Triple channel kits in an LG775

[Maplicito]

My dad and I both are running socket 775 systems, and have both been thinking of a RAM upgrade. As I've been looking around, I've seen some deals on triple channel kits that are tempting... ie, 2 triple channel kits would cost less than 3 dual channel kits.

So, that has me wondering. Most of the people I've spoken to have said "ram is ram", and that sticks from the triple channel kits should be able to function fine as dual channel RAM in an LG 775 system.

Has anyone found that to be the case in practice? If so, that brings up another question.

The triple channel kits are all rated for lower voltages. I know one reason is because you don't want to fry an i7 system with the higher voltage, but does it speak to the actual voltage capability of the system? The reason I'm asking that is, if we bought 2 triple channel kits, my dad would likely use 4 sticks in his system, so keeping everything at the right voltage would be easy enough, but I would be trying to use 2 sticks in conjunction with the 2 sticks I already have, and those sticks are running at somewhere around 1.9 or 1.95v. Is running sticks from a triple channel kit at that kind of voltage going to fry them?

I guess the simple question would be - is it unwise to mix 2 sticks from a triple channel kit with 2 sticks from a dual channel kit on an LG 775 motherboard?

[Soultribunal]

As far as I am aware, Tri-Channel Kits Cannot Be used in anything but an i7 System.
And, if used in an i7 System, they need to be grouped in Trios of Sticks to function.

So, your Best bet is to stick with the Dual Channel Kits out there.

Regards,
ST

[Arinoth]

I do believe it would be unwise to mix 2 sticks from a triple channel kit with 2 sticks from a dual channel kit, especially since i don't believe most LG775 boards are really designed or benefit that much from triple channel ram compared to LG1366 boards do.

[Linus]

Should be fine.

The OP is talking about buying two triple channel kits so that one system can have 8GB in dual channel and the other can have 4GB in dual channel.

If you're buying all the same RAM (same vendor, same speed, same timings, etc) the odds of it not functioning in dual channel is slim to none.

[Soultribunal]

Originally Posted by Linus

Should be fine.

The OP is talking about buying two triple channel kits so that one system can have 8GB in dual channel and the other can have 4GB in dual channel.

If you're buying all the same RAM (same vendor, same speed, same timings, etc) the odds of it not functioning in dual channel is slim to none.

That has to be the first I've honestly heard of Tri-Channel in a Dual Channel Config.
I would imagine you would need to do some serious Undervolting on the Sticks then if thats the case?

ST

[Eldonko]

Yeah the tri-channel will be speced for less voltage than the dual but as far as I know it should work on a 775 board assuming it does not give too much voltage at start up.

[Linus]

Why would you need to undervolt anything? You'd be running the RAM at stock voltage: 1.65V

A whole lot of noise gets made about dual channel, triple channel, the English channel, etc but I've VERY rarely encountered modules that won't run dual channel with each other. Within the same family of chips (which you'd likely be getting ordering 2 sets of 3 modules) the odds of them not working are very very low.

That said, it COULD happen and you wouldn't be entitled to an RMA.

Personally I have two i7 systems running at home (mine and my girlfriend's) that each have 12GB of DDR3, and each system is running 3 dual channel kits. I've mix and matched them every which-way and they always work fine in triple channel.

[Eldonko]

Yeah exactly. Memory is memory, you just have to keep an eye on the voltages and get the same modules.

[Maplicito]

Thanks for the responses. Now, I'm at work, so I can't get into my bios to check this - is it likely my bios will let me set the voltage for each pair of sticks? Or am I likely to only be able to set the voltage for all the sticks as one group? I'm running a P5E3 Deluxe motherboard if anyone's familiar with it.

The reason I'm asking is I already have a pair of sticks that run at around 1.9v, and I'm not sure if they'll run well at 1.65v, but I'm not eager to force sticks from a triple channel kit to operate at 1.9v either. That, and where I'm already running at 4GB, I'm not too eager to drop those 2 sticks just to stay at 4GB.

[Eldonko]

I would boot with one of your old sticks, drop voltage to 1.65v, shut down, and throw the new ones in. Dont mix and match the mem.