Dual Channel At All Cost?

The laptop that I am eyeing comes equipped with 16GB RAM, but it does so as 16GBx1.

I feel that 16GB is enough for what I want it to do, but I am also somewhat uncomfortable with not running at dual-channel.

If you were me, would you:

#1 live with the single stick of 16GB?

#2 replace it with 8GBx2 and then try to recoup some of the costs? (local pricing: $240CAD then minus whatever I can sell the 16GBx1 for)

#3 splurge and buy another stick of 16GB at the same time? (local pricing: $240CAD)

#4 find another make and model that has 8GBx2 out of the box?

https://www.gamersnexus.net/guides/1349-ram-how-dual-channel-works-vs-single-channel/Page-3

Single channel is sufficient for all but AMD APUs as their IGP are memory starved

https://www.gamersnexus.net/guides/...ory-kit-benchmarks-and-single-vs-dual-channel

Add 2nd stick of 16GB and forget about it.

The CPU will take anywhere from 0-25% performance hit depending on the software used.
My 3770K is faster in game than the 6700K if the later is in single channel.

Dual

Single

Thanks everyone! It looks like I will survive with 16GBx1, but it will be worthwhile to throw in that second stick of 16GB to make it into 16GBx2, ASAP.

Please excuse me while I leave to break the news to my embattled wallet....

TheStiggyOne said:

Please excuse me while I leave to break the news to my embattled wallet....

Click to expand...

Do you need it?

I'm a bit of a fan of buying what you need when you need it. If the lack of dual channel doesn't affect your workload, why incur the cost now instead of waiting till it does, or perhaps a good holiday sale at least?

I'm a hardware geek. More is better.

My mild OCD would prefer me to always have the proper number of channels populated. But as others have said I wouldn't move until I needed the memory.

DrLobotomy said:

Add 2nd stick of 16GB and forget about it.

Click to expand...

This if you can afford it.... get another one and think about something else. haha