Conroe Dual Channel Ram

[imported_Com80787]

Does running memory in dual channel help increase performance on Conroe? Say on a DS3 board DDR2 800.

In other words would it be better to get two 512 chips - for example - instead of one 1GB chip in order to get dual channel?

 

[Mr Bob]

Do you plan to get another 1GB later on? If it was me, I would do 1GB stick now, then 1GB later.

 

[TheRyuu]

IMO any system you build now should have dual channel. I would get the single 1GB stick now and then get another GB later on.

 

[out there]

i've found that dual channel only functions when you buy a dual channel "kit." unless things have changed since my first 939 build, i'm assuming it is a means to insure that you buy more than you wanted

 

[StrangerGuy]

Originally posted by: out there
i've found that dual channel only functions when you buy a dual channel "kit." unless things have changed since my first 939 build, i'm assuming it is a means to insure that you buy more than you wanted

My 2 separate 512MB Kingston DDR400 sticks does work in dual-channel mode with A64.

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: out there
i've found that dual channel only functions when you buy a dual channel "kit." unless things have changed since my first 939 build, i'm assuming it is a means to insure that you buy more than you wanted

I don't know where you got that from. As long as the sticks are identical, they will always run in dual channel. Even if they aren't identical, you run into very few problems. And that goes back to the first attempts by both companies at dual channel-- the P4 Northwood, and the Athlon XP.

 

[gobucks]

what's your budget for RAM? A 2GB kit of DDR2-800 can be had for under $150 if you know where to look, such as:
http://shop3.outpost.com/product/4884800
only $135 AR.

newegg also has some good deals on OCZ and G.Skill memory.

From what I've heard, Conroe is very bandwidth-hungry, so it's imprtant to give it as much bandwidth as you can. I highly recommend running it in dual channel, but if you absolutely can't afford more than 1GB right now, though, I'd buy a 1GB stick now and then another 1GB stick later, although you must make sure it matches to run dual channel.