benefits of dual channel

[wpeng]

I've read on another forum that dual channel memory performance gain is fairly insignificant nowadays for dual core processors and shouldn't be a large factor when buying ram. Can anyone explain?

 

[Fayd]

to my knowledge, all modern ram is dual channel. it's a function of the motherboard, not the ram.

just make sure you get sticks of the same size and speeds.

 

[wpeng]

Well, okay, but I'm wondering if running ram in dual channel is worth the hubbub anymore, especially since I have limited slots.

 

[Sunrise089]

I would say it's worth a few percentage points. Way less than a GPU upgrade or a CPU overclock, probably more benefit than a Raptor purchase or maybe an add-on soundcard.

 

[Fayd]

Originally posted by: wpeng
Well, okay, but I'm wondering if running ram in dual channel is worth the hubbub anymore, especially since I have limited slots.

as all new innovations, it wasnt worth the hubub when it was introduced. however, now, several years after it was introduced, it's near essential to a fast machine.

 

[wpeng]

Originally posted by: Fayd
as all new innovations, it wasnt worth the hubub when it was introduced. however, now, several years after it was introduced, it's near essential to a fast machine.

I don't mean to be rude, but that sounds a bit exaggerated. How do you quantify "essential" for a variety of apps? Games? A few percentage points doesn't seem to translate to much unless you are playing opponents so good that a couple of frames means the difference between missing completely and a headshot.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Originally posted by: wpeng

Originally posted by: Fayd
as all new innovations, it wasnt worth the hubub when it was introduced. however, now, several years after it was introduced, it's near essential to a fast machine.

I don't mean to be rude, but that sounds a bit exaggerated. How do you quantify "essential" for a variety of apps? Games? A few percentage points doesn't seem to translate to much unless you are playing opponents so good that a couple of frames means the difference between missing completely and a headshot.

You just defined essential Dual Channel is almost standard on any new mobo. You just plug the RAM in to the correct slots and the mobo will do the rest. The performance increase will be more significant as time goes on, if CPU/motherboard companies choose to utilize it more.

 

[wpeng]

I guess I'm fortunate for not being so gifted?

Anyway, I know how to get dual channel to work and have it working for my desktop, so no advice neede there. I'm just wondering what kind of performance hit I would take if I didn't have dual channel.

 

[myocardia]

IIRC, it's a 5-7% speed boost, compared to single-channel.

 

[JustaGeek]

Overall system performance gain might be only 5% - 7%.

The gain in memory bandwidth alone is about 50%.

The main difference:

Single channel: 64-bit addressing.
Dual channel: 128-bit addressing.

 

[myocardia]

Well, of course I didn't mean memory bandwidth. The memory bandwidth difference is 100% better-- 128-bit for dual channel, and only 64-bit for single channel. But the system performance gain will be 5-7%, and only that high if you're using software that is memory-intensive. Some software shows almost no gain at all, but some will benefit.

 

[SerpentRoyal]

Virtually no difference under normal use between my 754 and 939 at the same CPU core speed.

 

[firewolfsm]

Dual channel reduces the need for high speed memory.