Flex Mode Ram?

[Haibrands]

Hello, I have a 4 GB stick of RAM right now. I was planning on buying another set of RAM sticks, 2x 4 GB sticks, by a different company. What are the pros and cons if I run the set of RAM sticks in dual channel, slots 1 and 3, and the lone 4 GB stick of ram in slot 2?

 

[Tradesman1]

First thing will be if they even play, no guarantees, if you try and have problems let me know and we can try some slight voltage/timing adjustments. As far as flex - you will have 8GB in dual channel and the odd 4GB stick running in single channel mode - no real ill effects from doing so....more on Flex in my FAQs and Fiction article, FAQs, item 7, here:

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2741495/ddr3-faqs-fiction.html

 

[jimmysmitty]

Well for one you would no longer have dual channel. In order to have dual channel. Normally you have DIMM A1 and A2 and B1 and B2. Dual channel only works in sets of two (i.e. you have two DIMMs or 4 DIMMS).

The other downside is that it might not work or it may work but have stability issues. Using RAM from a different manufacture is never ideal as they each do their own designs and use varying ICs and chips that will sometimes not work or freak out when matched with different types.

For memory you always want to buy them in matching sets as they are tested at the companies manufacturing facility and certified that they will work properly together.

 

[Haibrands]

Okay thank you, I will get back to you on if they work .

 

[Tradesman1]

AM in and out every day, if problems we'll try adjustments