Dual channel vs. single

[Jackthemeangiant]

I am building the a notebook with the following mobo/system:

http://usa.asus.com/products/notebook/z7series/Z7100V/overview.htm

Now I am wondering if I should go with 2 x 512mb sticks of ram in dual channel, or go with 1 x 1gb stick in single channel with the possibility then to later upgrade to 2gb.

Would there be a performance difference between the dual channel 2 x 512 over the single channel a single 1gb stick?

I ask just because they are the exact same price and if I would later upgrade to 2gb, it would be easier to alreay have the single 1gb stick in it and to not have to worry about selling the 512mb sticks.

[glitch]

I am building the a notebook with the following mobo/system:

http://usa.asus.com/products/notebook/z7series/Z7100V/overview.htm

Now I am wondering if I should go with 2 x 512mb sticks of ram in dual channel, or go with 1 x 1gb stick in single channel with the possibility then to later upgrade to 2gb.

Would there be a performance difference between the dual channel 2 x 512 over the single channel a single 1gb stick?

I ask just because they are the exact same price and if I would later upgrade to 2gb, it would be easier to alreay have the single 1gb stick in it and to not have to worry about selling the 512mb sticks.

Go with a single 1gb chip.

[andyman]

it pays to go with the 1gig slice Jack
then you don't have to sell the 2 / 512s later.

[andyman]

most peeps 80/90's upgraded by filling the slots with the same Ram that came with the machine then doubling it with one .. then filling in the slots again.
only to rip those out and start with one slot again.
In Other words .. do the Big One now ... cut the cycle :ggl:

[AMD]

If you're not going to add more memory later or there are four slots, use dual channel. The memory bandwidth should match that of the FSB. (in theory, without considering latency)

[glitch]

If you're not going to add more memory later or there are four slots, use dual channel. The memory bandwidth should match that of the FSB. (in theory, without considering latency)

It's a bloody laptop.
Secondly:

...with the possibility then to later upgrade to 2gb.

The Centrino processors are not bandwidth hungry like P4s.

Going with a 1gig stick now, and 1gig later is the best option plain and simple.

[Goodwrench]

I understand the reasoning behind buying one 1G now and the other later, but I prefer to buy memory in pairs. You may have an issue later in trying to match up your existing piece. If you can afford it get 2 pieces @ 1G, if not get 2 pieces at 512M. Dual channel, in theory, is supposed to run more efficiently than single.

[batkinson001]

I noticed a performace BOOST in my tower when i added a new 512mb ddr400 stick of ram (runs things a bit faster, and boots quicker)

so yah, dualchannel is faster.

[tsehou]

I noticed a performace BOOST in my tower when i added a new 512mb ddr400 stick of ram (runs things a bit faster, and boots quicker)

so yah, dualchannel is faster.

That's cause you have a pentium 4. He is talking about a pentium M which doesn't get the same performance boost by going to dual channel memory from single channel.

http://www.tomshardware.com/mobile/20050119/sonoma_alviso-23.html

For a pentium 4, going to dual channel is vital as the pentium 4 needs the extra bandwidth with dual channel.