help with memory installation 2

[drdenby]

Assuming everything is equal ... frequency, latency, even brand..

Which is better

48gb run in single channel

or 32gb run in dual channel?

 

[tingety]

32GB in Dual Channel

 

[geofelt]

It depends on the app that will use the ram and what it is used for.

If an app can effectively use lots of ram to improve performance, then more is better.
Otherwise, faster ram can improve cpu performance.

 

[boosted1g]

48gb is not a real ram amount, at least as a single stick of ram ( you can do one 32 and one 16, but there is no single 48gb stick).

As a speed/performance focus running two sticks in dual channel will always be faster. Your system would be more responsive and faster with 2 8gb sticks then it would with 1 16 gb stick.
Now if you are using the ram due to high demanding programs, 1 32gb stick would be better then 2 8gb sticks for the time frame that you need that extra ram.

Hope that makes sense (sometimes we do a horrible job explaining things to people who dont already know the answer).

 

[drdenby]

I should have been clearer that the 48gb was 2 x 16 and 2 x 8 which I understand will run in single channel or 2 x 16 in dual

I think I do understand, but how do I know the difference if i need more or faster?

 

[boosted1g]

In your scenario you should have both pairs running in dual channel.
For pure reliability issues one single pair is better then 2 different pairs, but since you have matched pairs in each channel you would get the full bandwidth (assuming you put the pairs in the correct slots).

Now unless you are using a very heavy memory applications like engineering simulators, then you wont use 32gb, even power users cant use more then 16gb of ram with heavy multitasking.

 

[drdenby]

Thanks, I believe I understand now.

After researching that last part of what you said, it appears that probably 90% of people never even use more than 8gb no matter how much they have.