What is Dual Channel Ram?
- Thread starter mcyi9ky2
- Start date
jancz3rt
<b>VIP Member</b>
Hey
This is taken from Praetor's RAM101:
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Dual Channel. A popular buzzword, dual channel refers to the idea of running two memory controllers to feed data to the CPU thus providing a theoretical doubling of the throughput capacity (currently only available on select DDR and DDR2 configurations). The reasoning for this is simple:
DDR/DDR2 memory uses a 64bit interface to commuinicate with the memory controller. For 200MHz (DDR400) clock, the maximum throughput becomes 64bits x 200MHz x 2 ÷ 8bits/byte = 3200MB/s ~= 3.2GB/s (note here that MB is defined as 1-million)
The most straightforward way to improve performance (as demonstrated in the videocard market) is to double the memory interface to 128bits. Doing so would provide for 128bits x 200MHz x 2 ÷ 8bits/byte = 6400MB/s ~= 6.4GB/s of throughput. This however is too electrically complex to be implememented.
Now suppose we have two (or four) sticks of memory, each with it's own private connection to a memory controller (i.e., each stick or pair of sticks would have it's own 3.2GB/s connection to the memory controller). This would mean that the aggregate throughput is roughly 6.4GB/s. This is the principle behind dual-channel memory.
A comparison of single vs dual-channel memory is in VFAQ
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Therefore your case refers to, as you suggested, 2 x 256MB of RAM capable and tested to run in dual channel mode. These are usually referred to as dual channel kits.
Have a read of this for further information: http://www.computerforum.com/showthread.php?t=11096
JAN
This is taken from Praetor's RAM101:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dual Channel. A popular buzzword, dual channel refers to the idea of running two memory controllers to feed data to the CPU thus providing a theoretical doubling of the throughput capacity (currently only available on select DDR and DDR2 configurations). The reasoning for this is simple:
DDR/DDR2 memory uses a 64bit interface to commuinicate with the memory controller. For 200MHz (DDR400) clock, the maximum throughput becomes 64bits x 200MHz x 2 ÷ 8bits/byte = 3200MB/s ~= 3.2GB/s (note here that MB is defined as 1-million)
The most straightforward way to improve performance (as demonstrated in the videocard market) is to double the memory interface to 128bits. Doing so would provide for 128bits x 200MHz x 2 ÷ 8bits/byte = 6400MB/s ~= 6.4GB/s of throughput. This however is too electrically complex to be implememented.
Now suppose we have two (or four) sticks of memory, each with it's own private connection to a memory controller (i.e., each stick or pair of sticks would have it's own 3.2GB/s connection to the memory controller). This would mean that the aggregate throughput is roughly 6.4GB/s. This is the principle behind dual-channel memory.
A comparison of single vs dual-channel memory is in VFAQ
---------------------------------------------------------
Therefore your case refers to, as you suggested, 2 x 256MB of RAM capable and tested to run in dual channel mode. These are usually referred to as dual channel kits.
Have a read of this for further information: http://www.computerforum.com/showthread.php?t=11096
JAN
Last edited:
spacedude89
Active Member
make sure you motherboard supports dual channel ram... or else your spend extra for something you cant use...
RAM is RAM, no such thing as "Dual Channel RAM" (so the answer is no), but what yer talking about are "Dual Channel Kits" which roughly translates to "lets take two sticks of memory, put them in a single fancy box and charge more than twice the cost of the sticks individually"
