What is tri-channel memory?

ThraxThrax 🐌Austin, TX Icrontian
edited April 2011 in Science & Tech

Comments

  • edited January 2009
    I need to know if it is the same to use ddr3 dual or ddr3 tri in memory slots.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited January 2009
    To use dual channel you need to install 2 sticks of memory. The two sticks must be installed in DIMM#2 of channels A and B.
  • RWBRWB Icrontian
    edited January 2009
    Thanks Thrax, i had seen kits at newegg recently but becuase I dont have a computer anymore or internet at home or work(i have to use my phone like now) I figured it was a gimmick and didn't look into it. This is definitly a nice new toy to play with whenever i can get back on my feet ;)
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited January 2009
    I have updated this guide to be more specific regarding possible tri channel configurations, and I have also added information regarding dual channel.
  • edited February 2009
    Thanx for a very nice and to the point guide! Just one question though. Does "All modules should be of the same capacity" mean that it is not possible to run a 3x2GB + 3x1GB = 9GB configuration? Or does it simply mean that you must have the same capacity within each of the 2 DIMM channels?
  • edited March 2009
    I also very confused on this. On your table, 4 dimms will work in tri-channels. How about 5 dimms? If I use 3*2GB+2*1GB, will it work on tri-channels?

    Also, how to see if the memory working in tri-channels? Can CPUZ->SPD judge this?
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited March 2009
    Five sticks is an unsupported memory configuration for the X58 chipset and may yield unpredictable results. You will certainly not get tri-channel. You might get dual channel with that configuration.

    CPU-Z > memory tab will reveal the current, running configuration.
  • edited March 2009
    hi i would like to ask can i upgrade my 4gb (2x2gb) dual channel ddr3 ram to tri-channel by buying and adding one more stick of 2gb ddr3 to the current 4gb set? and must the speed and latency of the 3 rams to be same to work?
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited March 2009
    Yes, if you follow the three DIMM installation procedure listed in the article, you can get tri-channel working on your system. It is IDEAL that all the memory be the same speed, but it's not <i>required</i>.
  • edited March 2009
    so after i installed another stick to my 2x2 4gb ddr3 it will detect the tri-channel itself or do i need to change anythings in the bios?

    thanks ^^
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited March 2009
    It will do it automatically. :)
  • edited April 2009
    Great stuff!

    How is that 4th DIMM used in tri-channel?

    I've order a refurb Dell Studio XPS (Core i7 920) that comes with 4 1GB DIMMs. If the BIOS doesn't recognize 4 as tri-channel (it's listed as dual in the specs), am I better off re-purposing just 3GB in tri-channel?
  • edited April 2009
    I am planning to buy an Intel DX48BT2 motherboard. What if I wanted to use up to 8GB of RAM, what would be the best to do to take advantage of the dual or the tri channels feature? Is it possible to combine 4x 2GB dual channels and be able to actually use this feature? Based on your article, I guess buying 4x 2GB tri channel would not make sense, right?
  • BuddyJBuddyJ Dept. of Propaganda OKC Icrontian
    edited April 2009
    X48 only does dual channel.
  • edited April 2009
    I have 8GB RAM (2x2GB + 4x1GB) in my Dell Studio XPS 435. Can this really run in tri-channel (as CPU-Z states)?
  • edited February 2010
    My Dell XPS 9000 comes with 2X2GB & 1X1GB (total 5GB). In order to activate the Tri channel I add 1X2GB & 2X1GB making a total of 9GB. According to your digram the the ram must be paired with each and other. That is to say I have to fix 1X2GB and 1X1GB as a set at DIMM 1&2 ? Thank you
  • edited April 2010
    hey just bought a system heres the specs that you may need to know

    Intel® Core™ i7 930 Quad Core Processor (2.80GHz,8MB Cache) - LGA1336
    Microsoft® Windows® 7 Home Premium
    700W PSU
    ASUS P6T SE Mainboard - Intel Coreâ„¢ i7 & i7 Extreme Edition - ATX
    8GB 1333MHz Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM - ( 4x2GB )

    Now heres my question . The 8gb of ram is running at dual channel which is fine for now , however could i just buy another 2x2gb of the same ram put it in and bish bash bosh it will be running at tri-channel ? as all the 6 slots will be taken up . Or do i have to do something in the bios ?

    One further question .. could I run tri channel with the 8gb(4x2) by just changeing the position of the ram as in the guide?
  • edited April 2011
    "Remember that — with no exceptions — can x86-32 editions of Windows address and use more than 3.2GB of memory"

    No exceptions? Baloney. Check out Windows Server 2000 Enterprise and Dataserver editions. Same for the 32 bit version of Windows Server 2003 Enterprise & Dataserver. The use PAE. Look it up.

    I've seen patches for Windows 7 32-bit and Windows Vista 32-bit to enable PAE to use more than 4 GB, but, these are hacks, obviously unsupported by Microsoft.

    Why doesn't MS support PAE for consumer 32-bit OS'es? Don't know for sure. The "official" reason to my knowledge is that 32-bit drivers might not be tested in PAE and therefore work fine with 4 gigs or less, but not with more. Though I would think that certification of 32-bit PAE compliant drivers would be doable. The other reason is that MS wants people to move to 64-bit and therefore do not want to enable larger address spaces for 32-bit OS'es.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited April 2011
    We are well aware. We are, however, a consumer-oriented site. Those OSes and that information are not relevant to our readers or this topic. Thank you.
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