[SOLVED] Which setup makes a laptop faster? 8GB(2x4GB)RAM dual channel or 1 (4GB)+1(8GB) single channel 12GB RAM?

[sungsean]

This is a laptop set up. Would 12GB (8+4 GB single channel) RAM be slower than 8GB (4+4GB dual channel) because it lacks dual channel capability? Or simply, more RAM is better than any other RAM configurations? Thanks.

 

[Darkbreeze]

That depends ENTIRELY on what you are doing, because some applications will benefit more from having more memory and others will benefit more from the additional responsiveness of a dual channel configuration with it's doubled bandwidth.

In general the 8+4 will likely be the preferred configuration because of there simply BEING more RAM, plus the consideration that on most modern systems with a configuration like that it is probable that it will run in a "Flex" type mode, where 4+4GB will run in dual channel and the remaining 4GB will run in single channel.

Either configuration is viable though, and it will depend largely on what you primarily use this machine FOR?