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BonseAbaan

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Feb 3, 2017
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I have a question. I don't really understand ram channels and motherboard channels. I do know that the number of ram sticks you have is the ram channel (4 ram sticks = quad channel ram) and that 4 of the same channel on a mother board is called quad channel motherboard. But here is what I dont get. A quad channel set of ram s meant for a quad channel motherboard right?? If you do use a quad channel set on a quad channel motherboard, then what are the other 4 ram slots on the mobo for?? If you get a set of quad channel ram, can you combine it with another one of the same model to fill the other slots?? Thanks in advance!
 
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Hellfire13
In chronological order...

> Ideally quad channel memory is meant for quad channel motherboards. But understand this. RAM sticks, when they are sold, their bundling doesnt have any implication on how you use them. Its always the motherboard specification that you need to adhere to.
For eg...on a quad channel motherboard, where you have 8 slots for a total of 128gb, the optimal is for 4x8gb/16gb/32gb. Doesnt matter how much total memory you are installing. But as long as you are installing 4x**gb, its your optimal combination. The extra slots are for the requirement of extra ram. If in future you need to use more ram because your system requires more, you can use the extra 4 slots.
You need to also keep in your mind, that a lot of...
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Hellfire13

Hellfire13

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Apr 20, 2016
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It means...

For eg. on a quad channel board with 8 slots, 4x16gb should work best for 64gb total. Because you have divided the total by 4.
Now 2x32gb or 8x8gb should work as well, but it wont run as optimally as 4x16gb.

That is in theory. But in practical there wont be any earth shattering difference that you will notice, unless you are monitoring them with some app/tool.
 
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smorizio

smorizio

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Jan 22, 2010
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what you weant tot google in intel and amd memory controlelrs. the memory controller number of ram stick a cpu can have depending on the cpu. some low end cpu have 2 slots of ram max. the newer intel i3 and i5 have 4 slots but only two ram channels as there an a and b side. some older intel cpu were 3 channel ram controllers.
 
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BonseAbaan

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Feb 3, 2017
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But If that is optimal, then that means that quad channel memory is meant for quad channel motherboards right?? Then why are there 4 EXTRA slots?? Is that there if you want an 8 channel set (8x16gb)??? But isnt it meant for a quad channel kit which has 4 slots. In other words, are channels for RAM the same thing as Channels for a Motherboard. Or are they different?? Do they refer to each other (quad channel motherboard means quad channel ram). Or are the channels for motherboards different than channels for ram.

Also, can you combine 2 of the same sets of quad channel ram. For example, say i have a x99 board with a cpu that takes 128gb ram. I buy a 4x16gb set annd I buy another of the SAME 4x16gb set. Will they work togther. Plz answer all my question in this post.
 
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Hellfire13

Hellfire13

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Apr 20, 2016
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In chronological order...

> Ideally quad channel memory is meant for quad channel motherboards. But understand this. RAM sticks, when they are sold, their bundling doesnt have any implication on how you use them. Its always the motherboard specification that you need to adhere to.
For eg...on a quad channel motherboard, where you have 8 slots for a total of 128gb, the optimal is for 4x8gb/16gb/32gb. Doesnt matter how much total memory you are installing. But as long as you are installing 4x**gb, its your optimal combination. The extra slots are for the requirement of extra ram. If in future you need to use more ram because your system requires more, you can use the extra 4 slots.
You need to also keep in your mind, that a lot of times, and specially in certain parts odd the world, ram sticks are also subject to availability. So if you cant find a quad channel kit, you can install two dual channel kit and make it quad channel.

> Yes it is there for 8 sticks.

> Channels for ram are same as channels for motherboard. For eg. if you have a dual channel board with 4 memory slots with a max of 64gb, as long as you are using two sticks in combination, it is your optimal configuration. Be it 16gb or 32gb or 64 gb. As soon as you arrange that combination to something else, its not your optimal combination. Doesnt mean it wont work.

> Yes you can combine two of the same sets of quad channel ram on a x99 board. Infact it is always recommended to do that exactly rather than mixing ram sets.
 
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BonseAbaan

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Feb 3, 2017
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Thank you soo much you answered my question that I have look all over the internet for. So for confirmation, The reason why a quad channel motherboard has 4 extra ram slots even the it is optimized for a quad channel kit is so you can use it if you need more ram. For example you can find a 4x32gb quad channel set for your quad channel motherboard so instead you use a 8x16gb set instead right? Thank you in advance.
 
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