Question Using 4 RAM sticks instead of 2 on a Dual Channel motherboard ?

elegendx

Reputable
Nov 19, 2020
53
2
4,535
Hello.
I want to ask about RAM with a DUAL Channel motherboard. I have noticed on YouTube, some owners who have a DUAL Channel motherboard, they have installed 4 instead of 2 RAM sticks. Why do some people put 4 sticks in their system and not 2? Does it play a role, for example, in bandwidth?
 
Last edited:

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
most motherboards have 4 slots, 2 lots of Dual channel. So each set of 2 sticks runs in its own Dual channel.

More bandwidth yes, more channels for CPU to access at once.

gHGziFQ.jpg
 
Last edited:

elegendx

Reputable
Nov 19, 2020
53
2
4,535
Okay.
@Colif, if I understood well, If I install RAM 4 Modules, I will have more bandwidth. Right?
I ask you, because @SkyNetRising said,
No. It actually introduces multiple issues.

I open post because I want to know and I learn about RAM why someone install RAM 4 Modules on motherboard at Dual Channel.
Also, I want to upgrade RAM from 32GB to 64GB.

My Computer is:
  • Motherboard: ASUS ROG STRIX B550-F GAMING (WI-FI)
  • Graphics Card: ASUS ROG -STRIX-RTX3060TI-O8G-V2-GAMING NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti 8 GB GDDR6
  • CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 5900X Box
  • SSD OS: Samsung 980 Pro SSD 1.0TB M.2 NVMe
  • SSD Data: Samsung 870 QVO SSD 2TB 2.5
  • RAM: G.Skill TridentZ Neo 32GB DDR4-3200MHz (F4-3200C16Q-32GTZN)
  • HDD Data: Seagate Barracuda 4TB
  • HDD Data: WD Red Plus 4TB
  • PSU: Corsair Power Supply 850W ATX 24 pin RM850x (2021)
  • CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black

I want to buy new RAM and I'm between F4-3600C14Q-64GTZN and F4-3600C16D-64GTZN. Because, 1o) I used the Formula for calculating RAM latency and I found the value for the F4-3600C14Q-64GTZN is 7,78 and the other RAM F4-3600C16D-64GTZN is 8,89. Also, I saw that, the RAM F4-3600C14Q-64GTZN has got low value and it's speed. 2o) I haven't understood yet, because, some people say and prefer RAM 2 Modules.
Which is better to buy?
 

Colif

Win 11 Master
Moderator
F4-3600C14Q-64GTZN
if your motherboard can support it, i would get those. Lower latency better reaction time.

Its not as simple as 2 or 4 sticks - you have to know if the sticks are single or dual ranked.
If your current RAM is dual ranked, 4 sticks will limit how fast you can run the memory greatly.
4 sticks SR or 2 sticks DR is the way to go, unless you want to go for crazy high memory overclocks then 2 sticks SR will get you that. But 2 sticks DR can perform better because each rank/bank can be accessed separately.

The 2 v 4 thing is about how many ranks of memory the CPU can address. Within a given channel, the CPU can start addressing a second rank of memory while its waiting for the first rank to finish what its doing. Think of it like starting a conversation with a second person while the first person you were talking to is still saying goodbye. You can have single or dual ranks on a single stick of RAM, 8GB can be single or dual, 16GB is almost always dual.

Since 16GB sticks are almost all dual rank, so there won't be much of a performance difference in terms of that, so I'd go with the 2x16 kit for the faster access.

link
 
Last edited:

elegendx

Reputable
Nov 19, 2020
53
2
4,535
You get more ram capacity.
You don't get more bandwidth with 4 modules on dual channel board.

On quad channel system like Threadripper you'd get additional bandwidth with 4 ram modules.
I saw on website G.Skill F4-3600C14Q-64GTZN that the Multi-Channel Kit: Dual/Quad Channel Kit.

What do you suggest i buy finally?
 
Last edited:

elegendx

Reputable
Nov 19, 2020
53
2
4,535
Hello again.
I haven't bought G.Skill F4-3600C16D-64GTZN yet, because, I looked my ASUS ROG STRIX B550-F GAMING (WI-FI), the RAM doesn't exist. Also, I looked in G.Skill at RAM Configurator, and for example, it has got the G.Skill F4-3600C18D-64GTZN.
If I install G.Skill F4-3600C16D-64GTZN,will my pc work? Also, if I install G.Skill F4-3600C18D-64GTZN, would my pc be slow or not?
In addition, what is different RAM Hynix vs Samsung? About the samsung, I saw someone wrote Samsung B die. What's this?