How many slots?

[singleman23632]

I've heard stuff about how DDR333 can only use 2 DIMM slots and DDR400 can only use 1 DIMM slot. Is this true? What's the reason behind this?

 

[scamtrOn]

no, its not true. they can use as many slots as the chipset supports. right now thats 3-4

<b><font color=orange>*my favorite bum on 21st street*

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will code HTML for food.
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[10GHZ]

are u sure? i'm pretty sure that most plp will experience system instability if they put in 2 stick of pc2700, not to mension that 2 stick of pc3200

 

[slvr_phoenix]

no, its not true. they can use as many slots as the chipset supports. right now thats 3-4

Sorry scamtron, but you're wrong.

From Asus on their <A HREF="http://usa.asus.com/mb/socketa/a7v8x/overview.htm" target="_new">A7V8X motherboard</A>:

<b>DDR400 Support</b>

DDR400 (PC3200), the latest and fastest DDR memory standard, supports bandwidth up to 3.2GB/s to provide enhanced system performance. <font color=red>(Note: PC3200 Max. to 2 banks only</font color=red>; PC2700 Max. to 4 banks only)

From MSI on their <A HREF="http://www.msicomputer.com/product/detail_spec/product_detail.asp?model=KT4VL" target="_new">KT4VL motherboard</A>:

• Supports DDR200/266/333/400* memory. *DDR 400 memory support by MSI certified module only Note: <font color=red>DDR400 (PC3200) Max. up to 2 Memory DIMM slots with 4 memory banks only</font color=red>

From ABIT on their <A HREF="http://www.abit-usa.com/pt_main_backat7m.html?pPRODUCT_TYPE=MotherBoard&pMODEL_NAME=AT7" target="_new">AT7-MAX2 motherboard</A>:

<b>Memory</b>
. Four 184-pin DIMM sockets
<font color=red>. Supports 2 DIMM DDR 333/400 (Max. 2GB)</font color=red>
. Supports 3 DIMM Un-buffered DDR 200/266 (Max. 3GB)
. Supports 4 DIMM Registered DDR 200/266 (Max. 3.5GB)

I could go on and on, but the point is, DDR400 carries a LOT of signal noise that makes it very unstable. The only way to use it is one or two sticks only. DDR333 isn't much better.

On top of that, most KT400 motherboard manufacturers <i>know</i> this and have extemely padded their memory timings when running DDR400 to accommodate. As a result, most of the time on a KT400 motherboard you'll get better performance using DDR333 than you will using DDR400.

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[scamtrOn]

oh i thought he was talking about the physical slots, but thats a very good point. damn i guess i'm at my max too then... 2 pc3200 sticks on a abit.

<b><font color=orange>*my favorite bum on 21st street*

-please help-
will code HTML for food.
-god bless you-

 

[slvr_phoenix]

Yeah. It kinda sucks to be limited like that. I still can't decide what I want my next system to be. I wanted lots of RAM and yet good performance, so I was leaning heavily towards AMD... until I started hearing again and again how unstable it was to use multiple sticks of high speed DDR. I might get more RAM and same/better performance out of PC1066. Perish the thought that I should end up supporting the evil company: Rambus.

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[Jeff68005]

Actually depends on the DDR memory stick being "single sided" or "double sided" at least according to my instruction book for a Gigabyte GA-8IEXP which has 3 slots up to 2 GIG possible.

I may use 1 single or double sided plus up to two more single sided sticks.

<b> OR </b>
Two double sided sticks making the third slot useless.

Every working computer must be improved .... or replaced ...<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by JEFF68005 on 10/10/02 08:15 PM.</EM></FONT></P>