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12GB VS. Dual-Channel 8GB

Will Barnard
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My new laptop only has 4GB of RAM which unfortunately, is soldered to the board -_-

So would it be better to get a second 4GB stick and run in dual-channel mode, or to buy an 8GB stick (obviously no dual-channel)?

You can add the 8GB stick and it will be dual channel.

*Risky click of the day*

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You can add the 8GB stick and it will be dual channel.

wrong.

 

Rules to Enable Dual Channel Mode

To achieve Dual Channel mode, the following conditions must be met:

Matched DIMM configuration in each channel

Same Density (128MB, 256MB, 512MB, etc.)

Matched in both Channel A and Channel B memory channels

OR

Populate symmetrical memory slots (Slot 0 or Slot 1)

Configurations that do not match the above conditions will revert to Single Channel mode.

The following conditions do not need to be met:

Same brand

Same timing specifications

Same DDR speed

Memory channel speed is determined by the slowest DIMM module populated in the system.

*This really depends on your motherboard. Some manufacturers use a color-coded system (meaning use the same colors) and some require that you use the symmetrical approach (meaning same slot on both channels).

We can't Benchmark like we used to, but we have our ways. One trick is to shove more GPUs in your computer. Like the time I needed to NV-Link, because I needed a higher HeavenBench score, so I did an SLI, which is what they called NV-Link back in the day. So, I decided to put two GPUs in my computer, which was the style at the time. Now, to add another GPU to your computer, costs a new PSU. Now in those days PSUs said OCZ on them, "Gimme 750W OCZs for an SLI" you'd say. Now where were we? Oh yeah, the important thing was that I had two GPUs in my rig, which was the style at the time! They didn't have RGB PSUs at the time, because of the war. The only thing you could get was those big green ones. 

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Wuuuuutt o_O

he's wrong. either way, if you can find an 8gb stick i'd grab it.

i can only find 4GB sticks.

 

because it's soldered in it might not dual channel anyway, just get an 8GB stick.

We can't Benchmark like we used to, but we have our ways. One trick is to shove more GPUs in your computer. Like the time I needed to NV-Link, because I needed a higher HeavenBench score, so I did an SLI, which is what they called NV-Link back in the day. So, I decided to put two GPUs in my computer, which was the style at the time. Now, to add another GPU to your computer, costs a new PSU. Now in those days PSUs said OCZ on them, "Gimme 750W OCZs for an SLI" you'd say. Now where were we? Oh yeah, the important thing was that I had two GPUs in my rig, which was the style at the time! They didn't have RGB PSUs at the time, because of the war. The only thing you could get was those big green ones. 

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wrong.

 

Rules to Enable Dual Channel Mode

To achieve Dual Channel mode, the following conditions must be met:

Matched DIMM configuration in each channel

Same Density (128MB, 256MB, 512MB, etc.)

Matched in both Channel A and Channel B memory channels

OR

Populate symmetrical memory slots (Slot 0 or Slot 1)

Configurations that do not match the above conditions will revert to Single Channel mode.

The following conditions do not need to be met:

Same brand

Same timing specifications

Same DDR speed

Memory channel speed is determined by the slowest DIMM module populated in the system.

*This really depends on your motherboard. Some manufacturers use a color

-coded system (meaning use the same colors) and some require that you use the symmetrical approach (meaning same slot on both channels).

That's what I thought

My Rig: http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/vM7vCJ

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Dual channel mode doesnt give alot of performance increase, Id recommend you to get a 8gb stick.
You would gain more from more RAM than dual-channel.

My Gaming PC

|| CPU: Intel i5 4690@4.3Ghz || GPU: Dual ASUS gtx 1080 Strix. || RAM: 16gb (4x4gb) Kingston HyperX Genesis 1600Mhz. || Motherboard: MSI Z97S Krait edition. || OS: Win10 Pro
________________________________________________________________

Trust me, Im an Engineer

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Wuuuuutt o_O

Yep, they don't have to match. As you can see here my laptop is running the configuration yours would be:

xac9px2.png

 

wrong.

Actually that's false. Ever since DDR2 its been possible to run mixed capacity modules in dual channel configurations.

*Risky click of the day*

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Yep, they don't have to match. As you can see here my laptop is running the configuration yours would be:

xac9px2.png

 

Actually that's false. Ever since DDR2 its been possible to run mixed capacity modules in dual channel configurations.

wow, not many people at all know about this

My Rig: http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/vM7vCJ

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wrong.

