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1 x 8GB or 2 x 4GB

What should I do?

  • Get 2 x 4GB.

    Votes: 34 81.0%
  • Get 1 x 8GB.

    Votes: 8 19.0%

  • Total voters
    42
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Hi,

I know dual channel is faster but I'm scared that having a max capacity of 4 x 4GB could bottleneck me in the future, where as the single 8GB stick could allow to go up to 32GB.

Do you guys think that future games could ask more than 16GB?

What should I do?

Thanks for time and have a great day.
 

MxPhenom 216

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For gaming, you dont even need 16 gb right now, and I don't it'll change very drastically in the future.
 
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Neither, go 2x8.
 

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Nothing wrong with either way, except that you won't be in dual channel mode with a single stick. I would only do a 1x8 if you know you will be buying another of the same exact memory in the short-term future. Dual channel does help with throughput, but iirc doesn't do too much for latency. Throughput it was makes memory so useful though, because it's soooooo much faster than any SSD or HDD. Depending on your board you can always get another 2x4 kit later and do 4x4 and be fine. That's what I'd do, a 2x4 kit...in fact, that's what I'm running now.

:toast:
 

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For gaming, you dont even need 16 gb right now, and I don't it'll change very drastically in the future.
Minimum 8 GiB for Star Citizen and Thief 64-bit. More on the way. Minimum requirements for GTAV haven't been released yet but I expect it to be very high.
 

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2x4GB now and 2x8GB later for a total of 24GB in Dual-Channel.
 
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gaming 2x4, photo/video editing 1x8( for future increases)
 

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Go with 2x8

Hi,

I know dual channel is faster but I'm scared that having a max capacity of 4 x 4GB could bottleneck me in the future, where as the single 8GB stick could allow to go up to 32GB.

Do you guys think that future games could ask more than 16GB?

What should I do?

Thanks for time and have a great day.
 
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depends on the CPU in question aswell. However eventhough it might not be optimal from an overclocking perspective, if you're not planning on maxxing out on ram speeds you can also just aswell first put 2x4 in there, and later expand with 2x8. All modern CPU's handle that just fine, and gives you the extra flexibility you need.

Edit: Oops must've missed newtekies advice,..
 
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1x8 for now
and add 1x8 later
and add 1x8 later
and add 1x8 later

which reminds me, I need to max this guy out at 48GB :D
 
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Go with 2x8

It is over my budget. I can't spend that much on the memory now but I can another stick in a couple of month.

gaming 2x4, photo/video editing 1x8( for future increases)

I do only gaming but don't you think that games may require more than 16GB. In the future?

2x4GB now and 2x8GB later for a total of 24GB in Dual-Channel.

It is possible to do so? I thought all memory sticks had to be the same size.

Nothing wrong with either way, except that you won't be in dual channel mode with a single stick. I would only do a 1x8 if you know you will be buying another of the same exact memory in the short-term future. Dual channel does help with throughput, but iirc doesn't do too much for latency. Throughput it was makes memory so useful though, because it's soooooo much faster than any SSD or HDD. Depending on your board you can always get another 2x4 kit later and do 4x4 and be fine. That's what I'd do, a 2x4 kit...in fact, that's what I'm running now.

:toast:

My board will be either the Asus M6 Hero or Gene. I don't think I'll be able add ram for at least 4-5 months.
 

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Well go with a single of 8 then
 

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It is possible to do so? I thought all memory sticks had to be the same size.

Entirely possible. All the sticks don't have to be the same, the two channels have to match.
 
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Why is this even a question? Even if you only had two slots just sell it
 
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Buy 2 sticks no matter what you do.
 
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Thanks for your answers.

Minimum 8 GiB for Star Citizen and Thief 64-bit. More on the way. Minimum requirements for GTAV haven't been released yet but I expect it to be very high.
What if I'd get 2 x 4GB and 2 x 8GB, so 24GB, will I have enough memory this way?

