RAM Layout

[Pezmc]

Quick question on the correct layout of RAM. I have the Striker II Extreme and am just wondering with the two 2gb modules of DD3 1333mhz RAM whether I should put them in slot 1 and 3 or slot 1 and 2. I have always put my RAM next to each other in pairs however someone mentioned somewhere that you get a performance increase if you put them in slot 1 and slot 3. Is this true?

Once other question on the topic of RAM is 4x 1gb RAM a better performance than 2x2gb RAM or even 1x4gb RAM?

Hope you can help!

 

[ch33zw1z]

You need to consult the motherboard manual for the correct RAM setup. Setting up the RAM correctly will enable multiple channels (extra bit paths) to the RAM, so yes...it can increase performance in RAM intensive tasks.

4x1GB compared to 2x2GB is almost the same thing. The biggest difference is you will have 2 less DIMMs in the 2x2GB setup, potentially lowering how much juice the RAM is using, and this can free up juice for other components to use, for instance if you overclock, or use a high power VGA...if you PSU is barely enough then every little bit of power helps.

1x4GB is useful if you plan on adding more RAM later, and are looking to max your board out.

 

[Mothergoose729]

Some motherboard won't support RAM sticks if not placed into proper channels. Usually they are color coded, and you place them both in the correct color. This is the first I have every heard about increased performance in alternative slots. My suggestion would be to place them conventionally.

2x2gb is probably the best performance/price ratio. 4x1gb can prove to be difficult for OCing purposes, because you can only go as fast as the weakest stick. 4gb sticks tend to lack good performance, usually being used on servers or workstation computers. Buying one will cut your speed in half because you won't be running a dual channel. Go with 2x2gb for now, as four gigabytes is plenty for gaming, movies, and general computing. If you get into heavy photo work and video rendering then upgrading to 8gb might be justified.