1gb dual channel or 2gb normal?

mtimm · 21-09-2007, 03:06 PM

Hello, I'm wondering if anyone can give me some advice.

This is my system:

Motherboard: Intel DG965RY
CPU: Core 2 duo (E6420) at 2.13ghz (CPU-Z reports FSB at 1065mhz)
Graphics: Geforce 7600GS 512mb
RAM: 1gb DDR2 at 677mhz
HDD: Sata-300 (included because I think the access speed is relevant)

I'm looking at getting another gig of ram and I was wondering what the most useful way of using it would be - doubling the speed of my 1gb by making it dual channel (making data access use double volumes, if I understand it correctly) or moving the ram quantity up to 2gb. My time is roughly 70:30 spent on heavy multitasking (several chat clients, coding IDEs, browsers with 30 tabs etc) and heavy, access-intensive (big-textured) gaming. I don't understand the architecture well enough; would some of the extra access speed from the dual channel be wasted because of bottlenecks? If so, how much? What would the best course of action be, given how I spend my time?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Michael

John k · 21-09-2007, 02:11 PM

Best bet is 2 x 1gig..run in dual channel.

mtimm · 21-09-2007, 02:14 PM

But what about the reduced space? Am I wrong in thinking that 2x1gb in dual channel will give me 1 gb of double speed RAM?

John k · 21-09-2007, 02:30 PM

Well yes, because youre doubling the bandwidth.

The modules should be the same speed and chip count and latency.

donkey42 · 21-09-2007, 04:59 PM

2 x 1Gb is better, but, to be able to use RAM as dual channel you need 2 or more sticks of RAM and a motherboard that supports dual channel

21-09-2007, 03:06 PM	#1 (permalink) Top
mtimm Geek Trainee Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 2 Status: Offline	1gb dual channel or 2gb normal? Hello, I'm wondering if anyone can give me some advice. This is my system: Motherboard: Intel DG965RY CPU: Core 2 duo (E6420) at 2.13ghz (CPU-Z reports FSB at 1065mhz) Graphics: Geforce 7600GS 512mb RAM: 1gb DDR2 at 677mhz HDD: Sata-300 (included because I think the access speed is relevant) I'm looking at getting another gig of ram and I was wondering what the most useful way of using it would be - doubling the speed of my 1gb by making it dual channel (making data access use double volumes, if I understand it correctly) or moving the ram quantity up to 2gb. My time is roughly 70:30 spent on heavy multitasking (several chat clients, coding IDEs, browsers with 30 tabs etc) and heavy, access-intensive (big-textured) gaming. I don't understand the architecture well enough; would some of the extra access speed from the dual channel be wasted because of bottlenecks? If so, how much? What would the best course of action be, given how I spend my time? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Michael

21-09-2007, 04:59 PM	#5 (permalink) Top
donkey42 Paranoid Geeky Geek Join Date: Mar 2006 Age: 34 Male Posts: 5,854 Times Helpful: 310 My Mood: Paranoid Status: Offline My Computer	2 x 1Gb is better, but, to be able to use RAM as dual channel you need 2 or more sticks of RAM and a motherboard that supports dual channel __________________ GRUB manual \| Google Linux \| Distrowatch \| Linux Chix \| Kubuntu \| My Mini City

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21-09-2007, 02:11 PM	#2 (permalink) Top
John k Geek Trainee Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 25 Times Helpful: 1 My Mood: Shocked Status: Offline	Best bet is 2 x 1gig..run in dual channel.

21-09-2007, 02:14 PM	#3 (permalink) Top
mtimm Geek Trainee Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 2 Status: Offline	But what about the reduced space? Am I wrong in thinking that 2x1gb in dual channel will give me 1 gb of double speed RAM?

21-09-2007, 02:30 PM	#4 (permalink) Top
John k Geek Trainee Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 25 Times Helpful: 1 My Mood: Shocked Status: Offline	Well yes, because youre doubling the bandwidth. The modules should be the same speed and chip count and latency.

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