What is today's memory quad channel?

Question

What is today's memory quad channel meaning?

For example, does this counts as a quad channel or dual-dual channel?

2x8GB 10-10-10-30 1600 + 2x4GB 9-9-9-24 1866

In the sense Quad I would think that 4x8GB with the same frequency and parity would be the correct way to go, however I do see it accepts all sort of combinations I do know it would impact a downgrade or even an overclock depending on the combination you try to push into it so, how is memory quad channel today?

Are we still limited to memory parities and frequency is a dual-dual channel considered to be a quad setup?

Would love some one that could put this in simple words.

I have also noticed there is a tag for dual-channel but not for quad-channel.

Answer 1

Quad channel RAM kits offer wider bandwidth on motherboards that support it, which results in faster transferring speed. If you motherboard only support dual-channel RAM, then getting quad-channel kit won't get you any increase in bandwidth over dual-channel.

What this basically means there is virtually no difference between dual-channel memory and quad-channel memory kits. What makes the difference is what memory channel modes supported by the motherboard. Most Quadruple Channel motherboards support Quad, Dual, and Single depending on how many modules are installed in what slot.

Quadruple-channel:

The architecture can only be used when all four, or a multiple of four, memory modules are identical in capacity and speed, and are placed in quad-channel slots. When two memory modules are installed, the architecture will operate in dual-channel architecture mode. When three memory modules are installed, the architecture will operate in triple-channel architecture mode.

Triple Channel:

When operating in triple-channel mode, memory latency is reduced due to interleaving, meaning that each module is accessed sequentially for smaller bits of data rather than completely filling up one module before accessing the next one. Data is spread amongst the modules in an alternating pattern, potentially tripling available memory bandwidth for the same amount of data, as opposed to storing it all on one module.

The architecture can only be used when all three, or a multiple of three, memory modules are identical in capacity and speed, and are placed in three-channel slots. When two memory modules are installed, the architecture will operate in dual-channel architecture mode.

Dual-Channel

Dual-channel-enabled memory controllers in a PC system architecture utilize 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.

To answer your specific question:

For example, does this counts as a quad channel or dual-dual channel?

2x8GB 10-10-10-30 1600 + 2x4GB 9-9-9-24 1866

You would have to enable Quadruple-Channel mode within your BIOS/UEFI.

Specific to your motherboard:

You have to install identical DDR3 DIMM in DDR3_A1, DDR3_B1, DDR3_D1 and DDR3_C1 (Black slots; see p.11 No.2 and No. 5), so that Quad Channel Memory Technology can be activated

If only two memory modules are installed in the DDR3 DIMM slots, then Dual Channel Memory Technology is activated. If three memory modules are installed, then Triple Channel Memory Technology is activated. If four memory modules are installed in the DDR3 DIMM slots, then Quad Channel Memory Technology is activated.

Since your memory modules are not identical you might not be able to activate Quad Channel Memory Technology.