This has probably been asked before, but why do RAM modules, and Video cards only come in Multiples of 2?
Ram Modules
- Thread starter Oxaqata
- Start date
What do you mean multiples of 2? You can buy single RAM modules, but dual-channel memory operation requires 2 modules. Single video cards of course are the norm.
If you mean why is memory amount always a multiple of 2, it's a function of the underlying binary computer architecture. I don't think there's technically any reason that if they started out with a 2-bit memory chip, they couldn't have made a 3-bit chip, then 4-bit, then 5-bit. But it was probably simpler to work to double the amount of storage possible within the same amount of space each generation. Just like we're not going to be seeing 3-core processors from AMD and Intel (unless they decide to sell some CPUs using the slightly-faulty quad-core parts where one of the cores wasn't any good and is disabled).
The same thing happens with CPUs. They were 4-bit, then 8-bit, then 16, 32 and now 64. About the only thing that didn't follow such a pattern is the hard drive interface, which is now at 48-bit LBA. Actual hard drive storage space of course also doesn't double over and over, because each generation doesn't manage twice the density as the previous.
Of course the result of that is that we end up having limited "middle of the road" upgrade options these days. You can't just add 64MB of RAM to your 1GB machine anymore, in fact some mainboards specify minimum 128MB modules. So you end up having to double your memory sometimes even if you don't NEED that much more. Although that has always been the case, going from 8MB to 16MB total isn't as extreme as going from 512MB to 1GB, or 1GB to 2GB. And software writers seem to be happy to take advantage of the huge amounts of memory by writing more and more bloated code so that just adding 128MB ends up not really being enough anyway. They somehow manage to write code that really does end up being twice as bloated as it was before, instead of just a little bit more each generation.
If you mean why is memory amount always a multiple of 2, it's a function of the underlying binary computer architecture. I don't think there's technically any reason that if they started out with a 2-bit memory chip, they couldn't have made a 3-bit chip, then 4-bit, then 5-bit. But it was probably simpler to work to double the amount of storage possible within the same amount of space each generation. Just like we're not going to be seeing 3-core processors from AMD and Intel (unless they decide to sell some CPUs using the slightly-faulty quad-core parts where one of the cores wasn't any good and is disabled).
The same thing happens with CPUs. They were 4-bit, then 8-bit, then 16, 32 and now 64. About the only thing that didn't follow such a pattern is the hard drive interface, which is now at 48-bit LBA. Actual hard drive storage space of course also doesn't double over and over, because each generation doesn't manage twice the density as the previous.
Of course the result of that is that we end up having limited "middle of the road" upgrade options these days. You can't just add 64MB of RAM to your 1GB machine anymore, in fact some mainboards specify minimum 128MB modules. So you end up having to double your memory sometimes even if you don't NEED that much more. Although that has always been the case, going from 8MB to 16MB total isn't as extreme as going from 512MB to 1GB, or 1GB to 2GB. And software writers seem to be happy to take advantage of the huge amounts of memory by writing more and more bloated code so that just adding 128MB ends up not really being enough anyway. They somehow manage to write code that really does end up being twice as bloated as it was before, instead of just a little bit more each generation.
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