Duel channel question

[wannaoc]

Ok, picked up some Kingston ValueRAM and it says "not for duel channel" on the box. The chips are matching, will they work in duel channel?

[stan03]

i don't see why not. that might just be there to say it wasn't tested in dual channel or something... why don't you just try it?:)

[ashenfang]

Originally posted by wannaoc
Ok, picked up some Kingston ValueRAM and it says "not for duel channel" on the box. The chips are matching, will they work in duel channel?

LOL, i love marketing gimmicks. I think someone here posted a while back about dual and non dual channel ram. And it was determined that any RAM PC2100 or PC2700 (can't remember) would work in dual channel.

[stan03]

Originally posted by ashenfang


LOL, i love marketing gimmicks. I think someone here posted a while back about dual and non dual channel ram. And it was determined that any RAM PC2100 or PC2700 (can't remember) would work in dual channel.

there are no specific speeds that only work in dual channel. any RAM should work in dual channel (two of the same sticks of course)... those "gimmicks" like TWINX and stuff just says that the two peices have been tested to work together.

[Supertrucker]

i have used a generic stick of 2700 (w/winbond bh-6) and a kingston valueram 2700 (w/winbond bh-6) in dual channel just fine, only problem was that the generic cant handle 200fsb with only 2.7vdimmr(regardless of timings), whereas the valueram is doing 200fsb with 2-2-2-5 with 2.7, so im only running one stick for right now

[phrowzen]

yeah, probably just like the corsair twinx deal.. should still work

[cupidr17]

yea, ive read that if the chips are the same then they should work in dual channel. companies like to take money out of your wallet with misleading info.

[Jognt]

what actually is dual channel? i didnt feel like making a whole new thread, so i thought id ask here... and wot advantages does it have over *single channel*?

[larva]

Originally posted by wannaoc
Ok, picked up some Kingston ValueRAM and it says "not for duel channel" on the box. The chips are matching, will they work in duel channel?

It depends on whether or not they work in dual channel. Chances are good that they will, but you never know for certain a particular mb/ram combo works until you try it. Sometimes you find things that clearly should not work that do, and at others things that clearly should work won't. Experience is the great teacher, so pop them in a machine and set to learning.

[larva]

Originally posted by Jognt
what actually is dual channel? i didnt feel like making a whole new thread, so i thought id ask here... and wot advantages does it have over *single channel*?

Dual channel memory architectures run two sticks of ram in parallel, meaning they can read or write to both sticks at the same time. This theoretically doubles the bandwidth, but in reality the advantage is more like 60-75%. Single channel memory subystems can perform well, but they must run the memory at extreme clock rates to make up the bandwidth they give up to dual channel setups of even moderate clock rates.

[Jognt]

aha, so dual ddr is simply using 2 or more sticks of ram at the same time? (preferably the same ram)

[stan03]

and your mobo has to support it. it is not simply putting in two sticks... its kinda like RAID for Ram.

[Jognt]

woohoo, :/ how do you know if your mobo supports it?

[Illah]

Yours doesn't, if that's what you wanna know :)

The only ones I know of are NF2 (AMD) and the latest Intel chipsets, I think 865 and 875. I'm not an intel guy so someone may need to correct me on that.

--Illah

[stan03]

his mobo does not support it, but the 865/875 aren't the only ones that suppport dual channel. chipsets like SIS655 also do

[Jognt]

haha, offcourse mine doesnt support it :) it doesnt even support ddr :p

but im getting a new PC, probably with a abit IC7, P4 2.8C so im checking out some of the options :)

btw: if u wanna help me out with a system, check out my thread in general hardware please :)

[stan03]

ok, yea that mobo will support it

[\dev\goat]

is it a setting you have to enable or do you enable it by simply having two sticks...? my an35n-ultra is nforce2 but there is no setting for that in bios, just wondering, my second stick is on the way. *goes to look for bios update*

[stan03]

there should be an option in the bios.... and if your board supports it, it should automatically run Dual Channel when you put in two sticks