Dual kits shmual kits

rashal · 07-10-05, 10:54 PM

About a day ago I was still sure of the fact that a 'Dual Kit' is nothing but two memory plates (with identical specifications) who werent even properly introduced before being put side by side in some 'Dual kit' thingie.

Yesterday I started feeling unsure, so I'm asking this question today.

Lets say I buy 2 plates of GeIL 512mb DDR pc3200 Ultra-x, and later a GeIL pc3200 ultra-x dual kit (1gb = 512x2). I put the 2 plates I bought seperately in one system, and the dual kit in another completely identical system. Questions:

1) Is there a difference in preformance? Even a slight one?
2) Is there a difference in cost? (difference = over 5$, because I'm sure the fancy 'kit' plastic will cost a few extra bucks.)

Thanks for your time.

ajrettke · 07-10-05, 11:01 PM

I personaly thing it's a load of crap, but others swear by it. I've never bought a dual kit and have ran DC just fine with my current setup, a p4 setup, and a nforce2 setup (can't remember the chipset on the p4 but it was on an Abit AI7)

apu318 · 07-10-05, 11:17 PM

There's really no point to dual channel kits for people who know what theyre doing. The kits are for people who do not know how to match timings and speeds, ect. Also, it can be sort of good for troubleshooting incase it's not working properly you'll know something is wrong with one of the sticks.

Xenocide · 07-10-05, 11:19 PM

friends don't let friends buy geil either way

Captain Newbie · 07-11-05, 01:10 AM

I don't agree with the "identical dual channel" thing either, and here's why.

I have an A8N-SLI motherboard (AMD 939 dual channel, two banks per channel) and I have two different sets of PDP PC-3200 512MB modules (four in total, two "dual channel kits" purchased at different times). I put the red ones in one channel, and the blue ones in the other, and it POSTs in dual channel. I mix it up, they post in dual channel, etc... I don't think it matters that terribly much.

rashal · 07-11-05, 03:01 AM

So if I'll buy two identical memory cards, I'll have to match their timing speeds or something like that (I dont know what matching time speeds means, but I'll read about it after work)?

How about prices? Is there a major difference?

rashal · 07-11-05, 07:32 AM

PS. I desided to go with the mushkin 1GB DC kit. I think it's the last time I'm changing my future pc configuration. This is what I'm gonna buy:

CPU: AMD athlon 64bit 3200+ venice core
GC: XFX GeForce 6600 GT 128mb gddr3 PCI-E
Mem: Mushkin 1GB DDR (2x512MB) XP3200 2-2-2 (that black line thingie)
MOBO: DFI LanParty UT nF 4 ultra-D
HD: Maxtor 120Gb SATA (dimond 9 or something)

Comments? Suggestions?

BrutalDrew · 07-11-05, 07:40 AM

Dual kits are just a marketing thing.

fabulouscoops · 07-11-05, 08:57 AM

It is usually cheaper to buy 2 seperate sticks than dual channel kits but then you pay double the shipping so the difference is minor.
All the dual channel systems I have built use two single modules purchased at the same time

Captain Newbie · 07-11-05, 10:09 AM

The main difference between my dual kits is that the CAS strobe on one set is 2.5 and the other is 2.0. I run at the longer of the two intervals.

Matching heatspreaders are cool, though...kinda.

aeiou · 07-11-05, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rashal

So if I'll buy two identical memory cards, I'll have to match their timing speeds or something like that (I dont know what matching time speeds means, but I'll read about it after work)?

How about prices? Is there a major difference?

If you get two different sticks, it will just work at the speed of the slower stick, so the faster stick will be in effect underclocked.

hainer36 · 07-11-05, 11:53 AM

you dont have to buy matched stick to get the dual channel exapmle: ive done it many times, 2 sticks of compltely different ram, different company, different timings, same speed tho...that way it will dc, but the only real thing you need to get is the same speed, and if you have a 1.5 cas or 2 cas, it may not work with a 3 cas stick....but its worth a try, i dont see the great difference in matching the sticks, (got that now) it just seems like they want to make more money by "matching and increasing" your performance

07-10-05, 10:54 PM	Thread Starter #1
rashal Registered Join Date: Jul 2005	Dual kits shmual kits About a day ago I was still sure of the fact that a 'Dual Kit' is nothing but two memory plates (with identical specifications) who werent even properly introduced before being put side by side in some 'Dual kit' thingie. Yesterday I started feeling unsure, so I'm asking this question today. Lets say I buy 2 plates of GeIL 512mb DDR pc3200 Ultra-x, and later a GeIL pc3200 ultra-x dual kit (1gb = 512x2). I put the 2 plates I bought seperately in one system, and the dual kit in another completely identical system. Questions: 1) Is there a difference in preformance? Even a slight one? 2) Is there a difference in cost? (difference = over 5$, because I'm sure the fancy 'kit' plastic will cost a few extra bucks.) Thanks for your time.
	QUOTE Thanks

07-10-05, 11:01 PM	#2
ajrettke Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Colorado Springs	I personaly thing it's a load of crap, but others swear by it. I've never bought a dual kit and have ran DC just fine with my current setup, a p4 setup, and a nforce2 setup (can't remember the chipset on the p4 but it was on an Abit AI7) __________________ Q6600@390x9 (3.5 and 1.400v) WC'd MSI P35 Neo2-FR 2x2 gb of DDR2 800 2 x Vertex 2 SSD's RAID 0 Sennheiser HDR-120's 2405FPW+2x2001FP "Computer games don’t affect kids; I mean if Pac-Man affected us as kids, we’d all be running around in darkened rooms, munching magic pills and listening to repetitve electonic dance music..." - Kristian Wilson, Nintendo Inc, 1989 "Is it worth overclocking? That's like asking if sex is enjoyable!" -cw823
	QUOTE Thanks

