Can someone tell me the potential benefit of dual channel ram in the real world please? If (I don't at the moment...) I had a motherboard that could use the 4GB DDR3 1866 RAM I have here at full speed, would it have more or less bandwidth and performance than the 2x 2GB sticks of DDR3 1600 used in dual channel mode? Can't remember the timings for each, but both are performance RAM. Thanks, this has been in the back of my mind for ages
Tbh it's unlikely you'll notice any difference between the 1600 and the 1866 in the real world, only in benching
Dual Channel does what it says on the tin, with two identical memory modules; you theoretically double your peak transfer rate. So you go from 12800MB/s (For DDR3 1600) to a theoretical 25600MB/s, 1866, by relation, peaks at 14933(.3333~)MB/s, and since you'd only have one module: It wouldn't gain the same double speed benefit. TL;DR: Dual Channel Doubles bandwidth. 1600 is 25.6GB/s in Dual Channel. 1866 is only 14.933GB/s in single channel. Slower memory in dual channels has higher peak. (Within reason.)
Thanks guys for taking time to reply with answers that clarify things. I had heard that in reality, Dual channel could possibly only make a 10% difference. Just have to get geared up and try it all. Thanks again, something learned today
