Need to get some more ram: Dual-channel or single?

apsd

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Oct 13, 2004
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Right now I've got one stick of mushkin 512mb in my MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum (socket 939)...

I'm looking to get 1gb more of ram in addition - should I got with dual-channel (512x2) or a single stick?

Is there any performance loss if I have a dual-channel ram mixed with another single stick?
 
Nov 11, 2004
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Dual channel.... It'll theoretically boost your performance one fold.
3 sticks = Single channel generally speaking.
 

apsd

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Oct 13, 2004
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So a setup of dual channel 1gb + single channel 512mb on the same mobo is ok?
 

ardenJ

Senior member
Jan 12, 2004
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Originally posted by: apsd
So a setup of dual channel 1gb + single channel 512mb on the same mobo is ok?

If you use 3 sticks, they won't run in Dual Channel. However, I believe some Nforce chipset motherboards allow it, but I'm not sure how and which.
 
Nov 11, 2004
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You will be able to run dual-channel in cases like so:
Slot 1/3 = Channel A
Alot 2/4 = Channel B

256MB Slot 1
256MB Slot 3
512MB Slot 2

That you give you 1024MB of memory in dual-channel.
You will be able to run dual channel like so: Capacity of channel A = Capacity of channel B.

Yes you could run three sticks but running two sticks in dual channel would be better performing.
 

apsd

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Oct 13, 2004
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I've decided to simply get another identical 512mb stick to complement I have the one now, and put it into dual channel to have 1gb.

Thanks for all the help guys