Why is this even a question? Even if you only had two slots just sell it

I don't think I'll be able to sell it at a great price. It's a question of saving money.

depends on the CPU in question aswell. However eventhough it might not be optimal from an overclocking perspective, if you're not planning on maxxing out on ram speeds you can also just aswell first put 2x4 in there, and later expand with 2x8. All modern CPU's handle that just fine, and gives you the extra flexibility you need.

Edit: Oops must've missed newtekies advice,..

My CPU will be the I5 4690k. What do you mean it might not be optimal from an overclocking?

Buy 2 sticks no matter what you do.
Yeah that's what I think I'll do.
 

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What if I'd get 2 x 4GB and 2 x 8GB, so 24GB, will I have enough memory this way?
Depends on how long you intend to keep running this computer. If you upgrade frequently (three years or so) then it should be fine. Longer than that though, you might find yourself having to decide between replacing the 4 GiB sticks or upgrading the entire computer (DDR4).
 
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Depends on how long you intend to keep running this computer. If you upgrade frequently (three years or so) then it should be fine. Longer than that though, you might find yourself having to decide between replacing the 4 GiB sticks or upgrading the entire computer (DDR4).

Okay thank you guys I thinking I'll be fine with 24 GB then.
 
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the only thing that will require more than 8 gigs in the near future is graphics cards.i.e. 4k.
 
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Hi I figured I should inform you of some painfully obvious facts.

As you already know and have been informed of dual-channel is faster than single and for that reason a single 8GB module isn't viable in comparison to 2x4GB where these two options are the only available ones to choose from. Also when upgrading you generally can't simply add a new RAM module and you would be fine.

Upgrading normally means losing the previous kit and changing it to a new kit so with the single 8GB module it is not adding three more modules, but buying a set of 4x8GB modules to have a 32GB RAM kit.

For a RAM kit to come together it normally needs to be of the same revision and manufacturer for maximum compatibility without intermittent issues (which are sometimes seen in mismatched RAM kits), but they must be of the same specifications otherwise there will be issues that will occur whether it is ones which prevent machines from powering up or ones which cause unusual issues such as BSOD after booting up either immediately or after a while.

I recently tried buying the "Red Venom" equivalent of my current RAM, but because they were sold as singles this was fair disastrous in that all four modules were very different to each other in terms of revisions and batch numbers being far a part from each other. One had black PCB, three had Green PCB, but the rest of the features were the same, and as mentioned before the batch numbers were far apart from each other which caused compatibility issues. My bad luck was that one module (green PCB module) was faulty (prevented PC from powering up at all) so I could only use half the kit and one of the Green PCB modules would only work with the other Green PCB module and not the Black PCB module.

I ended up being refunded for the kit, went to another website and brought my current RAM which was sold as a matched kit. To date I have not had any issues at all and none relating to my RAM.

If you are upgrading buy the full upgrade immediately and not buy half the upgrade now and the other half later as it is likely to not work so well as is the same as buying two of the same RAM kit to make one, although sometimes you can be lucky; however I still won't recommend buying singles or two dual channel kits to make a four or more RAM module kit.
 

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Yes, actually generally you can just add a new RAM module or kit and be fine. I've done it so many times it isn't funny. In fact, pretty much none of the RAM in any of my machines(besides the 4 listed I have 5 more) has been bought at the same time or came in the same kits.

What sounds like happened to you is the exception to the rule, not the rule.
 
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2 sticks = dual channel mode.
1 = nothing..
Go 2 sticks.
3 if you have triple channel on your mobo.
 
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Get 2x4GB kit now and another 2x4GB kit later. I have 4x4GB and I have rarely seen it go above 8GB usage unless I have loaded multiple VMs. 32GB would only be useful for RAM Disk or some other specialized use. By the time 32GB becomes the norm, probably sometime during DDR4 lifetime, I'd think you'd probably be looking to upgrade your system anyway.
 
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Storage 2x 240gb SSD's + 1TB seagate
Display(s) 27" Acer 1920x1080
Case Corsair Carbide 200R
Power Supply OCZ Power 600W Modular
Keyboard Corsait K70 with red switches
Software Win10
SERIOUSLY. 2X4GB.
 
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