Quad-channel RAM?

[thefruntpage]

I've got an i7-2600k in an ASRock Extreme3 Gen3 MoBo currently with 2x4GB DDR3 1600Mhz SDRAM. I also have two extra 4GB sticks laying around - same make, same model as the ones currently in use, and I just noticed that SB can only access 2 memory channels. Does that mean that if I were to install those extra sticks (thus bringing the total to 4x4GB), the CPU would NOT be able to utilize them at all?

 

[geofelt]

No, you would then have 16gb of ram, all useable, still operating in two channel mode.


Ram, by itself is not single/dual/triple or quad channel. It operates that way when several sticks are installed in a suitably capable motherboard.

 

[Jim_L9]

It would use them all for a total of 16GB of RAM. It would operate in dual channel mode.

 

[slhpss]

it would have 2 sets of two channels essentially 2 sticks working on one set of 2 channels and one set working on the other... so yes you will be able to utilize them all and yes they will still be dual channel

 

[Novuake]

Of course it will. A system can use any number of sticks.

But as long as there are sums of 2 of similar RAM(frequency, timings and size) in same DIMM slots. On Asus board for example each second slot is match and the same colour, the RAM will run in duel channel which adds considerable performance to a system.

Unless ofcourse you have a 32-bit windows. That limits it to under 4GB.

 

[thefruntpage]

Best answer selected by thefruntpage.