DDR3 in Dual Channel mode?

[simius]

I'm a bit of a noob on this, and my google-foo hasn't come up with any answers. I'm currently looking at buying an i7 and to run on XP pro. Since DDR3 is expensive and I can only use around 4 gigs, can I run 2 2gig DDR3 modules in dual channel mode (with the understanding that sometime in the future I'll pick up a 3rd module and run in tri-channel mode)? It sounds like there is not much speed gain on DDR3 vs DDR2 anyhow. Does it depend on the motherboard? I do not want to buy a MB that supports DDR2 and DDR3, I just wonder if I get the dual channel benefits with 2 sticks of DDR3. Any help/insight would be greatly appreciated!

 

[br3nd064]

I think you can run them in dual-channel.

 

[Dragane]

As you said difference between triple and dual channel mode is minor according to the reviews. I must say that i don't know if dual channel mode is still supported with core i7 but i see no reason why it wouldn't be. IMO the option you have written is probably the best right now. You have the option to buy 3rd module in the future which you wouldn't have if you had 3gb in triple channel. 3gb triple is for sure alot slower than 4gb dual.

 

[simius]

Does anyone know for sure if 2 sticks of DDR3 can run in dual channel mode?

 

[Dragane]

It does, this review has tested it in single, dual and triple channel mode. http://xtreview.com/addcomment-id-6626-view-Intel-core-i7-Single-vs-Dual-vs-three-channel-memory-SMT-on-Vs-SMT-OFF.html

 

[o1die]

Dell uses dual channel on some of their core i7 setups; until Wed morning, they had the 920 core i7, 4 gigs of ddr3, 4850 video, vista 64 premium, and 23 inch monitor for around $1000. Try building that yourself for anywhere near that price. Asrock has several boards with both ddr2 and ddr3 slots; I have 2 of them for sale, but they're product samples with no warranty, so nobody will buy them.