Memory frequency

[boromaill]

I use one stick of 4 gb ddr3 1600 MHz memory but in cpuz its stated that my memory frequency its 800 MHz, in bios I have set manually the frequency to 1600 mhz. Why is it so low?

 

[cdawall]

Google what DDR means and it will answer your question.

 

[sneekypeet]

cdawall is correct. Any time you read memory speed in CPU-Z, it is listed there at half its actual rated speed.

 

[boromaill]

Thanks and btw if I had two sticks would it rise the frequency by running it in dual channel?

 

[cdawall]

Not how that works

 

[TRUELOVE95]

Hi there, the RAM sticks will effectively run at the lowest speed of the stick spec, if you had two sticks, providing they work together (if they are each a different speed) the lowest speed will be the default speed.

A matched pair of ram sticks has been tested to work together, so if you purchase another 1600 DDR 3 stick the same model and brand will have the best chance of working together as you have to buy a matched pair to garuntee they will boot up your pc and work as a pair.

The lowest speed is the speed, so two 1600mhz sticks will give you 1600mhz

 

[cdawall]

Doesn't matter the specs of the sticks if you put two in the system and they are in the correct slots if the unit is capable of dual channel it will run in dual channel. That however has literally NOTHING to do with the speed of the ram sticks. DoubleDataRate memory Doubles the effective Data Rate, this is has nothing to do with dual channel. In theory SDR could function in dual channel.

 

[Aquinus]

As @cdawall said, if you do a quick Google search, you'll find that DDR stands for double data rate. It's called this because DDR can do memory transfers both when the clock cycle rises and falls (which means two transfers per clock,) so 800Mhz is the actual clock rate whereas 1600Mhz is the effective clock rate. Neither is wrong, they just mean different things. It would be more correct to say that DDR3-1600 runs at 800Mhz with a transfer rate of 1600 MT/s (mega-transfers per second.)

 

[TRUELOVE95]

in regards to Dual Channel Memory Architecture

Dual-channel architecture requires a dual-channel-capable motherboard and two or more DDR, DDR2 SDRAM, or DDR3 SDRAM memory modules. The memory modules are installed into matching banks, which are usually color-coded on the motherboard. These separate channels allow the memory controller access to each memory module. It is not required that identical modules be used (if motherboard supports it), but this is often recommended for best dual-channel operation.

So if you were to install another same ram spec in the same channel (recommended for speed) the sticks would have to be a pair match, same brand and spec.

 

[cdawall]

in regards to Dual Channel Memory Architecture

Dual-channel architecture requires a dual-channel-capable motherboard and two or more DDR, DDR2 SDRAM, or DDR3 SDRAM memory modules. The memory modules are installed into matching banks, which are usually color-coded on the motherboard. These separate channels allow the memory controller access to each memory module. It is not required that identical modules be used (if motherboard supports it), but this is often recommended for best dual-channel operation.

Dual channel works on a multitude of memories outside of DDR1, 2 and 3.

 

[Aquinus]

Dual channel works on a multitude of memories outside of DDR1, 2 and 3.

This. It's merely widening the width of the data bus, going from 64-bit to 128-bit. Number of transfers remains the same, you just can move twice as much per clock going from one channel to two, or two to four (256-bit).

 

[cdawall]

This. It's merely widening the width of the data bus, going from 64-bit to 128-bit. Number of transfers remains the same, you just can move twice as much per clock going from one channel to two, or two to four (256-bit).

Yup I believe the first dimm's to support it were actually the RDRAM of rambus on intel's i840 chipset.

 

[Aquinus]

Yup I believe the first dimm's to support it were actually the RDRAM of rambus on intel's i840 chipset.

The Motorola 68000 could switch between 8-bit and 16-bit data bus widths, that could be two whole different SRAM modules! Of course, I'm simplifying it, it really could be as any many as you wanted to stripe it across.

 

[cdawall]

The Motorola 68000 could switch between 8-bit and 16-bit data bus widths, that could be two whole different SRAM modules! Of course, I'm simplifying it, it really could be any many as you wanted to stripe it across.

Yup it is quite strange how it isn't limited to DDR types of memory