Need RAM upgrade guide

[BilzSubzero]

hello,
My laptop is a Hp pavilion G6-2149TX. I want to upgrade my laptop's RAM to play hardcore games with good FPS... currently, I have a 4gb ram (800mhz) installed in one slot (out of 2slots). CPU-Z shows that it is single channel.. My laptop can support 1600mhz of ram.. so if I install one more ram of 4gb (800mhz/single channel), then will my PC be running on 8gb dual channel (1600mhz) combinely? Or will it be appeared as single channel??? please guide me in detail. Thanks alot !!

 

[Emerald]

according to the specs the system should be using

4 GB 1600 MHz DDR3

 

[Agera One]

On what basis you're saying it's using 800 MHz only? Don't see the MEMORY USAGE, see the specs in softwares like Speccy, CPU-Z, etc.. Also, combining two different frequency RAM sticks, makes the system to use the lower speed from both the cards.. If you get a compatible card, yes you'll have dual channel memory !

 

[BilzSubzero]

I came to know about its frequency as 800mhz through CPU-Z. If I combine 2 single channel rams, then you say it will be 1600mhz dual channel as a whole.. So how to find the compatibility? What should I look into a new ram that I'm gonna buy to find compatibility in it with the previously installed ram?

 

[Agera One]

Check for CAS latency, timings, and recommended voltage on both the sticks. Your motherboard would probably just automatically underclock the faster one, and you wouldn't run into any problems. Thus, it's possible, but note that when you start mixing speeds, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, so to speak, your RAM will only run at the speed of the stick which has slowest speed, unless you wanted to overclock the others to get even speed in all.

 

[BilzSubzero]

Check for CAS latency, timings, and recommended voltage on both the sticks. Your motherboard would probably just automatically underclock the faster one, and you wouldn't run into any problems. Thus, it's possible, but note that when you start mixing speeds, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, so to speak, your RAM will only run at the speed of the stick which has slowest speed, unless you wanted to overclock the others to get even speed in all.

thanks, I really understand all the minors to keep in mind when buying a ram which matches the previous one...
I wanted to ask one more thing.. what if a buy a kit of two 4gb rams each of 1600mhz, so when combined, would they make quad channel?(3200mhz)??? is it correct if I do this to my laptop?

 

[BilzSubzero]

according to the specs the system should be using

4 GB 1600 MHz DDR3

yes. But it came with a 4gb ddr3 800mhz

 

[Agera One]

Did you mean two sets of two 4GB RAMs (2 times buying a 2x4GB kit)?

 

[Agera One]

This is how a single channel memory works..

The single channel has 64 data wires (D01 to D64 in the above image), since the RAM sticks are connected in series (each RAM stick you use is 64-bit).. Now take a look at the dual-channel (depicted as Channel-A & Channel-B) in this pic..

Now you can see that the data wires (i.e. bandwidth) is doubled in dual channel memory than the single channel.. Now the CPU has 128 data wires (D01 to D128 in the second image) to send and receive data (bandwidth became 128-bit) from the RAM sticks when they are connected in Parallel ..

Only Motherboards and CPU that supports LGA1366 socket allows for triple-channel memory and the motherboards and CPU with LGA2011 socket provides quad-channel memory.. Also as you asked, jumping from dual to quad channel doesn't double the speed of RAM sticks but the CPU sends and receives data @1600MHz from both the channels simultaneously in case of dual channel..

For more detailed information about understanding and enabling multiple-channel RAMs, refer
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/printpage/Everything-You-Need-to-Know-About-the-Dual-Triple-and-Quad-Channel-Memory-Architectures/133