Question About RAM

[RicardoZ]

Why does nobody buy the single 8gb stick? Why is it always 2 4gb sticks? What's wrong with just having one?

I ask because sometimes the 8gb stick is cheaper than the dual 4gb ones...is there really a difference or is it just preference?

[n0cturnal]

If you get 1 stick you won't get the benefit of dual channel.

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/133

[RicardoZ]

If you get 1 stick you won't get the benefit of dual channel.

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/133

Ah ha. So what if I get a motherboard that has 4 ram slots and get 4 2gb ram sticks? Would that be even better because it would "quadruple the communication speed between the memory and the RAM"?

[n0cturnal]

Ah ha. So what if I get a motherboard that has 4 ram slots and get 4 2gb ram sticks? Would that be even better because it would "quadruple the communication speed between the memory and the RAM"?

Only X79 motherboards support quad channel for now, the older X58 motherboards used triple channel.
Any motherboard you get for a AMD consumer CPU or Intel socket 1155 CPU only supports dual channel, if you get 4 sticks it will still only be dual channel.

[RicardoZ]

Only X79 motherboards support quad channel for now, the older X58 motherboards used triple channel.
Any motherboard you get for a AMD consumer CPU or Intel socket 1155 CPU only supports dual channel, if you get 4 sticks it will still only be dual channel.

So then I guess it's better to just go with the 2 sticks of 4 then, yes? How much will performance change if I had the quad channel and do you think it's something that's coming more into the mainstream soon? Would I be wise to go ahead and buy something that will be compatible with it now because it might become par for the course in the foreseeable future?

Or is it one of those rinky-dink little things that will pump out an extra fps or two, but doesn't really matter at the end of the day?

[chazus]

There is no indication that Quad Channel is going to be a 'thing'. They already did Triple Channel, and it was 'meh'.

While the performance benefits are minimal, they do exist (Maybe 5% at most)... But at the same cost, thats a free 5%. A quad channel board will be significantly more expensive, for maybe another 5% boost, if that. In fact, you might even LOSE performance because current Quad boards only run 1066, instead of 1600. Unless you get a stupidly expensive server board, defeating the purpose of saving any money at all.

TLDR: Get a normal board, with 2x4 1600 ram.

[n0cturnal]

In fact, you might even LOSE performance because current Quad boards only run 1066, instead of 1600. .

X79 boards support quad channel RAM up to 2400MHz in OC mode. This differs between the models.

[chazus]

X79 boards support quad channel RAM up to 2400MHz in OC mode. This differs between the models.

Well, yeah, hence the 'stupidly expensive' part. You're spending an extra $1000 or more just to get quad channel.

[Deleted]

I learned that the hard way a few weeks back. Rebuild my setup, noticed that 1x 8gb was cheaper than 2x4gb and bought it.

Oh well, live and learn. Now I have 2x 8gb ram, complete overkill but at least its dual channel. >.<