2 128Mb Chips, or 1 256Mb

[Steve23094]

Is there any advantage to have two 128Mb chips, as opposed to one 256Mb?

I am going to buy 256Mb worth of PC133 CAS3 memory soon, and one 256Mb module is ever so slightly cheaper than two 128Mb PC133 CAS3 modules.

I don't base it on fact I know, it just sounds right, would two 128's run a bit faster because my pc could access them alternately?

 

[Electric Amish]

The only advantage is that if a stick goes bad you will still have 128mb if you use (2) 128mb sticks vs. (1) 256mb stick.

amish

 

[Noriaki]

This question is asked a lot, a search *should* give a few threads on the subject.
There is no difference.

Everything is latched to a clock cycle, there would be minute differences but enough to miss a clock cycle.
Performance is identical.

For 2 or 4 way bank interleaving, that can be done within one DIMM module. You don't need 2 modules for that.

The only difference is logistical (ie if one 128 goes bad you have one left vs the benefit of a single 256 taking up only one slot).

 

[Maverick]

with current prices I wouldn't buy anything less than 2 256 MB sticks.

 

[nortexoid]

actually, chip density is a concern as well if u're populating, say, four banks found on some epox boards....most 256mb modules are double sided, whereas the 128mb modules are often single sided...if u wanted to populate all four banks using unbuffered PC133, u'd have to use the single sided (often 128mb) dimms...otherwise buy registered dimms.

of course u can get single sided high density chip 256 modules...they may be hard to find however...

i'd take a single 256mb stick over two for mere scalability options...u have an extra slot left to populate later.

 

[nortexoid]

another thing - some have found that single sided modules, even using the exact same chips as their double sided counter parts, overclock better...

hence mushkin rev. 3 128mb modules.

 

[Thyme]

Why not by cas2? The prices are so low you might as well get the extra few frames per second

 

[NelsonMuntz]

I just got my 256 Mb cas 2 stick of PC133 from Crucial yesterday and popped it in to replace the old 128 Mb stick I had in before (I'm relegating the 128 Mb stick to my other PC with the other old 128 Mb stick). I would only suggest buying the 256 Mb stuff now since it is so cheap and more and more programs are utilizing large amounts of RAM so it is great to have the stuff around...