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- Mar 16, 2013
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Because 4 x 2GB limits your options for a future upgrade. If you want more than 8, you have to take out the 2GB sticks.
And almost no one gets 1 x 8GB, because then they are not getting that extra little bit of performance with dual channel.
And almost no one gets 1 x 8GB, because then they are not getting that extra little bit of performance with dual channel.
P1nnacle
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- Sep 12, 2013
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Chances are you'll buy a 1x8GB stick if you already have that type in your system or if they don't have the slot capacity (say on an ITX board where you may only have 1 or 2 DIMM slots). 4x2GB is the way to go if you're buying for a new build and don't see yourself upgrading past 8GB anytime in the near future. It should be a slightly faster setup since you have RAM in all the DIMM slots and you'll have a lower CAS Latency with less memory per stick. However, there shouldn't be a incredibly noticeable improvement one way or the other.
Some boards only have enough slots for 2 sticks, but it varies. And if you instead got 2 4gb sticks, if you wanted to upgrade further by say, adding another 4gb stick, you could then have 12gb of ram, instead of 8. And only take up 3 slots instead of 5. It's really up to you though.
Tradesman1
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- Jun 5, 2013
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A number of reasons, but 4x2 is basically legacy DRAM for earlier mobos, 2x4GB is less stress on the MC (memory controller) and just a hair faster.....it's not really an upgrade path option as it's not a good idea to mix DRAM with DDR3, there's a good chance the added set won't play nice (though if you are using lower freq sticks like 1600 and under, the odds are better than if using higher freq sticks
Tradesman1
Legenda in Aeternum
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Simple, with tolerances these days it's not a good idea to mix sticks from different packages, even of the same exact model, it can be problematic...that's whay DRAM is offered in a multitude of different amounts of sticks and of total DRAM, each set in a package is tested to play nice together....also if using 1600 or higher DRAM, the XMP programming and data in the SPD is set for that particular package, say a 4 sticks package requires a tRFC of 208 for the 4 sticks, if you pick up two packages of the same exact sticks and each is a 2x set, then the tRFC for only 2 sticks may be 128 - if you enable XMP with two sets it will want ot set the tRFC to 128, and if the BIOS can't compensate, then chances are good the sets won't play together.
It's a very common problem, check in the memory forum, or better - check with mobo makers and DRAM makers, they both get tons of zRMAs from people that have mixed sticks and don't know how to manipulate DRAM - very few folks do...Think I mentioned 1333 and 1600 sets, the chances are pretty good, but see more than my share of people who have problems with the lower freq sticks
It's a very common problem, check in the memory forum, or better - check with mobo makers and DRAM makers, they both get tons of zRMAs from people that have mixed sticks and don't know how to manipulate DRAM - very few folks do...Think I mentioned 1333 and 1600 sets, the chances are pretty good, but see more than my share of people who have problems with the lower freq sticks
P1nnacle
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Actually my question was why you stated "it's not a good idea to mix DRAM with DDR3", DDR3 is a form of DRAM, so you're saying that you shouldn't mix DRAM with DRAM or DDR3 with DDR3. This doesn't make sense. I guess my main comment would be that this is confusing and should be clarified or removed for the benefit of the OP.
That said, while I agree that you should buy packaged ram in the size/amount of sticks you want, however, if you buy say two sets of 2x4GB from the same manufacturer running at the same clockspeed, you really shouldn't have any problems assuming you're purchasing decent quality RAM.
Tradesman1
Legenda in Aeternum
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It was fairly common to mix DRAM in DDR2 and DDR, however DDR3 is a different ball game, sorry bout that, should have been clearer
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