MEMORY 2x4GB vs 8GB

rapstarrr91 · 14 Dec 2012

*read before you reply

Regardless if i need 8GB RAM or not.. my question will be very specific.
Disregard the price too...

which is faster, 2x4GB DDR3 1600MHz or 1x8GB DDR3 1600MHz

ICIT2LOL · 14 Dec 2012

I don't think you will find much in to be honest rapstar as long as the 2 x 4GB is bought as a pair it is likely to have come off the same batch in the production line.

Me I would go 8GB for starters and then 16 if I felt like it depends on what you are going to do with the machine. The 8GB will be very matched if you get my drift.

Think a bout one batch of yellow house bricks the colour will be very even and equal the next batch may be a shade lighter.

I just know from many fixes the mixing of brands for instance doesn't guarantee the same performance.

logicearth · 14 Dec 2012

Actually, the 2x4GB can be faster then the 1x8GB because it will run in Dual-Channel mode while the single stick of RAM can only run in a single channel. What this means, the two 4GB sticks can be accessed at the SAME time.

ICIT2LOL · 14 Dec 2012

Ok all yours logic.

vaidas3 · 14 Dec 2012

logicearth said:

Actually, the 2x4GB can be faster then the 1x8GB because it will run in Dual-Channel mode while the single stick of RAM can only run in a single channel. What this means, the two 4GB sticks can be accessed at the SAME time.

nowadays dual chanel is around 0.5% performance difference. before it was around 5% (only memory intensive bench) that is not much too.
I would recommend 1x8GB less memory sticks less problems and more free slots for future upgrade.

kcunha · 14 Dec 2012

check your mobo guide. if its a dual channel, you need 2 sticks in the appropriate slots.

DeaconFrost · 14 Dec 2012

At this point, I'd probably bring it down to cost. Are the two 4 GB sticks cheaper than a single 8 GB, or vice versa. If you put in two now, you'd have to replace both later on if you need to go to 16. Most people would have no need for 16 GB of memory for the foreseeable future, so this could be a non-issue for you.