crucial ballistix 2x 2x1gb KIT or 4x 1GB single?

[OCP]

Does it make any difference in performance/stability if I purchase 4 seperate 1gb sticks of crucial ballistix rather than the 2x 2x1GB crucial ballistix KITs?
I find getting 4 x 1gb cheaper.

OCP

[danroyle]

Does it make any difference in performance/stability if I purchase 4 seperate 1gb sticks of crucial ballistix rather than the 2x 2x1GB crucial ballistix KITs?
I find getting 4 x 1gb cheaper.

OCP

if you purchase 4 seperate sticks you will lose dual channel and a lot of mem performance

also i presume you are using a 64 bit version of windows otherwise that 4th stick of ram will be unused as 32 bit will only use 3gb of ram

[OCP]

Yeh, I will be using Vista ultimate 64bit. So dual channel and non dual channel chips are physically different?

[iggy]

no, that fellow is talking balls. the memory is sold in matched pairs so that the ram in each is exactly the same. since the ram in each ballistix stick is exactly the same, theres no actual difference anyway.

and no, you wont lose any performance.

[OCP]

Thanks for the reply Iggy. So what you are saying is its better to go for the 4 x 1gb since thats the cheaper option? And I won't lose dual channel or any performance?

I'm gonna need 1 more person to confirm before im sure to make the purchase :S.

OCP

[Bhazza]

From what I've heard (which could well be wrong) they should still run in dual channel. Apparently it's better to run 2 sticks rather than 4 though. Something to do with the memory controller having to access 4 sticks instead of 2, causing a little loss in speed. How true this is or whether the difference is noticable to anyone but Optimus Prime, I don't know.

[Clunk]

It will still run in dual channel.

You may see some performance gains from certain programs, but just for everyday vista stuff, I havent found any yet.

[ikonia]

seeing as there are no 2 GB ballistix RAM available - your limited to using 4 x 1GB of balistix or 2 x 2 GB of other makes.

Crucial do do 4 GB sticks but the price is mega at the moment.

I'd get the 4 x 1GB sticks as the price is cheap (£300 for 4 GB of balistix tracers) and in a year down the line when memory may or may not be cheaper and may or may not be more important to applications you can upgrade again then.

[EtheAv8r]

Is it tru that you might gett a slightly lower over clock using 4 sticks, because of the extra heat generated by the harder working memory controller? With the current price, and running FSX - I quite fancy another 2 GB of Corsair Dominator 8500.

[OCP]

Any one recommend me a cheap place to get the 6400 tracers? or the non tracers?

[godsdog]

Not promising anything, but keep your eye on www.microwarehouse.co.uk. They have no stock at the moment, but when I picked mine up, I got 2x1GB regular Ballistix for £70, so ended up 2x2x1GB, prompt no fuss delivery too.

[silentvoice]

Dabs still have them in stock at £73.22 + del

They are 'non tracers' by the way. Unless you have a side window on your case and like flashing lights I wouldn't bother with them anyway - they're certainly not worth the premium.

[xander]

wish id stocked up on the ballistix when it was 40 odd quid at ebuyer about a month back with the google code

damn

[Clunk]

Misco?

[Blitzen]

if you purchase 4 seperate sticks you will lose dual channel and a lot of mem performance

I doubt you would.
If its all ballistix and the same spec then Dual Channel almost certainly will work fine.

Is it tru that you might gett a slightly lower over clock using 4 sticks

No...not as a rule.

[Clunk]

Is it tru that you might gett a slightly lower over clock using 4 sticks, because of the extra heat generated by the harder working memory controller? With the current price, and running FSX - I quite fancy another 2 GB of Corsair Dominator 8500.

Yes, especially if you are using a CPU with a lower multi, and/or you want to run the RAM with tight timings.

If you plan on overclocking the RAM, you will be limited on that as well. A P35 board will give you the least drop bandwidth.