Which type to choose?

[thorosius]

Hy!
I am planning to buy a 1GB RAM and I have a dual channel board. So how does the performance compare if I install a dual channel kit of 1GB (means it has two 512MB Chips) or two individual RAM chips of 512MB. This question arose when I read something about latency matching in dual channel kits.

Thanks!
Fahd.

 

[pwnage]

there wont be much of a difference if you go single sick versus 2 sticks. each mother board performs differently so its hard to say how much you would lose or gain. Are you using DDR or DDR2?

 

[Mondoman]

I don't think he's talking about a single stick, but rather about getting a "dual channel kit" versus two individually-packaged sticks.
The "dual channel kit" is pretty much just marketing. Buying two individual DIMMs should work fine.

 

[thorosius]

Pwnage >> Mondoman is right I am talking about "dual channel kit" versus two individually-packaged sticks.

Mondoman >> Is it OK if I buy two sticks of different companies or should I buy of the same company?

 

[XMSYellowbeard]

If you are running a dual channel MOBO, a "dual channel kit" means that whoever is selling you the memory has tested them in a dual channel setup and guarantees that they will run together in a MOBO. If you buy 2 individual sticks and they don't run, you have no real recourse. I would suggest buying memory from the same company as that will increase your chances of compatibility. It is possible to mix combinations of memory together that will not work. So, again the kit is the best idea. They cost virtually the same as 2 singles.

 

[Mondoman]

It depends on the details of your MB design and quality. Newer chipsets and higher-end MBs are much less likely to have any problems running in dual-channel mode. In practice, I wouldn't expect any problems with buying two separate DIMMs of the same model number -- I don't see any advantage to buying from different companies.

 

[AdamBomb42]

You will want to get a dual-channel kit. The performance difference between single and dual channel is huge. I made the mistake almost 4 years ago (when 875 just launched) and bought two sticks of the same brand and model. They did not work right in dual-channel. To run dual you need to have a matched pair, which is two sticks that came on the assy line together and have been tested to run dual.

 

[pwnage]

I know what dual channel means and you can buy 2 sticks of memory and have them be dual channel. however what i meant by 2 sticks was a kit.

 

[Mondoman]

...To run dual you need to have a matched pair, ....

Just to clarify, this depends on your MB/chipset and is normally no longer true on midrange and better MBs with newer chipsets.

 

[thorosius]

Ok just to be on the safe side I'll buy a kit. Anyway Thanks everyone!

Fahd

 

[jamiepotter]

You will want to get a dual-channel kit. The performance difference between single and dual channel is huge. I made the mistake almost 4 years ago (when 875 just launched) and bought two sticks of the same brand and model. They did not work right in dual-channel. To run dual you need to have a matched pair, which is two sticks that came on the assy line together and have been tested to run dual.

Well, I've always been able to mix and match when it comes to Dual Channel. Different manufacturers, different speeds, different latencies. Provided you use the lowest common demoninator, it all seems to work out fine. This has all been DDR 1 though. Is DDR2 more temperamental than DDR 1?

 

[T8RR8R]

The best way to go is to get a kit, simply because $/Gb is actually cheaper. The second thing I must mention is that dual channel will perform better, it's not really anything you'll notice but it's true. Don't ask me why, I'm not that smart but dual chan is better. There is also a difference between synchronous and asynchronous.

 

[Mondoman]

The best way to go is to get a kit, simply because $/Gb is actually cheaper.

Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't.

There is also a difference between synchronous and asynchronous.

Yes, but it normally doesn't outweigh the effect of the memory speed (at least for C2Ds).

 

[T8RR8R]

Like I said before, it's not really anything you'll notice

 

[Mondoman]

If you've got a C2D running at 400MHz FSB, and memory running in single channel mode, you'll notice.

 

[jamiepotter]

It's funny really. Memory speed is supposed to be this huge limitation on CPUs, because they can only run at about 7th of the speed (i.e. the external clock), thus enabling situations where the CPU is sitting around waiting for the memory to give them stuff to do. But then you look at the benchies, and you find out that performance memory, dual channel and DDR doesn't really do all that much.

This difference between some system with top of the line dominator memory with low latencies, and some shitty memory that costs 1/3 of the price, really isn't that great in real world apps. It just shows you what cache and prefetching can do!