single or dual channel memory

[mcdrfarrell]

What is a disadvantage of using two 512 MB modules instead of a single 1 GB module in a system with three slots for memory modules?

[RicheemxX]

Well it would really help to know which board, the speeds of the memory ect. But really there isn't one, aside from taking up more slots. If there are only 3 slots then its not a dual channel board, most likely it would be an old single channel only board. But you didn't post any info so that's hard to say.

[stroyal]

Some dual channel boards have 3 slots, at least a NF7S dose.

When they are dual channel, and have 3 slots, they are spaced 2 and 1.
Dual channel only works with 2 sticks, with 3 it reverts to single. edit; as dose a single stick.
And strangely the pair don't go in the 2 paired slots, 1 goes in the second pared slot, the other in the single.

I know, more than anybody wanted to know.

[RicheemxX]

Hmm most all of the dual channel boards I've used had ram slots in pairs..but yeah that's not really a big factor. In most cases dual channel really didn't have a major impact, in most cases you would have been better adding more ram than running dual channel.

[stroyal]

Hmm most all of the dual channel boards I've used had ram slots in pairs..but yeah that's not really a big factor. In most cases dual channel really didn't have a major impact, in most cases you would have been better adding more ram than running dual channel.

I totally agree, I was going to say that, but I was rambling on and forgot what I was typing.

I've see test, less than 10%, very disappointing, it sounded so good when it first came out.


You probably don't see boards as old as the stuff I still run, and I think it was only the early ones that had 3 slots. edit;Nforce2 chip

NF7S is about 2003

[ShyguyXPC]

Well it would really help to know which board, the speeds of the memory ect. But really there isn't one, aside from taking up more slots. If there are only 3 slots then its not a dual channel board, most likely it would be an old single channel only board. But you didn't post any info so that's hard to say.

The Old Nforce 1 & 2 boards for Socket A used to be 3 Slots, you could only use Dual Channel if 2 of the slots were used, throw in a 3rd and you lose Dual Channel.