x1 2GB RAM or x2 1GB RAM?

AIR-AUSSIE

Have a dell dimension 5150 and want to upgrade it to 3GB memory. My current setup is below. I'm wondering should I buy x1 2GB or x2 1GB?

This is the current layout of my memory accordind to Belarc Advisor:

1024 Megabytes Installed Memory

Slot 'DIMM_1' has 512 MB
Slot 'DIMM_3' is Empty
Slot 'DIMM_2' has 512 MB
Slot 'DIMM_4' is Empty

neonic75

More RAM at smaller sizes is better than 1 Large piece. Having 2 x 512 + 2 x 1GB is prefered to 2 x 512 + 1 x 2GB. This is because the more RAM chips you have the more memory can be accessed at an particular time. Haveing 4 chips means 4 pages in RAM can be accessed at 1 time.

Overheal

Thats what I was trying to say but couldnt word it yesterday to my boss. Same story. a Dimension 4700 with 2x256 that needs a nice swift kick in the arse. Get it up to a gig or more and it'd run a beaut.

Would there be any performance bonus offered if all the ram modules were the same size (eg. 4x256) or fine to just add 2x512 and keep whats there?

neonic75

Performance would increase with the 4 chips as apposed to 2. Not much...but it would be something. And if all your using is a gig of RAM you need every help you can get.

astrofool

From what I remember (and we have similar machines here at work), that board won't support a 2GB stick of RAM anyway, so you'll have to get 2*1GB.

In general though, buying one big stick now, can save money in the future if you want to upgrade again (although RAM prices usually come down so that 2 in the future cost the same as 1 now, unless they are discontinued and in short supply, e.g. SDRAM or even DDR RAM).

AIR-AUSSIE

astrofool wrote: »

From what I remember (and we have similar machines here at work), that board won't support a 2GB stick of RAM anyway, so you'll have to get 2*1GB.

In general though, buying one big stick now, can save money in the future if you want to upgrade again (although RAM prices usually come down so that 2 in the future cost the same as 1 now, unless they are discontinued and in short supply, e.g. SDRAM or even DDR RAM).

According to this website it can take 2GB:http://www.crucial.com/eu/store/listparts.aspx?model=Dimension%205150

Overheal

I know the 4700 can only support 4GB max. of course thats plenty more than needed. The 5000 series may support at least 6gb. Youd think it would, being a generation newer.

neonic75 wrote: »

Performance would increase with the 4 chips as apposed to 2. Not much...but it would be something. And if all your using is a gig of RAM you need every help you can get.

I got that much. But what i meant was is it going to make a big difference or any, if I use [2x256 + 2x512] (on alternating cannels of course so it would be ABAB) instead of using 4x256 (AAAA)?

Aside from the obvious difference that 1 config gives me 512mb more ram, of course. The real question is does using 4 identical sticks of ram give better performance than 4 mixed and matched ones.

AIR-AUSSIE

Overheal wrote: »

I know the 4700 can only support 4GB max. of course thats plenty more than needed. The 5000 series may support at least 6gb. Youd think it would, being a generation newer.

Apparently it has a 8GB capacity.

Overheal

there you go. even better.