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Dual or Quad Channel Memory

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Hi Guys,

 

I'm currently looking for an upgrade with my ram capacity, from 8gb (2x4) to 16gb. since i have two sticks on my Gigabyte AB350M motherboard (4 DIMM slots), im thinking on buying additional 2x4 sticks. But i do have questions first regarding with the dual channel memory:

 

1. If my mobo does not state that it can support Quad channel memory, but it has 4 DIMM slots, should i utilized the remaining slots?

2. If i will upgrade to 16gb, should i sell the my 2x4 sticks and but 2x8? or just buy another 2x4 sticks (same brand and speeds ofc)?

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Just now, tmph.Gammatron said:

Hi Guys,

 

I'm currently looking for an upgrade with my ram capacity, from 8gb (2x4) to 16gb. since i have two sticks on my Gigabyte AB350M motherboard (4 DIMM slots), im thinking on buying additional 2x4 sticks. But i do have questions first regarding with the dual channel memory:

 

1. If my mobo does not state that it can support Quad channel memory, but it has 4 DIMM slots, should i utilized the remaining slots?

2. If i will upgrade to 16gb, should i sell the my 2x4 sticks and but 2x8? or just buy another 2x4 sticks (same brand and speeds ofc)?

1.It can lower the performance of memory related tasks. Having 4 dimm slots on a 2 channel board will make 2 dimms run off 1 channel. 

2.Yea you should just get 2x8 if you can.

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7 minutes ago, tmph.Gammatron said:

1. If my mobo does not state that it can support Quad channel memory, but it has 4 DIMM slots, should i utilized the remaining slots?

Ryzen does not support quad channel memory. Most quad channel boards will have 8 DIMMs (some exceptions). The only things that matter when populating slots is that you have en even number of RAM sticks (so 2 or 4) to best utilize dual channel memory.

 

8 minutes ago, tmph.Gammatron said:

2. If i will upgrade to 16gb, should i sell the my 2x4 sticks and but 2x8? or just buy another 2x4 sticks (same brand and speeds ofc)?

This doesn't matter. If you think you'll want to upgrade to 32GB before you sell your system, then I would consider it, but having 4 sticks of 4GB RAM is fine. I have it in my computer now.

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10 minutes ago, tmph.Gammatron said:

Gigabyte AB350M motherboard

Mainstream Intel and AMD platforms only supports Dual Channel, in this case 2 sticks would be working on the same channel and there is no benefit of doing so... therefore you can go with just 2x8gb instead of 4x4gb as less parts means less points of possible failure.

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by quad channel you mean 4x4gb or 2x8gb sticks, it doesn't mean it is 4 channels, channels are marked with colors on the slots, most often grey and black, black and blue or smth.

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