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View Full Version : Dual channel ram?

marlinspike
Nov-15-2006, 01:16 PM
I read about dual channel ram, then I read that my new laptop supports. Then, the people at crucial told me that for dual channel to work the ram has to be not just the same size but even the same brand...true?
David_S85
Nov-15-2006, 02:16 PM
I read about dual channel ram, then I read that my new laptop supports. Then, the people at crucial told me that for dual channel to work the ram has to be not just the same size but even the same brand...true?

Yes. Same everything. Fully matched up. Been that way for a while now.
marlinspike
Nov-15-2006, 03:53 PM
Hmm...now I'm getting confused. The thinkpad forums said all it had to match was specs, but different manufacturers was fine.
David_S85
Nov-15-2006, 04:04 PM
Hmm...now I'm getting confused. The thinkpad forums said all it had to match was specs, but different manufacturers was fine.

Same speed and type for sure. The rest is probably marketing hype. Still, the samer(not a word) the better.
DudeX
Nov-15-2006, 04:15 PM
Laptops from 2005 support mismatched memory and still get dual channel performance (as long you have two sticks).

So it doesn't matter if the sticks aren't the same size.
However for best performance, get the fastest speed, and the same size and brand of memory.

Today, you can get two 1 GB 533 mhz, DDR-II SO-DIMM for about 300 dollars.
marlinspike
Nov-15-2006, 05:00 PM
Ok well, does anybody know a piece of software that can tell me what ram is in there (I like to open things as little as possible, plus now that the HD is an easy swap the ram is a not so easy swap)? I used to use aida32 but they stopped making that long ago and the last version cannot ID my ram.
ExposeTheMoment
Nov-15-2006, 09:54 PM
Ok well, does anybody know a piece of software that can tell me what ram is in there (I like to open things as little as possible, plus now that the HD is an easy swap the ram is a not so easy swap)? I used to use aida32 but they stopped making that long ago and the last version cannot ID my ram.

If you run this http://www.crucial.com/systemscanner/

It will tell you how many slots, what ram you have etc....

Gary
DudeX
Nov-16-2006, 02:47 PM
www.cpuid.com (http://www.cpuid.com)

This is a good program that tells you technical info about your CPU and Memory, and even if dual channel is enabled.

It's small and easy to run.
David_S85
Nov-16-2006, 04:22 PM
DudeX and Expose... super info. Those links will provide crucial (pun) information to lots of people who read this thread. Thanks! :thumb
marlinspike
Nov-16-2006, 07:43 PM
Well, neither of those could ID my ram, so I just opened it up. Looks like I'll have to get my ram off ebay since my particular thinkpad has Hyinx in it.