RAM Slots Functionality

[Keanu Lorenzo]

Hi guys! I'm curious, my motherboard has 4 RAM slots and each slot is labeled like this from left to right {A1,A2,B1,B2}.

 

What is the difference when i configured my ram to be:

A1 = ?

B1 = ?

A1 & B1 = ?

A1 & A2 = ?

A1 & A2 & B1 & B2 = ?

 

Is this correct if lets say for example I will put a ram in A1 and another in B1 and the result will be a 2x increase in speed but my ram is only worth 1 ram (example: A1{8GB} B1{8GB}) = 8GB 2X Speed?

 

And if i will put one ram in A1 and another in A2 the result will be 16GB but only like a singe ram speed?

 

Im confused...

[CommanderAlex]

Check your motherboard manual for 2 stick configurations for the motherboard. Some say to put one stick in slot 2 and the other in slot 4 to run on the DDR. Thats how my motherboard is but check the manual for verification. 

[Keanu Lorenzo]

Just now, CommanderAlex said:

Check your motherboard manual for 2 stick configurations for the motherboard. Some say to put one stick in A2 and the other in A4 to run on the DDR. 

I did. But I cant understand it. I will put an image in just a moment.

[aisle9]

6 minutes ago, Keanu Lorenzo said:

Hi guys! I'm curious, my motherboard has 4 RAM slots and each slot is labeled like this from left to right {A1,A2,B1,B2}.

 

What is the difference when i configured my ram to be:

A1 = ?

B1 = ?

A1 & B1 = ?

A1 & A2 = ?

A1 & A2 & B1 & B2 = ?

 

Is this correct if lets say for example I will put a ram in A1 and another in B1 and the result will be a 2x increase in speed but my ram is only worth 1 ram (example: A1{8GB} B1{8GB}) = 8GB 2X Speed?

 

And if i will put one ram in A1 and another in A2 the result will be 16GB but only like a singe ram speed?

 

Im confused...

Dual channel optimization. Check your motherboard's manual. It will tell you which RAM slots to fill and in what order. Generally speaking, If you have two sticks of RAM, you'll use A1 and A2 first. If you have one slot, your manual will tell you to either use A1 or A2. Most motherboard color code it as well, with the A DIMMs one color and the B DIMMs another.

[CommanderAlex]

Just now, aisle9 said:

Dual channel optimization. Check your motherboard's manual. It will tell you which RAM slots to fill and in what order. Generally speaking, If you have two sticks of RAM, you'll use A1 and A2 first. If you have one slot, your manual will tell you to either use A1 or A2. Most motherboard color code it as well, with the A DIMMs one color and the B DIMMs another.

Was just reading the manual for the motherboard and thats how that ram configuration should be. 

[Xineas]

Your board supports 'dual channel' memory. If you have two 8GB sticks of RAM, put them in the same color slots and you'll have 16GB of RAM to use.

I believe in your B85M-gamer board those are black RAM slots.

[Keanu Lorenzo]

6 minutes ago, CommanderAlex said:

Check your motherboard manual for 2 stick configurations for the motherboard. Some say to put one stick in slot 2 and the other in slot 4 to run on the DDR. Thats how my motherboard is but check the manual for verification. 

 

1 minute ago, aisle9 said:

Dual channel optimization. Check your motherboard's manual. It will tell you which RAM slots to fill and in what order. Generally speaking, If you have two sticks of RAM, you'll use A1 and A2 first. If you have one slot, your manual will tell you to either use A1 or A2. Most motherboard color code it as well, with the A DIMMs one color and the B DIMMs another.

Here is the image from my motherboards manual:

[Imakuni]

There are 2 channels: A and B. Each channel has 2 slots (ex: A1 and A2).

 

If you have 2 sticks of RAM, you'll want to put them in 2 separate channels to take advantage of Dual Channel capabilities and increase bandwidth. So you want 1 stick in Channel A and another in Channel B. Depending on the mobo, it advises A1 and B1 or A2 and B2, so check yours to see which is the best one.

 

And remember: A1 + A2 (or B1 + B2) is just all sticks on a single channel, aka Single channel operation (and not making use of dual channel), so don't use that.

[Oshino Shinobu]

The placement of the RAM has nothing to do with the speed of the RAM. What you're talking about is DDR (Double data rate), which gives the RAM an effective clock 2x that of the actual speed of the RAM, as it performs two operations per cycle. DDR is going to take effect regardless of RAM placement. 

 

What running in dual channel (and tri and quad) can do is increase bandwidth (theoretically multiplying the bandwidth by the amount of channels being used).

 

Typically, you'd want to place two sticks of RAM in A1 and B1, which are normally colour coded and are normally slots 1 & 3, with 1 being closest to the CPU. That being said, it can change from board to board. 

 

5 minutes ago, Xineas said:

If you have two 8GB sticks of RAM, put them in the same color slots and you'll have 16GB of RAM to use.

 

That holds true if he placed them in different coloured slots as well. 

 

@Keanu Lorenzo For your board, it seems to recommend placing the sticks in A2 and B2, which are slots 2 & 4, where 1 is closest to the CPU. 

[Keanu Lorenzo]

So if I will put a ram in A1 and B1, it will result in 2x bandwidth but the same capacity? Whereas if I will put a ram in A1 and A2, it will result in 2x capacity but the same bandwidth? And if I will fill all of them, I will get a 2x bandwidth and 2x speed compared to only 1 ram?

[RadiatingLight]

17 minutes ago, Keanu Lorenzo said:

So if I will put a ram in A1 and B1, it will result in 2x bandwidth but the same capacity? Whereas if I will put a ram in A1 and A2, it will result in 2x capacity but the same bandwidth? And if I will fill all of them, I will get a 2x bandwidth and 2x speed compared to only 1 ram?

No. 

A1 + B1 = 2x speed 16gb

A1 + A2 = 1x speed 16gb

[jcw150]

16 minutes ago, Keanu Lorenzo said:

So if I will put a ram in A1 and B1, it will result in 2x bandwidth but the same capacity? Whereas if I will put a ram in A1 and A2, it will result in 2x capacity but the same bandwidth? And if I will fill all of them, I will get a 2x bandwidth and 2x speed compared to only 1 ram?

The capacity will always be the total amount of the sticks you have put in. So for you putting in 2 stick of 8GB into any slots will result in a capacity of 16GB. To get the 2x performance you will have to plug them into different channels and on most motherboards (yours included) the first 2 slots are one channel and the 2nd 2 are the second channel. So for you to get the speed increase you should plug them into either the first and third slot or second and fourth. 

[Keanu Lorenzo]

Just now, jcw150 said:

The capacity will always be the total amount of the sticks you have put in. So for you putting in 2 stick of 8GB into any slots will result in a capacity of 16GB. To get the 2x performance you will have to plug them into different channels and on most motherboards (yours included) the first 2 slots are one channel and the 2nd 2 are the second channel. So for you to get the speed increase you should plug them into either the first and third slot or second and fourth. 

So youre saying that my computer has 32GB? Because i have filled all the slots with 8Gb ones.

[jcw150]

1 minute ago, Keanu Lorenzo said:

So youre saying that my computer has 32GB? Because i have filled all the slots with 8Gb ones.

Yes and they will be working in dual channel mode.