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Does a CPU with 2 memory channels support using 4 sticks of RAM?
Discussion
My CPU only has 2 memory channels. But my motherboard will support up to 4 sticks of RAM. I've heard that that the CPU having 2 memory channels means it can use 4 sticks of RAM. Is this true? Could I use up to 4 sticks?
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This is true. It supports 2 DIMMs per channel, so four in total.
A channel is 2 slots?
It CAN use up to four sticks, yes. It's still dual channel, it's just double-populated dual-channel (true quad-channel RAM CPUs do exist, but it's highly unlikely you have one).
That said, it's almost always better to run 2 sticks than 4 if you have the option. I used to always recommend getting a four slot motherboard, but then personally found that adding two sticks to an in-place two-stick kit was a bigger pain-in-the-ass than it should be. And getting RAM running at rated speeds is ALWAYS easier with two sticks than four.
Finally, if it's a situation of DDR4, RAM is so goddamn cheap right now that if you want to go from 16GB (2x8GB) to 32GB (2x16GB), you can usually just sell your old kit on like ebay, and even after the fees, it's within a few dollars of the same net cost as if you bought another 2x8GB kit.
Yes, all normal consumer CPUs are 2 memory channels at maximum. A consumer motherboard with 4 memory slots has 2 slots per channel. This is why it's recommended to always have at least 2 sticks of RAM, and Motherboards have specific instructions for where to place RAM sticks based on how many you have.