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Dual Channel

February 21st, 2010 admin No comments

Dual Channel

Intel'S Triple-Channel Memory

Today, I will be talking about another feature of the Intel X58 Motherboard: Triple-channel memory. But to completely comprehend the concept of this new system, first I'm going to explain the basics of dual-channel memory.

The dual-channel memory technology was created based on its predecessor, the single-channel memory. This memory technology began by addressing the relationship between the memory controller and the processor; the processor would process data and create commands, and the memory controller would regulate this flow of data and commands, and sends them into other components such as the actual memory(RAM) and other smaller components(IDE, USB, etc.). Simply put, under the single-channel memory, a processor with a bus speed greater than that of the RAM would cause a "traffic jam" of data and commands in the memory and, consequently, they would not reach all of the components; if all of these commands and data files do not reach the other components, they would not operate, and the processor would have nothing to process.

The dual-channel memory technology was created in order to cope with the higher demands of processors. Now, instead of having a single channel through the memory controller, there are now two, and because of this, RAM can now keep up with the demands of the processors.

Now, because there are processors like INtel's Core i7 with quad core technology and ridiculous processing speeds, Intel had to create triple-channel memory technology. Simply put, instead of having two channels like dual-channel memory, there are now three; you can install a set of three memory modules into the motherboard, and the motherboard will have more channels to push data and commands to other components.

So there you have it, the explanation of Triple-Channel Memory! But how will this effect us? Well, it won't effect us at this moment; because DDR3 dual-channel enabled memory can still keep up with Core i7's processing speeds, having triple-channel enabled memory would just create one more channel that the processor will have when it needs more room to push data and commands. This technology, however, will definitely effect us in the future; as processing manufacturers release more and more high-speed and high-quality processors, dual-channel memory will be unable to keep up with the demands of the new processors, and we will eventually move on to triple-channel memory and maybe abandon dual-channel memory as ancient technology.

About the Author

A student who learned how to build a computer at the age of 15, Aki H. has now started a blogging site to help people learn more about computers. To read his numerous computer hardware articles, go to www.ImIcarus.com