True or not? ( dual channel question)

[DeathFromAbove]

I am helping my bro build his computer but I am not sure about something. Is it true that in order for dual channel to work you have to buy the RAM in a pack of 2. For example if I buy a stick of 512mb of kingstone memory on monday but then i decide to buy another stick on friday of the exact same type of memory will they work in dual channel? or do i have to buy those packs that have 2 sticks of 512mb so they could work in dual channel? I know about how both of them have to be in a certain slot to work in dual channel but... sum 1 told me that they have to be in a pack like this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820141423 in order for them to work in dual channel ?

[Snake101]

They don't have to be in a pack. All that being in a pack means is that they are garenteed to work in dual channel mode.
Surprisingly enough...I have two sticks of 512MB that run in dual channel. But heres the catch...they are completely different brands and one is DDR266 while the other is DDR333 (and yes...I am sure they are running in dual channel, I looked at the POST screen and in CPU-Z).

[DeathFromAbove]

Surprisingly enough...I have two sticks of 512MB that run in dual channel. But heres the catch...they are completely different brands and one is DDR266 while the other is DDR333 (and yes...I am sure they are running in dual channel, I looked at the POST screen and in CPU-Z).

WTH!! That's crazy Snake.

[Got3n™]

yeah what it will do it try to clock the memory chips the same.

And no you dont have to buy them in pairs, its better to cause they are tested to work in Dual channel then those 2 are packaged together.

[Merlin]

They don't have to be in a pack. All that being in a pack means is that they are garenteed to work in dual channel mode.
Surprisingly enough...I have two sticks of 512MB that run in dual channel. But heres the catch...they are completely different brands and one is DDR266 while the other is DDR333 (and yes...I am sure they are running in dual channel, I looked at the POST screen and in CPU-Z).

They may well be running in dual channel, but the DDR266 stick is limiting the Front Side Bus to 266 Mhz (the slowest of the two sticks) making the fact that you have a DDR333 stick that is being limited to 266, as both sticks will only run at the speed of the slowest.