Buying new MB - Buy Triple Channel and use as Dual?

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WarlordBB

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jun 10, 2004
Messages
390
My 780i finally died so looks like I'm in the market.

I really hate this 1156 / 1366 - Dual Channel / Triple Channel crap. If all Core iX used one or the other, eventually I'd have 20 sticks of DDR3 like I have 20 sticks of DDR2. (In other words as I accumulated extra RAM I could use them how I wished).

For example, I'm strapped for cash at the moment so I'd like to just get a lowest end Core i3 setup but I'm getting a nice chunk of change the first of next month and would like to be able to use whatever RAM I buy now. Now I know I can pay no heed to Dual/Triple and potentially wind up with Single, but still...

So, my question is this, if I get me an i3 - 530 and cheap mobo to go with it but get 2 sets of Triple Channel (6x2GB), can I use just 2 of each set and have Dual just fine? For that matter, could you just buy Triple Channel exclusively and be fine no matter if you needed it for 1156 or 1366?

And a side question, is an overclocked i3 - 530 (the cheapest one) likely to give me similar performance to my Core 2 Duo Q6600 running at 3GHz?

Also, any buying advice for a cheap 1156 setup (since the cheapest 1366 with RAM looks like about $650 which is more than I got to spend atm) would be appreciated too. I'll be relegating the 1156 system to my wife at some point.

TIA
 
This might help answer your question about the RAM
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/261819-30-ddr3-triple-channel-dual-channel-boards

As for a cheap build you can pick up an EVGA P55 LE from the B-stock for $78 and shop around for the i3 530 lowest I seen so far was $114 shipped on newegg. I'd spend as little as possible on the ram as well.

For performance apparently the i3 530 will perform better than a C2D and they can also clock well over 4Ghz easily.
 
uhmm.. It seems like your going to be upgrading again in a couple months anyway so I would skip the i3, 1156 & just get a new mobo for now to run your c2q & then in a few months when you can do it right do it all then.. The way I see it there would be last wasted cash this way..

Edit: hell you can replace your current board for 50 bucks here & not even have to reinstall windows.
 
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