does dual channel memory make much of a difference from single channel?

[chotto]

I couldn't find the answer on this site or forum.

as the question says, if you have 2 pieces DDR400 memory, is it worth it to pay the extra for a motherboard capable of dual channel memory? I mean will it make much of a difference in the real world? if so, how much of a difference and in what kinds of stuff (games, video encoding?)?

thanks.

 

[mechBgon]

For Intel Pentium4C, probably yes (the dual-channel boards like i865PE don't cost that much extra). For AMD AthlonXP, yes, buy nForce2 because it is almost always faster than the alternatives whether it's running dual-channel or not.

Welcome to the Forums

 

[mechBgon]

Oh, and if you want suggested boards, I hear good things about the Abit IS-7 for the Pentium4, and I just got a very satisfactory Shuttle AN35N Ultra ($68) nForce2 board for my AthlonXP.

 

[EeyoreX]

As mechBgon said, on a current P4 machine dual-channel will certainly be a difference. What it didn't seem to clear to me was his answer on the AMD side. Dual-channel does almost nothing for nForce2 rigs. Maybe (and that's maybe in optimal conditions) you will get up to a 4% boost with a dual-channel configuration.

\Dan

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: EeyoreX
As mechBgon said, on a current P4 machine dual-channel will certainly be a difference. What it didn't seem to clear to me was his answer on the AMD side. Dual-channel does almost nothing for nForce2 rigs. Maybe (and that's maybe in optimal conditions) you will get up to a 4% boost with a dual-channel configuration.

\Dan

To explain my AMD answer better: even if you didn't already have two memory modules, you'd still want nForce2 because it trashes the competition even in single-channel mode, while allowing more OC'ing flexibility too. And nForce2 happens to have dual-channel capability anyway, so what the heck. If they're gonna give you that last 5% for free, take it as well.

I guess I should qualify that slightly and say that nForce2 Ultra400 and nForce2 IGP have dual-channel capability... nForce2 400 doesn't.

 

[batmanuel]

You said you had two sticks of PC3200 memory. Are they generic sticks, or a matched two pair? If they are two generic sticks of different brands, then you could be in for some weird memory-related gremlins with the nForce 2 boards (depending upon the revison and BIOS you're using). I went cheap and tried running a pair of free after rebate sticks of PC2100 in my A7N8X Deluxe when I had an AXP2000+ and I had all sorts of intermittent issues that went away when I switched to a AXP2500+ and a single stick of PC2700.

The old RAM and the old processor were otherwise fine. After I took them out of my system they ran flawlessly in a Via-based Shuttle SK41G SFF I built for a Christmas present for my wife's grandma (ran prime95 for a day and a half to test its stability). My NF2 board just really hated that cheap RAM.

Just be aware that the NF2 platform, while fast and powerful, can be a bit finicky with some off-brand RAM. If some of the good stuff, like quality Corsair, Hyper-X, Mushkin, OCZ, etc you should be fine. What kind of RAM is the PC3200 that you're planning to use?

 

[chotto]

it's for a Pentium motherboard (2.6c), and the RAM is hynix, a matched pair. guess I should have been clearer. I didn't think dual channel would make much of a difference