Does an IGP benefit from Dual Channel Memory?

[bupkus]

I have read that the nForce2 IGP gets 128-bit bandwidth if there is 2 DIMMS and dual channel is activated. Otherwise, it's limited to 64-bit.

Is this also true for the Celeron D in the 865G?
Of course I'm talking about the Intel Extreme Graphics 2 and not nVidia's GeForce4 MX. Perhaps the Intel IGP is so strapped that doubling the bandwidth makes no significant difference.

 

[Peter]

IGP are and have always been RAM bandwidth limited, ever since SiS started them out way back in the days of 2D-only VGA.

So yes, giving it more RAM bandwidth will improve things.

 

[crazyeddie]

Hmm, good question. Obviously it probably depends on how the IGP is implemented.

I have an MSI RS480M2-IL with the Radeon Xpress 200 IGP and it's awfully smokin' fast for an IGP solution. I only tested it in Dual Channel mode though, I don't know if it would take a hit with only 1 DIMM or not.

I'd probably need a single 1Gb DDR400 DIMM to compare to my 512x2 Dual Channel kit, and I don't have one. I won't be testing this anytime soon.

 

[sangyup81]

can't you just put both sticks in the same channel?

 

[Steve]

Then you don't get dual channel, and the integrated graphics doesn't get the speed benefit. And if they're two DIMMs of DDR400, they'll likely have to slow down to DDR333's speed while on the same channel.