Diffrence between 2x2GB and 4x1GB Memory

[Deleted]

Hey, when you're choosing RAM memory is there any diffrence if you use 2x2GB or 4x1GB? Would there be any performance improvements etc?

And is 8GBs of RAM overkill? Will 4 do or should I get 8?

[Cyanotical]

2x2 will run in dual channel if supported, and will be faster

[Deleted]

Having two RAM sticks allows you to benefit from "Dual-Channel" which is a bit like a RAID setting for RAM.

In a nutshell Dual-Channel allows your RAM to perform roughly 5-10% faster. That's why most people prefer to run at least 2 RAM sticks at all times.

[Deleted]

k, what if I would go get 1x4? Is 2x2 still better?

[Shaemus]

8gb if you can (and your OS supports it), running WoW on ultra @ 1080p takes around 2 gigs alone, not to mention the overhead of Windows, your addons, etc. The more the better, I haven't seen too many situations where you can have too much RAM.

EDIT - If your MB supports dual channel then yes, 2x2 is better.

VVVVV Good call, step em up slowly lol, but honestly your gonna find 3x2 for the same price as 4x2, go for the gold.

[Glomp]

Go for 3x2GB instead.

Triple-channel bro

[Deleted]

Okay, then I'll aim for 4x4 right?

[enetheru]

Go for 3x2GB instead.

Triple-channel bro

Not sure if I'm being baited here, but that's only available on Socket 1366 mobos for the last generation 900 series i7s.

[Deleted]

Okay, then I'll aim for 4x4 right?

4gb is well enough for most people, and 8gb is more than needed for everyone.
16gb is just overkill.

[smashzu]

Hey, when you're choosing RAM memory is there any diffrence if you use 2x2GB or 4x1GB? Would there be any performance improvements etc?

And is 8GBs of RAM overkill? Will 4 do or should I get 8?

Splitting it up allows your pc to run dual channel, sort of like a dual core processor, or all-wheel drive in a car.

Also, go for 8. I just went up from 4 to 6 and got a really nice bit of performance out of it, I'd imagine going to 8 would be ever sexier. Really, you don't *need* more than 4, but if you're like me and play a movie, read webpages, have open torrents, play games - at the same time - you can clog your sticks up pretty fast, so going up from 4 gets more important.

[Bysu]

4x1 will still run in dual channel so don't take that argument as a difference. Main differences would actually be:

- Running with 4 sticks will usually demand more power consumption, and depending on the motherboard chipset it can get a little cocky about it when you try to overclock (2 sticks usually have a little bit higher roof).
- Using 1GB instead of 2GB sticks means (assuming they're both double sided modules) that one will have lower density chips than the latter, meaning that in some cases you may get better performance during overclocks. Again, this is completely subject to the quality/type of chips, and only applies when comparing apples to apples (same type of chips).

Overall, you should probably just go with the 2x2 option, since they tend to be lower priced as in $/GB than the 4x1 counterparts. Finding a case where 4x1 offers a clear advantage over a 2x2 option would require some thorough study.

Ah, and 8GB is not overkill, 4GB is pretty much standard today in a mid range rig, so getting your 8GB right now would put you a year ahead in the memory upgrade lane most probably (quantity wise).

[Deleted]

4x2 I ment! Not 4x4 :P

[smashzu]

Not sure if I'm being baited here, but that's only available on Socket 1366 mobos for the last generation 900 series i7s.

Untrue, my last two mobo's have had three stick slots.

[Deleted]

4x2 I ment! Not 4x4 :P

2x4 > 4x2, because of dual channel

[Deleted]

Lol, I fail. I'm going for two 4 GB's=8total! xD

---------- Post added 2011-07-19 at 05:58 AM ----------

Well, thanks for the help.

[enetheru]

Untrue, my last two mobo's have had three stick slots.

Having three stick slots doesn't mean it's necessarily triple channel. It might just mean you have a cheap motherboard.

[Deleted]

Okay, then I'll aim for 4x4 right?

While RAM may be cheap, anything more than 8GB is a waste.

Hardly anything these days actually uses more than 4GB of RAM. So even 8GB won't have any tangible benefit for now. It's more of an investment into the future.

[kaelleria]

Unless you're doing some crazy render or running a database, you will rarely ever need more than 4gb of ram.

[taekvideo]

While RAM may be cheap, anything more than 8GB is a waste.

Hardly anything these days actually uses more than 4GB of RAM. So even 8GB won't have any tangible benefit for now. It's more of an investment into the future.

unless you want a ramdisk!!!

[Cyanotical]

unless you want a ramdisk!!!

ramdisk software is mainly for servers with 192GB of ram, that being said, about the only consumer level MB with the capacity to make a decent ramdisk is the EVGA SR-2, and it caps at 48GB, which is enough for wow, and maybe crysis 2, but ramdisk is old, and there are very good reasons its not mainstream