RAM question

jstevens
GoldLounger
Posts: 2617
Joined: 26 Jan 2010, 16:31
Location: Southern California

RAM question

Post by jstevens »

I have an old motherboard that uses DDR3. Is the un-buffered memory (Max 8GB) a maximum of total RAM or total RAM per slot?

Example: 4 dimm slots each having 2GB = 8GB or 4 dimm slots each having a maximum of 8GB = 32GB

4 * 240-pin DDR3 DIMM slots Supports Dual Channel DDR3 1333/1066 MHz non-ECC , un-buffered memory (Max 8GB)
Regards,
John

User avatar
Argus
GoldLounger
Posts: 3081
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 19:07

Re: RAM question

Post by Argus »

Depends a bit on how old. Do you have any information about the motherboard, manufacturer and/or model? Where is your info. from?

The typical max support (for a DDR3) is 8 GB per DIMM (but can be 16 GB).
So I would interpret that info ("(Max 8GB)") as 8 per DIMM; but if they mention max (in manuals) it is often the total.
Byelingual    When you speak two languages but start losing vocabulary in both of them.

jstevens
GoldLounger
Posts: 2617
Joined: 26 Jan 2010, 16:31
Location: Southern California

Re: RAM question

Post by jstevens »

Argus,

It is in an old Gateway; motherboard model H57m01.
Regards,
John

User avatar
Argus
GoldLounger
Posts: 3081
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 19:07

Re: RAM question

Post by Argus »

Socket LGA 1156, for Intel Nehalem & Westmere, is in the early part of the DDR3-era, I would say. It is certainly not 4x8, 32; there were some 4x4, 16, H57 motherboards. (At the time I think max for the CPU was 16 GB, but then there's all other things on the motherboard; and manufact. "market segmentation", low/med/high end, although the chipset may set some limits.) And it seems it is 2 GB per slot; 2 banks of 2, thus 4X2 GB. (At the time we often saw 4, 6, and sometimes 8 GB in total.) To sum: on the "Intel side", 16 GB max says CPU and the H57 chipset, then it depends on what Gateway spec. the motherboard. Some can go from 8 to 16 (with the right memory).
Byelingual    When you speak two languages but start losing vocabulary in both of them.

jstevens
GoldLounger
Posts: 2617
Joined: 26 Jan 2010, 16:31
Location: Southern California

Re: RAM question

Post by jstevens »

Thanks Argus!
Regards,
John