New Ram: Keep timings or dual channel config?

[the_tones2301]

Hi,
Just having a bit of a toss up with some ram. I currently have 2 gigabytes of OCZ system elite, stock settings are 800mhz 5/5/5/15 at 1.8v, i'm currently running them at 1000mhz at 5/5/5/15 at 2.0v all fine. Now i'm looking into upgrading to 4 gigabytes of ram, but don't have the money to get the same chips, or a place i can find that sells them lol. So i have a toss up between a 2x1gb kit of supertalent ddr2 800 or a 2gb stick of ddr2 800 g.skill ram both the same price both value ram.
Now, i bought the 2gb of supertalent for my girlfriend and with some testing i found it could get 2 the 1000mhz but needed timings of 6/5/5/15, no amount of voltage could get it running at 1000mhz at 5/5/5/15. So if i got this kit i would have 2 loosen my timings slightly.
From what i've read i'm pretty confident the G.Skill 2Gb stick could get 2 1000mhz without needing to increase the timings, but in doing so i'm pretty confident i would loose the true dual channel setup, i think it goes into a flex mode with the 2x1gb sticks on one channel and the 1x2Gb stick in the other, now my question is
Is the drop in timings worth maintaining the proper dual channel configuration or would it be better 2 keep my timings with the strange ram setup?
Namely which would be faster? or would both speed drops be negligible?
Cheers

 

[evongugg]

The drop in timings is not that significative and dual channel is not that much of extra performance.
With 3 sticks you will probably have to default to 2T.
You can try lowering the timings and testing with memtest86+ or Prime95.

 

[stoner133]

First off you just asking for trouble by trying to mix memory brands. Even more risky to try unbalanced configuration, that would be mixing two 1gb modules with a single 2gb module. Then trying to overclock the mixed brand setup is going to be a gamble as well. You might find you can't overclock the mixed memory at all. But since you already have access to the supertalent memory you can try running it together at 800mhz first, if it works ok give it a try at overclocking. It's not going to hurt any of the memory to try.

 

[the_tones2301]

Hi,
Thanx for your replies, i have changed the timings on my current configuration and done some tests, the probelm with most tests is its very theoretical, like read speed adn write speed, while thats sort of useful i more want 2 no what its like in gaming and things, i wasn't really able to notice any difference with the limited testing i've done, i also thought the dual channel difference isn't very significant, with past machines i've had i've found timings and dual channel to have quite small performance impacts.
In terms of the different brands and things i've had many mix-matched setups in the past that have always worked for me, i've found as long as both sticks can run at the same settings its all worked fine for me, but yea as you said i already haev a set of the supertalent so will be trying that out to make sure before i purchase anything, my old computer ran a 1gb corsair 667 value stick and 3 256 cheap brand 533 sticks for 1.75 gb's at like 667 mhz lolz so yea we shall see.
Thanx for your replies, kinda confirmed what i thought that either performance drop would be quite negligible.
Cheers