2x512MB or 4x256MB?

[Chris_F]

Which is better with dual memory: 2x512MB or 4x256MB for a total of 1GB?

[Jay23]

I would probably go 2x512.. but tahts just me...

[Caffinehog]

You don't need more than two sticks for dual channel.
The fewer sticks, the less stress you put on your memory controller.
The less stress you put on the memory controller, the higher the overclock.

Use two 512's.

[Chris_F]

OK thanks. A friend of mine told me its better to spread it out over all the DIMMs, but I guess he was wrong.

[Skiing Squirrel]

2X512, because later on you can put more in.

[mrspec3]

4x256 will give you more actual bandwidth. OPP over at XS is running 4x256MB sticks of OCZ pc3700gold and gets the same overclock but more bandwidth

[q149]

For 865/ 875 chipsets use 4x256, otherwise use 2x512.

[JKeefe]

Originally posted by q149
For 865/ 875 chipsets use 4x256, otherwise use 2x512. What's different for these chipsets memory-wise to make you say this?

[snowwie]

if your 256 sticks are single sided (as most are, but the OCZ gold isn't), and your 512 sticks are double sided (as most are), then isn't it the same exact thing?

either way you are using four banks

but here is a link, about the ocz gold 3700, which is double sided 256MB sticks (probably why they don't sell 512MB sticks)

http://www.abxzone.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=49267

[q149]

On those chipsets it's supposed to give you higher bandwidth and more stability.. on other's you ussually want less to eliminate weak links and put less stress on the memory controller.

[Caffinehog]

Originally posted by mrspec3
4x256 will give you more actual bandwidth. OPP over at XS is running 4x256MB sticks of OCZ pc3700gold and gets the same overclock but more bandwidth

Yes and no... you're not running quad channel... though that would be an idea.
What you do get is something called bank interleaving. Basically, commands are staggered so that while you read from one bank, the other is recharging for another read. Yes, you get more bandwidth at the same fsb, but only a tiny amount, and it could seriously impair your overclock.