hi guys wondering if any one can help me I have a single ddr3 4gb 1600mhz memory module installed in my system and I want to upgrade to 8gbs of ram and just wondering for them to run in dual channel do both ram modules need to be identical or just same speed and size?
thanks
Cpu: amd fx 4100
ram: Kingston hyper x blu 4gb
mobo:asus ma578-usb3
It is recommended that the RAM is identical in order to avoid instability
as long as the timings, speeds and voltage, are the same. then you are fine.
Gotta colour-match, bro
"size does not matter lol. :p"
If we're still talking about dual channel ram, shouldn't both sticks have the same capacity?
If you buy a second 4GB stick, make sure the timings voltage and speeds are the same.
8GB is more then enough for gaming.
that's just something people with small ram sticks say... :P
"Because the two models are accessed at the same time, they must be identical (same capacity, same timings, and same clock rate)".
From here http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/Everything-You-Need-to-Know-About-the-Dual-Triple-and-Quad-Channel-Memory-Architectures/133/3
I think in this case size matters.
You can have different capacity modules if you have two different banks of memory (four DIMM slots in total), but even then the pair that goes into each bank must be comprised of same capacity modules. The pairs can be different, but not the modules that make each pair.
wiki told me that they can be diffrent in size, hmmm...
But i think you are right!!.
Wiki seems not to be totaly accurate!
I did some deeper research, and it tolds me that its indeed better to use 2 the same sized modules in dual channel mode. you can use 2 diffrent sizes ram sticks in dual channel, however, then only the lowest count number will be runed in dual channel, the rest will be in single channel. so for example if you put a 4GB stick in slot 1 and 8 GB in slot 3, then only 4GB will be runned in dual channel. the other 4GB will be single channel. so you get some sort of a partial Dual channel.
You dont want this, so its better to indeed use 2 same sized sticks lol.
Offcourse you can use 2 diffrent sized sticks on the same (single) channel that does not matter. i guess here is where wiki is mixing things up!
Long story short for dual channel you want 2 identical sticks.
If I may offer a suggestion, if you are referring to wikipedia, it's not very trustworthy. They had an article about a war that never existed for five years on wikipedia.com. I only use wikipedia for hints about what to look for if I'm researching something I know nothing about, otherwise I simply use duckduckgo.com.
http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/5/3839946/wikipedia-hoax-about-bicholim-conflict-deleted-after-5-years
Yeah atleast, there are smarter people arround then wikipedia.
Still it cost me an hour of deep research lol, but finaly figured it out. How it is in the real world.
Damm you Wikipedia, you where lying to me lol ☺
Thanks everyone for the responses very usefull info :)
I'm gonna take berserker's advice and just get the same colour in sure that should do the trick ;)