Looking to double up my ram - using all 4 slots

[someinterwebguy]

I'm beginning to creep closer and closer to using all 8GB of my RAM. I was initially planning on upgrading to 16GB of ram via two modules when I upgrade my CPU, but since I decided to wait until the successor to Ivy Bridge is released, that is going to be some time.

In the meantime, I'm looking at getting a second set of the ram I'm already running.

Namely - Corsair Memory 8 Dual Channel Kit DDR3 2000 (PC3 16000) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM CMX8GX3M2A2000C9

My only concern, is that using all 4 slots will cause problems and would appreciate input from anybody who has run this ram or similar in all 4 slots and what their experience has been.

 

[EarthDog]

Running ram in all 4 slots shouldn't be an issue. Worst case is adding some vtt voltage.

 

[someinterwebguy]

Upgrade went off without a hitch. Thanks for the reassurance!

 

[Itsumo]

I was hoping to find a thread on this topic.

I plan on getting an i7 with a dual channel memory controller. I am told it does not handle four slots (four channels) as efficiently as it does two, so the performance increase you get from adding more RAM will be less than a 100% improvement. I don't know whether it will affect the computer when using less than the first two slots. But up to now I've always simply added moar ram when I felt it was time for it, and always loved the performance boost. Am I overthinking this dual channel thing?

 

[Ivy]

That depends on the board and the CPU controller to some extend. The possibility to OC can be decreased because of higher stress, so the stability may decrease.

But as long as the MB is handling your desired settings there is close to no performance lack. Nothing to worry about.

 

[hokiealumnus]

I was hoping to find a thread on this topic.

I plan on getting an i7 with a dual channel memory controller. I am told it does not handle four slots (four channels) as efficiently as it does two, so the performance increase you get from adding more RAM will be less than a 100% improvement. I don't know whether it will affect the computer when using less than the first two slots. But up to now I've always simply added moar ram when I felt it was time for it, and always loved the performance boost. Am I overthinking this dual channel thing?

Remember that more RAM does not mean more performance, it means more capacity. If you're actually using all of your RAM and then add more, performance will seem to increase because more data can be stored in the RAM and doesn't have to be paged to the HDD.

To run dual channel you need to have two sticks of RAM in the proper slots on your motherboard (generally like-colored slots). You can add two more and it will stay in dual channel operation.

It won't be less efficient strictly because you're running four sticks. If you add a different set of RAM to your original set, you run the risk of incompatibility problems not letting you run the speed/timing combination you want, but that would be because of the differing RAM, not because you're running four sticks.

 

[Itsumo]

That depends on the board and the CPU controller to some extend. The possibility to OC can be decreased because of higher stress, so the stability may decrease.

But as long as the MB is handling your desired settings there is close to no performance lack. Nothing to worry about.

Very reassuring.

Remember that more RAM does not mean more performance, it means more capacity.

I understand that part. And yes, these days it's easier to overdo capacity. However, I have been putting my computer to work running virtual machines for my studies, and each VM takes away a gig or two of the top, until my main machine is out of head room.. But enough about me.

To run dual channel you need to have two sticks of RAM in the proper slots on your motherboard (generally like-colored slots). You can add two more and it will stay in dual channel operation.

It won't be less efficient strictly because you're running four sticks. If you add a different set of RAM to your original set, you run the risk of incompatibility problems not letting you run the speed/timing combination you want, but that would be because of the differing RAM, not because you're running four sticks.

Oh I See. Also a brilliant explanation, thank you!

 

[Humanoid1]

One thing to watch is that perhaps the motherboard will try to change from 1T to 2T with 2 sticks per bank and might need tweaking to keep at 1T.
2T is Quite a Lot lower performance than 1T

I know I had this issue on my X58 motherboard - Till I have more spare time for tweaking & testing I am only running 1 stick per bank to stay with 1T