Question about dual channel

[Furiosity]

I've already Googled this, but there's many different answers, and I'd feel better having a more direct answer so...

I have 1 Stick of 1GB 1066 G.Skill RAM ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231143 ) and i plan to purchase a 2GB 1066 muskin stick.

I'm just wondering if it'll work perfectly, or would I be better off with 2GB's (2 x 1GB 1066 G.Skill) instead of 2GB 1066 mushkin + 1GB 1066 G.Skill. Is having the same exact brand/capacity going to make a noticeable difference?

My motherboard : http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=k10n78m

 

[Saeten]

Get the 2GB 1066 mushkin + 1GB 1066 G.Skill.

 

[metro]

Having different sized or different brands of RAM won't make a difference if they are the same speed. In your case they are both 1066, so your're good to go with another 1066 stick.

 

[reflex99]

brand shouldn't matter thanks to many years of standardization
woot to the death of RAMBUS memory!!!!

 

[Ryken]

Having different sized or different brands of RAM won't make a difference if they are the same speed. In your case they are both 1066, so your're good to go with another 1066 stick.

I don't mean to be a jerk, but you are flat wrong about this. In order for dual channel memory to work, it needs to be the exact same speed (1066), capacity (1GB versus 2GB), and timings (4-4-4-14 for example).

You are talking about mixing memory with the same clock speed, but different capacity. This will not run in dual channel mode.

That being said, you could go either way. If you are simultaneously running enough programs to eat up more than 2GB worth of RAM, you should go with 1+2 because at that point the system has to write data to the hard drive, which is super slow.

If you are ALWAYS under 2GB, then you should buy the exact same stick again and run it in dual channel, as dual channel allows the RAM to be twice as fast, which greatly helps it keep up with your processor.

IMO, run the dual channel, but make sure the new stick is EXACTLY the same one, otherwise you will have less overall RAM that isn't any faster.

For your reference: here is a great article about dual channel memory. Bottom of page two confirms that you need exact speed, capacity, and timings.

 

[metro]

I don't mean to be a jerk, but you are flat wrong about this. In order for dual channel memory to work, it needs to be the exact same speed (1066), capacity (1GB versus 2GB), and timings (4-4-4-14 for example)...

Sorry that was my bad for reading post and not the thread title. :blush: Ryken is completely correct about Dual Channel. Sorry for any confusion. However, depending on what OS you are running, I would suggest using mixed memory as Vista and 7 will both use about 1GB or RAM. The final choice is up to you.