going to damage the system to try it, so there's no reason to not give it a shot before dumping the 2x2GB kit.

 

[Amartya]

also the number of channels you run in doesnt affect performance much at all.

I heard dual channel gives about a 10% increase in effective RAM capacity? Although it could just be poppy cock for all I know!
And I'm underclocking because I read that different frequencies of RAMs cannot work together. The 2 GB Dimms are at 1300mhz hence the underclock!

 

[Amartya]

If you're buying a 2x4GB kit to expand your memory capacity, then you can try doing the 12GB configuration first. .

Actually the parts have all arrived, waiting on my pci 3.0 USB card to arrive and I can start building. Was taking apart the old PC cabinet and mobo when I had this idea. Anything I could do to try and ease the mobo into this weird setup?

 

[Rhezner]

also the number of channels you run in doesnt affect performance much at all.

I heard dual channel gives about a 10% increase in effective RAM capacity? Although it could just be poppy cock for all I know!
And I'm underclocking because I read that different frequencies of RAMs cannot work together. The 2 GB Dimms are at 1300mhz hence the underclock!

sorry i misunderstood, i see why you are underclocking.

http://www.gamersnexus.net/guides/1349-ram-how-dual-channel-works-vs-single-channel/Page-3
single to dual channel will change performance a bit but even if you could run quad channel on lga 1150 it would not really affect performance

 

[Amartya]

If you put a 4GB DIMM in the first slot of each channel and a 2GB DIMM in the second slot of each, it should still work as dual-channel.

Any other pointers since there is a big gap in frequency? Anything else I should have to change in BIOS??

 

[Amartya]

single to dual channel will change performance a bit but even if you could run quad channel on lga 1150 it would not really affect performance

Latency VS frequency... which one is more essential in games like the GTA V? Any ideas? Without doing a real world test, which one of the two setups would yield a better gaming experience in your opinion?

 

[Adroid]

If you are playing games 2x4GB will be faster FPS than anything else. Leave the 1333 out...

 

[Amartya]

If you are playing games 2x4GB will be faster FPS than anything else. Leave the 1333 out...

I see, I'm looking for overall smoothness though, especially in high population density areas... Because my 60fps cap has served me well enough!

 

[InvalidError]

Latency VS frequency... which one is more essential in games like the GTA V? Any ideas? Without doing a real world test, which one of the two setups would yield a better gaming experience in your opinion?

Most games are not specially sensitive to either. Or put another way, they are similarly (not very) sensitive to both once you are past 1600-9-9-9.

You will have to experiment and see what works best for you. I would give both 8GB and 12GB a try, see if you feel like the higher bandwidth of 8GB at 1600-x-x-x seems better than 12GB at 1333-x-x-x.

 

[Amartya]

Thanks all of you for the solutions! This should help me a lot! Will update the thread with the results after I bench it!

 

[Adroid]

If you are playing games 2x4GB will be faster FPS than anything else. Leave the 1333 out...

I see, I'm looking for overall smoothness though, especially in high population density areas... Because my 60fps cap has served me well enough!

Just try it. 2x4gb at 1600 will likely be superior in every way to any mix of 1333. Similarly, 4x4gb will be SLOWER than 2x4gb in most scenarios. If you were on a x99 platform, that supports quad channel, it may be different - although 1333 is noticeably slower than 1600. Point being if you have 4x4gb of 1600 on a X99 system, it may be superior to 2x4gb in certain scenarios - but not on a Z97 system.