07-10-05, 11:17 PM	#3
apu318 Disabled Join Date: May 2004 Location: Welland: Most drug use per capita in Canada.	There's really no point to dual channel kits for people who know what theyre doing. The kits are for people who do not know how to match timings and speeds, ect. Also, it can be sort of good for troubleshooting incase it's not working properly you'll know something is wrong with one of the sticks.
	QUOTE Thanks

07-10-05, 11:19 PM	#4
Xenocide Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Charlotte, NC	friends don't let friends buy geil either way __________________ A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.
	QUOTE Thanks

07-11-05, 01:10 AM	#5
Captain Newbie Senior Django-loving Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Right seat with a bored "don't kill me" expression	I don't agree with the "identical dual channel" thing either, and here's why. I have an A8N-SLI motherboard (AMD 939 dual channel, two banks per channel) and I have two different sets of PDP PC-3200 512MB modules (four in total, two "dual channel kits" purchased at different times). I put the red ones in one channel, and the blue ones in the other, and it POSTs in dual channel. I mix it up, they post in dual channel, etc... I don't think it matters that terribly much. __________________ B.S. Computer Science, B.A. Political Science \| Commercial Pilot Airplane Single and Multiengine Land, Instrument Airplane "And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod The high untresspassed sanctity of space Put out my hand, and touched the face of God." Strong * Focused * Safe Apple Mac Pro 4,1, Two Nehalem Xeons 2.26GHzx4 (Hyperthreaded), 12 GB DDR3 FBDRAM \| MacBook Pro 15" (2009)
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07-11-05, 03:01 AM	Thread Starter #6
rashal Registered Join Date: Jul 2005	So if I'll buy two identical memory cards, I'll have to match their timing speeds or something like that (I dont know what matching time speeds means, but I'll read about it after work)? How about prices? Is there a major difference?
	QUOTE Thanks

07-11-05, 07:32 AM	Thread Starter #7
rashal Registered Join Date: Jul 2005	PS. I desided to go with the mushkin 1GB DC kit. I think it's the last time I'm changing my future pc configuration. This is what I'm gonna buy: CPU: AMD athlon 64bit 3200+ venice core GC: XFX GeForce 6600 GT 128mb gddr3 PCI-E Mem: Mushkin 1GB DDR (2x512MB) XP3200 2-2-2 (that black line thingie) MOBO: DFI LanParty UT nF 4 ultra-D HD: Maxtor 120Gb SATA (dimond 9 or something) Comments? Suggestions?
	QUOTE Thanks

07-11-05, 07:40 AM	#8
BrutalDrew Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: NY	Dual kits are just a marketing thing.
	QUOTE Thanks

07-11-05, 08:57 AM	#9
fabulouscoops Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: New Jersey, USA	It is usually cheaper to buy 2 seperate sticks than dual channel kits but then you pay double the shipping so the difference is minor. All the dual channel systems I have built use two single modules purchased at the same time __________________ i5 2500K@4.53; Asus P8P67 deluxe; 8 GB G.Skill DDR3 1600; OCZ 60 GB SSD; 2x500 GB Caviar; HD6950 E8500 @3.6 GHz; Asus P5Q Pro Turbo; 4 GB OCZ Reaper DDR2 1066; 2 x 74 GB Raptor E6750 @3.4 GHz; Abit IP35, 4 GB OCZ DDR2 800; 60 Agility SSD; 2x120 GB Caviar; 250 GB Caviar; HD4870 Opteron 175 Skt 939 @2.9 GHz; DFI Lanparty UT NF4 Ultra-D; Zalman 9500; HD3850; 2x1024 G.Skill DDR500; 200 GB WD E4400 @3 GHz, Abit AB9 pro, Gigabyte 7300 GT silent; 2GB Supertalent PC5400; 3x36 Raptors RAID 0:5 P4 3.0c Skt 478 @ 3.4 GHz; Abit IC7g; 1 GB Mushkin PC3200 FX5200, 20 GB WD; 200 GB Maxtor; PVR-150, Wifi, SB Live!
	QUOTE Thanks

07-11-05, 10:09 AM	#10
Captain Newbie Senior Django-loving Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Right seat with a bored "don't kill me" expression	The main difference between my dual kits is that the CAS strobe on one set is 2.5 and the other is 2.0. I run at the longer of the two intervals. Matching heatspreaders are cool, though...kinda. __________________ B.S. Computer Science, B.A. Political Science \| Commercial Pilot Airplane Single and Multiengine Land, Instrument Airplane "And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod The high untresspassed sanctity of space Put out my hand, and touched the face of God." Strong * Focused * Safe Apple Mac Pro 4,1, Two Nehalem Xeons 2.26GHzx4 (Hyperthreaded), 12 GB DDR3 FBDRAM \| MacBook Pro 15" (2009)
	QUOTE Thanks

07-11-05, 11:53 AM	#12
hainer36 Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Niagara, ON	you dont have to buy matched stick to get the dual channel exapmle: ive done it many times, 2 sticks of compltely different ram, different company, different timings, same speed tho...that way it will dc, but the only real thing you need to get is the same speed, and if you have a 1.5 cas or 2 cas, it may not work with a 3 cas stick....but its worth a try, i dont see the great difference in matching the sticks, (got that now) it just seems like they want to make more money by "matching and increasing" your performance __________________ ________________________________Heat _______________________Shipping to Canada? READ THIS!
	QUOTE Thanks

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