A64 3200+ with 1GB DDR DUAL CHANNEL RAM or A64 3200+ with 512DDR???

[SlickAU]

Hi again people!

Well the time has come, it is time to plan world domination again!!! (in the world of warcraft, HL2, BF2, GTA4, you name it, i'll be playing it! )

I have 3 paths for world domination:

`OPTION 1`
- Athlon64 3000+ (SKT 939) Venice
- 1GB DUAL CHANNEL DDR PC3200 400MHz CAS 2.5, RAM <-CORSAIR Value Select (2 x 512MB DDR)
- A MOTHERBOARD
=TOTAL= $555 AUS (About $444 US i think)

~ OR ~

`OPTION 2`:beer:
- Athlon64 3200+ (SKT 939) Venice
- 512MB x 2 (1GB Total) SINGLE CHANNEL DDR PC3200 400MHz RAM (NOT DUAL CHANNEL)
- A MOTHERBOARD
=TOTAL $532 AUS ($426 US i think)

~OR~

`OPTION 3`:roll:
- Athlon64 3200+ (SKT 939) Venice
- 1GB DUAL CHANNEL DDR PC3200 400MHz CAS 2.5, RAM <-CORSAIR Value Select (2 x 512MB DDR) + 512MB DDR 400MHz Single channel. ??? <- READ QUESTION BELOW
- A MOTHERBOARD
=TOTAL= $532 AUS (About $425.60 US)

QUESTION for OPTION 3:
Is it true that in order for Dual Channel to work you need to have an even number of RAM modules? Eg. You can have 2x512mb DDR DC with 2x256mb DDR DC, but you CANT have 2x512mb DDR DC + 1 x 512mb DDR Single channel.

I will be using my devastating GB 6600GT GPU, 120GB ATA HDD, AND I AM NOT SURE ABOUT A MOTHERBOARD (around $140US) ->YES I WILL BE OVERCLOCKING, a bit...

Please i need to have conquered the world by the end of this week! Please help me.

 

[SlickAU]

Woops, the heading of this thread should be:
A64 3000+ with 1GB DDR DUAL CHANNEL RAM or A64

 

[Vegitto]

Pff. I'm not sure, but with 3 RAM modules you'll have 3 times more chance of one failing or not being able to overclock all that well.

 

[RichUK]

I would recommend Option 3 as it is more future proof, and anyways this always boils down to what you can afford and in that case it would be what is the best bang for the buck ..

with regards to same size moduals in dual channel .. this is preferable as it each channel usually works in base pairs, ... but saying that friends of mine have ran 512Mb's with 256Mb sticks on the same channel with no problem.. wierd

 

[Furen]

The memory modules themselves dont have "channels", the channels are on the memory controller (in this case, on the cpu itself). The only reason why matched pairs of ram are sold is that they are tested together and are guaranteed to work in dual channel mode.

You are correct about not being able to use 3 dimms in dual channel mode, the memory controller on a64 cpus requires you to have paired dims.

I, personally, havent had any problems with dual-channel mode using modules sold individually. I'd recommend that if you do buy two individual modules, you buy them from the same reseller and at the same time, sometimes manufacturers change the memory chips between different batches.

 

[SlickAU]

Sweet.

So are you saying that if i get 2 x 512MB DUAL CHANNEL modules and use an extra 512MB Single Channel module (i.e- so i have a total of 1.5MB DDR ram) it will still allow the dual channel ram to work in Dual channel?

If i have confused you then please read this statement and tell me if it is true or not:

In order to have Dual Channel RAM working in dual Channel mode you need to have an even amount of RAM modules (eg. 2, 4 , 6 etc.). Will dual channel work if 2 dual channel modules and ONE single channel module are all connected at the same time?

I hope you get my gist!

Thanks for the replies

 

[SlickAU]

lol i just posted this last post when you posted yours Furen. You answered my question spot on!

Thanks all! (Please feel free to debate on the topic of even modules for dual channel ram)