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    3 & 4 GB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz memory questions

    Discussion in 'Dell' started by jack53, Feb 18, 2008.

  1. jack53

    jack53 Dell XPS 9360 i7 Lover!

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    I've read several places where DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz has to be paired sticks to run in dual-channel. So does that means if you have 3GBs, then it will only use 2GB of it? If so then your wasting the 3rd GB memory and if you do get 4GB memory, it will run it in dual channel, though you wont be able to use all that RAM unless you have 64 bit.

    Seems like a lose, lose situation unless I'm wrong.

    Thoughts?
     
    jack53, Feb 18, 2008
    #1
  2. Lithus

    Lithus NBR Janitor

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    Lithus, Feb 18, 2008
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  3. Bruuce

    Bruuce Notebook Guru

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    On the Dell website it says that when ordering 3gb of ram (On the XPS M1530 gaming edition), you get 2 dimms. (I dunno about the rest of the XPS line or other Dell laptops) Meaning 2 ram sticks. So I imagine that will be dual channel. I hope, anyway.
     
    Bruuce, Feb 19, 2008
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  4. jack53

    jack53 Dell XPS 9360 i7 Lover!

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    jack53, Feb 19, 2008
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  5. robstah

    robstah Notebook Enthusiast

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    Normally when you run a 1GB and a 2GB stick to equal 3GB, if the BIOS can handle it, it will run dual channel "asynchronously".
     
    robstah, Feb 19, 2008
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  6. XPS1330

    XPS1330 Notebook Deity

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    Lithus doesn't have the power to close a thread.
     
    XPS1330, Feb 19, 2008
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  7. nizzy1115

    nizzy1115 Notebook Prophet

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    Throwing my 2 cents. I have 3gb and it shows up as dual channel. As i understand, 2x1gb is dual channel and the other 1gb is not.
     
    nizzy1115, Feb 19, 2008
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  8. Bruuce

    Bruuce Notebook Guru

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    You have 3 dimms or 2 dimms?
     
    Bruuce, Feb 19, 2008
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  9. nizzy1115

    nizzy1115 Notebook Prophet

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    No laptops have 3 dimm slots. I have a 2gb stick and a 1gb stick and cpu-z says its dual channel.
     
    nizzy1115, Feb 19, 2008
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  10. Bruuce

    Bruuce Notebook Guru

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    Ah ok thanks.
     
    Bruuce, Feb 19, 2008
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  11. scythie

    scythie I died for your sins.

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    Dual channel is overrated anyways. With Vista, more RAM is always better.

    You'll want a 64-bit OS to have all that 4GB of RAM recognized, though.
     
    scythie, Feb 19, 2008
    #11