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Multi-channel memory architecture increases data transfer rates between memory and the memory controller by adding multiple communication channels. Dual-channel uses two channels, quad-channel uses four channels, and some systems from the 1990s supported up to eight channels. Dual-channel doubles theoretical memory bandwidth by using two independent 64-bit memory buses or a single 128-bit bus, though modern implementations favor maintaining two independent buses.

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113 views

Multi-Channel Memory Architecture: Jump To Navigation Jump To Search

Multi-channel memory architecture increases data transfer rates between memory and the memory controller by adding multiple communication channels. Dual-channel uses two channels, quad-channel uses four channels, and some systems from the 1990s supported up to eight channels. Dual-channel doubles theoretical memory bandwidth by using two independent 64-bit memory buses or a single 128-bit bus, though modern implementations favor maintaining two independent buses.

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Multi-channel memory architecture

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In the fields of digital electronics and computer hardware, multi-channel memory


architecture is a technology that increases the data transfer rate between
the DRAM memory and the memory controller by adding more channels of
communication between them. Theoretically this multiplies the data rate by exactly the
number of channels present. Dual-channel memory employs two channels. The
technique goes back as far as the 1960s having been used in IBM System/360 Model
91 and in CDC 6600.[1]
Modern high-end processors like the Intel Core i9 and AMD Ryzen Threadripper series,
along with various Intel Xeons support quad-channel memory. In March 2010, AMD
released Socket G34 and Magny-Cours Opteron 6100 series[2] processors with support
for quad-channel memory. In 2006, Intel released chipsets that support quad-channel
memory for its LGA771 platform[3] and later in 2011 for its LGA2011 platform.
[4]
 Microcomputer chipsets with even more channels were designed; for example, the
chipset in the AlphaStation 600 (1995) supports eight-channel memory, but
the backplane of the machine limited operation to four channels. [5]

Contents

 1Dual-channel architecture
o 1.1Operation
o 1.2Performance
o 1.3Ganged versus unganged
 2Triple-channel architecture
o 2.1Operation
o 2.2Supporting processors
 3Quad-channel architecture
o 3.1Operation
o 3.2Supporting processors
 4Six-channel architecture
 5Eight-channel architecture
 6See also
 7References
 8External links

Dual-channel architecture[edit]

Dual-channel memory slots, color-coded orange and yellow for this particular motherboard.

Dual-channel-enabled memory controllers in a PC system architecture use two 64-bit


data channels. Dual-channel should not be confused with double data rate (DDR), in
which data exchange happens twice per DRAM clock. The two technologies are
independent of each other, and many motherboards use both by using DDR memory in
a dual-channel configuration.
Operation[edit]
Dual-channel architecture requires a dual-channel-capable motherboard and two or
more DDR, DDR2, DDR3, DDR4, or DDR5 memory modules. The memory modules are
installed into matching banks, each of which belongs to a different channel. The
motherboard's manual will provide an explanation of how to install memory for that
particular unit. A matched pair of memory modules may usually be placed in the first
bank of each channel, and a different-capacity pair of modules in the second bank.
[6]
 Modules rated at different speeds can be run in dual-channel mode, although the
motherboard will then run all memory modules at the speed of the slowest module.
Some motherboards, however, have compatibility issues with certain brands or models
of memory when attempting to use them in dual-channel mode. For this reason, it is
generally advised to use identical pairs of memory modules, which is why most memory
manufacturers now sell "kits" of matched-pair DIMMs. Several motherboard
manufacturers only support configurations where a "matched pair" of modules are used.
A matching pair needs to match in:

 Capacity (e.g. 1024 MB). Certain Intel chipsets support different capacity chips in
what they call Flex Mode: the capacity that can be matched is run in dual-channel,
while the remainder runs in single-channel.
 Speed (e.g. PC5300). If speed is not the same, the lower speed of the two
modules will be used. Likewise, the higher latency of the two modules will be used.
 Same CAS Latency (CL) or Column Address Strobe.
 Number of chips and sides (e.g. two sides with four chips on each side).
 Matching size of rows and columns.
Dual-channel architecture is a technology implemented on motherboards by the
motherboard manufacturer and does not apply to memory modules. Theoretically any
matched pair of memory modules may be used in either single- or dual-channel
operation, provided the motherboard supports this architecture.
Performance[edit]
Theoretically, dual-channel configurations double the memory bandwidth when
compared to single-channel configurations. This should not be confused with double
data rate (DDR) memory, which doubles the usage of DRAM bus by transferring data
both on the rising and falling edges of the memory bus clock signals.
A benchmark performed by TweakTown, using SiSoftware Sandra, measured around
70% increase in performance of a quadruple-channel configuration, when compared to
a dual-channel configuration.[7]:p. 5 Other tests performed by TweakTown on the same
subject showed no significant differences in performance, leading to a conclusion that
not all benchmark software is up to the task of exploiting increased parallelism offered
by the multi-channel memory configurations.[7]:p. 6
Ganged versus unganged[edit]
Dual-channel was originally conceived as a way to maximize memory throughput by
combining two 64-bit buses into a single 128-bit bus. [disputed  –  discuss][citation needed] This is
retrospectively called the "ganged" mode. However, due to lackluster performance
gains in consumer applications,[8] more modern implementations of dual-channel use the
"unganged" mode by default, which maintains two 64-bit memory buses but allows
independent access to each channel, in support of multithreading with multi-core
processors.[9][10]
"Ganged" versus "unganged" difference could also be envisioned as an analogy with
the way RAID 0 works, when compared to JBOD.[11] With RAID 0 (which is analogous to
"ganged" mode), it is up to the additional logic layer to provide better (ideally even)
usage of all available hardware units (storage devices, or memory modules) and
increased overall performance. On the other hand, with JBOD (which is analogous to
"unganged" mode) it is relied on the statistical usage p

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