Single vs. Dual Channel

znoopy1234 · Rated PG Joined: 26 Aug 2003 Posts: 19 Location: Toronto

I am just about ready to build a new comp, and after immersing myself back into the tech pool, I am literally amazed with all the new features procs, VPUs, and Mobos are offering. Well, instead of describing my recent experiences as I brought myself of to par, I will rather ask my current connundrum: What is the TRUE difference between single and dual channel memory setups, and what is the reason for the increase in price of dual-mem packages (can they really be a 'closer' pair than buying two separate sticks?)?

trekrider · Posted: Tue, 26 Aug 2003 22:56:27 Post Subject:

Duel channel, in a nutshell is: data is sent on the rise AND fall of the clock cycle thereby doubleing the data rate.

Old school is that data was only sent on the rise of the clock cycle.

And WELCOME Wave

**Doctor Feelgood** · Posted: Tue, 26 Aug 2003 22:57:36 Post Subject:

The dual channel memory allows greater bandwidth and faster access times. Sort of like having RAID on your memory.

The kits really aren't that bad for prices, when compared to buying two sticks separately... At least at the places I have shopped (like Newegg). It is important to get two sticks of the same speed, size, and timings... but I doubt you have to be overly obsessive about the kits. (Although I do have a dual channel kit).

And... Welcome aboard znoopy1234!! Wave

Spire · Posted: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 00:18:18 Post Subject:

I think you are thinking DDR there Trek. Dual Channel is as BB states, I haven't really seen any great huge change in running Dual Channel or matched kits...

dadx2mj · Posted: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 00:50:23 Post Subject:

I think the gains or running dual channel are not all that great but hey we all want every drop or performance we can get .

As for the dual channel ram kits I think they are a market scheme to make money. I bought a stick of HyperX PC2700 and so did a buddy. He ended up selling me his for a steal of a price and the two sticks have been running dual channel every since. I think you need ram of the same specs but I dont buy the "Matched Set" thing the manufactures are trying to sell us.

trekrider · Posted: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 05:54:17 Post Subject:

PooM · Posted: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 09:36:06 Post Subject:

RIMM RAM owns all tbh Razz

znoopy1234 · Rated PG Joined: 26 Aug 2003 Posts: 19 Location: Toronto

Appreciate the welcome,

Ok, if you could set me straight again, I would be greatly obliged. If you run memory in dual-channel mode, this then means that your total memory is halved, correct?

Thus I am wondering how much memory is enough for me, since I would like to run dual-channel IF the speed increase is substantial. I will probably be running photoshop, prem, and 3D rendering software. However, my budget is limited, and thus I was initially considering a 256 x 2 OCZ Platinum package, although now I feel that I may need a 512 x 2 set. Any recommendations?

**Doctor Feelgood** · Posted: Fri, 29 Aug 2003 22:44:05 Post Subject:

No... not halved. Maybe my RAID example was poor... I guess it would be specifically like RAID 0, where you still have the availability of your full memory, but it just reads/writes to it so that the speed is increased!!

I have 2x256meg sticks, and make good use of the 512 total!!

If it were like Raid 1 (or other variations), it might be halved... so I have probably just confused all of this!

Anyway... What motherboard do you have? You'll need a motherboard that supports dual channel before botheing to purchase memory for dual channel. nForce2 boards for Athlons, and the newer wave of Intel P4 boards generally support dual channel.

Dud3! · Posted: Sat, 30 Aug 2003 01:26:48 Post Subject:

A board with dual channel has two memory controllers (as far I as know), which is supposed to double the bandwidth (besides the doubling that DDR SDRAM already does), but of course it doesn't actually double it. Increases, but not double.

I'm about to get another stick of Corsair XMS PC2700 for mine so I can get some dual channel action (and see for myself how much it increases).

Two sticks of Corsair XMS running at 200MHz in dual channel mode should be pretty nice. Smile