APU RAM

[koji]

According to some review and videos I watched, the speed of ram improves your FPS in APU.

 

Now I have this question, does it also improve to have 2 sticks of RAM? Or it doesnt matter since it's the speed that affects APU?

 

Coz im planning to purchase single stick 8GB so I can make it 16GB if ever i'll need in the future. If dual stick will give good improvement in FPS then ill get 2x4GB then.

 

I hope you guys can enlighten me especially those who have tested it.

[Tedster]

Having dual channel will help...I think.

[don_svetlio]

Dual channel = 20% better fps with an APU

[Arc_Jester]

Yes, a dual channel setup will improve APU\CPU performance.

[TheRandomness]

Dual channel = 20% better fps with an APU

Also faster speed, 1866 is good.

[ashypanda]

pretty much get the fastest 2 dimm pack of memory you can afford.

[koji]

Having dual channel will help...I think.

Dual channel = 20% better fps with an APU

Yes, a dual channel setup will improve APU\CPU performance.

Also faster speed, 1866 is good.

pretty much get the fastest 2 dimm pack of memory you can afford.

 

But having 2 sticks of RAM is still 1 channel right?

[Tedster]

But having 2 sticks of RAM is still 1 channel right?

It should be dual channel?

[don_svetlio]

But having 2 sticks of RAM is still 1 channel right?

2 sticks = dual channel

[koji]

2 sticks = dual channel

I see. But why do I see on motherboards saying it's dual channel but has 4 slots of RAM?

 

So I thought 1 channel has 2 ram slots.

[Arc_Jester]

But having 2 sticks of RAM is still 1 channel right?

2 sticks of RAM will only run in dual channel if you put the in right slots, the dual channel slots are usually the same colour. 4 sticks would run in quad channel.

[koji]

2 sticks of RAM will only run in dual channel if you put the in right slots, the dual channel slots are usually the same colour.

 

EDIT: Okay I get it now thank you very much!

[TheRandomness]

I only have 2 RAM slots. Is it dual channel? I got confused because on 4 slots it's dual channel too not quad channel. Lol.

8 slots = 2 sets of quad channel

4 slots = 2 sets of dual channel

2 slots = 1 set of dual channel

[don_svetlio]

EDIT: Okay I get it now thank you very much!

4 slots is quad channel but most CPUs don't support that

[koji]

2 sticks = dual channel

2 sticks of RAM will only run in dual channel if you put the in right slots, the dual channel slots are usually the same colour. 4 sticks would run in quad channel.

8 slots = 2 sets of quad channel

4 slots = 2 sets of dual channel

2 slots = 1 set of dual channel

 

Last question pls lend me your thoughts.

 

My mobo can support upto 2133 speed of RAM.

 

2x4GB Dual Channel 2133 RipjawsX costs $60

 

1x4GB Single Stick 1866 Crucial Ballistix costs $18

 

If I purchase 2x Crucial 1866 it'll be $36

 

So is it worthy to purchase the 2133 for $60? Coz im thinking to purchase 2x the 1866 that costs $18 each.

[Arc_Jester]

-snip-

Get the Ripjaws X it will probably have a lower CAS latency along with being faster + it will give you the max performance gains from RAM for your APU.

[johnny5c]

When I built my HTPC with a A10-7700K I played around with a bunch of different RAM I had laying around.  Running in dual channel and using 3DMark going from 1600 to 1866 provides about a 10% performance boost and going from 1866 to 2133 gives you about another 10%.  Overclocking the 2133 set close to 2400 didn't have a noticeable affect and running a single stick of 2400 actually performed about the same as two sticks of 1866.

[BrightCandle]

I kind of doubt that the additional RAM clock speed is going to change the performance so much that it moves a game from playable to unplayable. RAM speed matters a great deal to APUs as they are starved of bandwidth given their computation capabilities but it doesn't turn them into super GPUs where just normal RAM would make them rubbish. Its moderate gains so long as the price increase isn't too severe. Only you can determine if that $20 is better spent elsewhere. Its definitely not going to give you anything more than 2133/1866 = 14% extra.

[Nena Trinity]

The best RAM you can get is two 2400MHz or 2133MHz with CL 9 or lower (why I mention 2133MHz is because not all boards can use 2400MHz!