Dual Channel vs Single Channel question!

[CompTIA_Rep]

I have a situation where it is important to "prove" that in this instance, Dual Channel is beneficial.


I have a P4 3.2ghz 800mhz FSB.
Would DC PC4200 DDR2 improve performance, and most importantly, why/and are there benchmarks?

I have looked online, and I have not found anything I can use to state my case. Wikipidia's article is wrong, and isn't helpful anyway.


Machine is used for most office apps, plus video/music, and web publishing.


Thanks!

 

[dasickninja]

http://directron.infopop.net/2/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=476097824&f=3513079723&m=268109013
http://www.computing.net/hardware/wwwboard/forum/38670.html
http://www.viaarena.com/default.aspx?PageID=5&ArticleID=67
http://kb.nitix.com/images/8/84/DualVsSingleChannelMemory.pdf

Here you go.

 

[Mondoman]

...
I have a P4 3.2ghz 800mhz FSB.
Would DC PC4200 DDR2 improve performance, and most importantly, why/and are there benchmarks?
...

Yes, because in single channel mode your memory<->CPU bandwidth is limited by the 533MHz data rate of the DDR2-533 RAM. Your CPU's FSB has a data rate of 800MHz. Dual-channel mode increases the memory bus data rate to 2x533MHz = 1066MHz, allowing it to saturate the 800MHz FSB data rate. Of course, there are synchronous/asynchronous and latency effects, and memory<->CPU throughput isn't the only limit on performance.
Check out the data in this article: http://www.madshrimps.be/?action=getarticle&number=1&artpage=1962&articID=472

 

[CompTIA_Rep]

Yap thats what i was saying, but finding any kind of document proved a bit hard while at work


Thanks guys! I now have some ammo to fight this silly thing. WAWAAWAW



Deal is: basically dell will not send replacement dualchannel Ram because god knows why, and work is not sure if its worth complaining over, even on principle.


I say hell yes it is.

 

[Mondoman]

As long as the RAM runs in dual channel mode on the MB, it doesn't matter if it's "dual channel RAM" in a two-pack, or two individual sticks from different companies. Of course, some MBs/chipsets are pickier than others.

 

[CompTIA_Rep]

I have read and experienced otherwise. Compatibility issues have been plaguing many people, which is in fact, why it is best to buy equal sticks of ram.

 

[Mondoman]

Like I said, it depends on the MB/chipset. The older the chipset, the more likely you are to have trouble with non-identical modules. The latest Intel chipsets even allow you to use different-sized modules (e.g. 2x512MB in one channel and 1x1GB in the other).

 

[CompTIA_Rep]

So they have made more improvements. Good.