This May Help in understanding Triple Channel :
In triple channel memory systems, the memory modules are installed on three separate channels, each with its own access to the memory controller, thus tripling the theoretical peak bandwidth when compared to single channel mode. Please note that the new Intel Core i7 processor has an integrated memory controller. The benefit is that the front side bus (FSB) and its related latency have now disappeared
In order to take full advantage of a system running in triple channel mode, the memory modules should be installed or upgraded in sets of three identical modules (same speed and capacity). Modules need to be installed in the first bank and users must follow any specific requirements set by the motherboard manufacturer. The second set of three memory modules (if the motherboard allows it) should also be identical and installed in the same way. To help separate bank 1 from bank 2, motherboard manufacturers usually use different colours to identify different banks.
The modules in bank 1 do not need to be of the same capacity as the modules installed in bank 2. However, if identical speeds or capacities are not installed within a single bank, the system will automatically revert to single channel or dual channel operation, regardless of module configuration.
The Studio XPS 435 uses PC3 memory. The DIMMS must be matched across 3 slots for best performance. 4 Dimms is not supported.
The Studio™ 435MT supports the following memory mode operations with performance depending on configuration:
• Tripple-channel symmetric mode, in which all channels are populated with the same size memory. This configuration yields peak memory performance as all channels are used simultaneously.
• Tripple-channel asymmetric mode, in which all channels are populated but with different memory amounts. This configuration yields the performance of a single channel of memory with the combined memory size of the three channels.
• Single-channel mode, in which only one channel is populated.
So when 3 slots are populated (Slot 1 2 and 3 the white connectors) with one GBytes Dimms the system is in Triple Channel Symmetric mode. And 3 GBytes are reported.
Now if another Dimm is added in slot 4, the black slots. The system is in single channel mode and both channels must match so as slot 2 and 3 are populated and slots 5 /6 are not, there is a mismatch and 2/3 are not used. Reporting only 2 GBytes.
Ideally you should fully populate the second channel adding Dimms to Slot 5/6 or remove the 4th Dimm and only populate 1/2/3, both of these will yield performance improvements over 4GBytes.
Each memory channel can support two dimms (more accurately, 4 ranks). Gigabyte built a board with 2 dimm slots on ch0 and a 1 dimm slot each on ch1 and ch2. Thus four slots total.
The Core i7's memory controller is sufficiently advanced that it can interleave memory accesses even if the channels are unevenly populated. If you leave a channel unpopulated you're loosing bandwidth since you can't take advantage of the aggregate throughput of all three channels. If you populate 4 slots; there will be some memory that can't be interleaved since the channel0 will have more memory on it.
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