 

Rules to Enable Dual Channel Mode

To achieve Dual Channel mode, the following conditions must be met:

Matched DIMM configuration in each channel

Same Density (128MB, 256MB, 512MB, etc.)

Matched in both Channel A and Channel B memory channels

OR

Populate symmetrical memory slots (Slot 0 or Slot 1)

Configurations that do not match the above conditions will revert to Single Channel mode.

The following conditions do not need to be met:

Same brand

Same timing specifications

Same DDR speed

Memory channel speed is determined by the slowest DIMM module populated in the system.

*This really depends on your motherboard. Some manufacturers use a color-coded system (meaning use the same colors) and some require that you use the symmetrical approach (meaning same slot on both channels).

 

Not trying to steal the thread but I have a similar question around memory

 

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/347142-memory/

 

I haven't gotten a real answer on it yet, mind checking it out?

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wow, not many people at all know about this

Its not just my laptop(Dell Latitude E6530) that can do this either. I've ran many desktops with "mixed RAM" that ran in dual channel(confirmed with memtest and benchmarks) and had mixed capacity modules.

*Risky click of the day*

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Yep, they don't have to match. As you can see here my laptop is running the configuration yours would be:

Actually that's false. Ever since DDR2 its been possible to run mixed capacity modules in dual channel configurations.

 

i don't believe this. can you show me a link to a page that confirms this from a reputable source?

We can't Benchmark like we used to, but we have our ways. One trick is to shove more GPUs in your computer. Like the time I needed to NV-Link, because I needed a higher HeavenBench score, so I did an SLI, which is what they called NV-Link back in the day. So, I decided to put two GPUs in my computer, which was the style at the time. Now, to add another GPU to your computer, costs a new PSU. Now in those days PSUs said OCZ on them, "Gimme 750W OCZs for an SLI" you'd say. Now where were we? Oh yeah, the important thing was that I had two GPUs in my rig, which was the style at the time! They didn't have RGB PSUs at the time, because of the war. The only thing you could get was those big green ones. 

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i don't believe this. can you show me a link to a page that confirms this from a reputable source?

http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/sb/CS-011965.htm#dual

As you can see with the last configuration, they have 2x 2GB DIMMs and 2x 4GB DIMMs running on dual channel. It should be noted that capacities need to be matched per channel, but each channel can vary. For OP's computer, the soldered 4GB is its own channel and the empty slot is the other channel.

 

There isn't much information on this since "it just works", but back in the day it was a problem. At one point it was somewhere in between, but the kinks have been worked out and it works just fine now.

*Risky click of the day*

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http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/sb/CS-011965.htm#dual

As you can see with the last configuration, they have 2x 2GB DIMMs and 2x 4GB DIMMs running on dual channel. It should be noted that capacities need to be matched per channel, but each channel can vary. For OP's computer, the soldered 4GB is its own channel and the empty slot is the other channel.

 

There isn't much information on this since "it just works", but back in the day it was a problem. At one point it was somewhere in between, but the kinks have been worked out and it works just fine now.

okay, this i believe, i knew that on one channel they had to be the same, i thought that picture you showed us was you having only 2 sticks of ram, whereas you have 4.

your setup is (8&8, 4&4) which would make since, and i understand that.

 

i thought you were implying that you were dual channeling an 8&4 only.

 

correct, OP cannot duel channel because the soldered DRAM is on it's own channel.

We can't Benchmark like we used to, but we have our ways. One trick is to shove more GPUs in your computer. Like the time I needed to NV-Link, because I needed a higher HeavenBench score, so I did an SLI, which is what they called NV-Link back in the day. So, I decided to put two GPUs in my computer, which was the style at the time. Now, to add another GPU to your computer, costs a new PSU. Now in those days PSUs said OCZ on them, "Gimme 750W OCZs for an SLI" you'd say. Now where were we? Oh yeah, the important thing was that I had two GPUs in my rig, which was the style at the time! They didn't have RGB PSUs at the time, because of the war. The only thing you could get was those big green ones. 

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okay, this i believe, i knew that on one channel they had to be the same, i thought that picture you showed us was you having only 2 sticks of ram, whereas you have 4.

your setup is (8&8, 4&4) which would make since, and i understand that.

 

i thought you were implying that you were dual channeling an 8&4 only.

Actually my laptop only has 2 sticks of RAM, but the 8GB isn't in the same channel as the 4GB.

 

Edit: Technically my laptop is in "flex mode", but even that's much better than single channel.

*Risky click of the day*

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