Why is dual channel memory preferred over triple channel? (RAM.)Thank you

[Lissette_1]

All I hear is that people don't need more than 2 sticks of say, 4GB so buying a triple channel is pointless. Any more reasons?

 

[kanewolf]

Most desktop CPUs are designed as dual memory channel devices. Some i7 devices were triple channel parts. They are most efficient with matched sets of 3 DIMMs (6GB, 12GB, etc). The X99 series motherboards are for quad channel CPUs. It just depends on what CPU you have.

 

[Dom_79]

You might be confusing things here.

Dual channel is a mode that (most) RAM is capable of and that many motherboards (and CPUs with integrated memory controllers) support.

Triple Channel is not supported much and I'm sure you would know if your MoBo supported it already.

When you are hearing people say that more than two sticks is unnecessary that is because Dual channel only works (well) with Two (dual) Sticks. If you add a third stick you won't get the benefits of Dual channel as one stick will always be left out (so the mobo won't even run in Dual mode)

Quad channel (4 sticks) is supported by Servers (Dual CPU) and new CPUs that support DDR4 so...

If what you are really asking is why you shouldn't buy another stick for more RAM there are many reasons if you'd like THIS question answered 😉

 

[Tradesman1]

Running tri channel tend to go back to the 1366/X58 mobos which are outdated. The majority of todays mobos (all AMD, and Intel on the 1155, 1150 and 1151 sockets) are native to dual channel and that's the max they can run. MOst have 4 slots 2 slots assigned to each channel (if running three sticks on one of these you actually run in what's called Flex mode where the matching amount of DRAM in each channel runs in dual and the odd amount runs in single channel mode. More on this in my article FAQs and Fiction, part 1 (FAQs), item 7, here:

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2741495/ddr3-faqs-fiction.html