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    are which slots RAM is in matter at all? (uneven sizes)

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by Leon2245, Jul 22, 2007.

  1. Leon2245

    Leon2245 Notebook Deity

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    If I am using two differnent sizes, 512mb and 2gb, or 512mb and 1gb, or 1gb and 2gb- does it matter in any of the above combinations which goes in which slot?

    Or should the larger always be installed in the one that came occupied?
     
    Leon2245, Jul 22, 2007
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  2. MYK

    MYK Newbie NBR Reviewer

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    That's what I usually do, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't make a difference.
     
    MYK, Jul 22, 2007
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  3. sesshomaru

    sesshomaru Suspended Disbelief!

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    In a desktop, with 4 slots, the difference is evident in benchmarks. The rule of thumb is to install the largest module in slot 0, the smaller one in Slot 1, and so on.

    I have no idea whether it's the same for notebooks, though...
     
    sesshomaru, Jul 22, 2007
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  4. squeakygeek

    squeakygeek Notebook Consultant

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    Keep in mind that you can only use dual channel if both memory modules are the same size. Dual channel doubles the memory bandwidth to make it faster. Other than that, it doesn't matter.

    sesshomaru: I have never heard this before. Can you point to some sources about it?
     
    squeakygeek, Jul 22, 2007
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  5. Leon2245

    Leon2245 Notebook Deity

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    Yeah that's the whole reason I want different size modules- to avoid dual channel (gives you cancer*).







    *hasn't been proven yet
     
    Leon2245, Jul 22, 2007
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  6. Ethyriel

    Ethyriel Notebook Deity

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    It doesn't matter unless it matters...

    errr... that is, if you have problems, you'll want to shift things around. But you won't know until you try one way or another.
     
    Ethyriel, Jul 22, 2007
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  7. John Ratsey

    John Ratsey Moderately inquisitive Super Moderator

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    In my experience the Intel chipsets can handle any combination of RAM which I could put together. However, when experimenting with the Samsung R20, which has the ATI 1250M chipset, I found that, if mixing modules of different speed, then which went where did matter. Different sizes did not make any problem.

    John
     
    John Ratsey, Jul 22, 2007
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  8. sesshomaru

    sesshomaru Suspended Disbelief!

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    From this site. Although, I must add that this is what I found by searching after you asked me for resources. Otherwise, it's mostly based on testing I did some months back. I'll try to dig up the screenshots, they must be lying around somewhere...

    Also, for memory to run in Dual Channel, identical sizes, even speeds is not required. If speeds are different, they run in dual channel, but at the lower speed. And if sizes are different, they run under asynchronous dual channel.
     
    sesshomaru, Jul 23, 2007
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  9. Ethyriel

    Ethyriel Notebook Deity

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    I've been doing a bit of reading on asynchronous dual channel, my understanding is that it only works if the first two sticks are the same size. Then those operate in dual channel, and any others which don't match do not.

    I'm still not completely clear on it, though, what do you know about it?
     
    Ethyriel, Jul 23, 2007
    #9