The Clock Rate of DDR2 RAM on a PC2-4200 Dual Channel
PC2-4200 memory — also known as DDR2-533 — is a type of computer memory that operates at a clock rate of 133 MHz and transfers data four times each clock cycle. A dual-channel motherboard allows PC2-4200 memory to transfer data across two channels simultaneously, doubling the maximum possible data transfer rate. While dual-channel operation improves the transfer rate of memory, it does not alter the clock speed; PC2-4200 memory continues to operate at 133 MHz.
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About Dual-Channel Memory
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A single PC2-4200 memory module has a maximum bandwidth of approximately 4.26GB per second. A dual-channel configuration using PC2-4200 memory would require two modules with the same capacity and adds a second physical connection over which the memory communicates with the computer's processor or Northbridge chip. This increases the maximum possible memory bandwidth to approximately 8.52GB per second. More recent memory technologies increase the number of channels to as many as four. For example, a quad-channel configuration with PC3-12800 DDR3-SDRAM has a maximum bandwidth of 51.2GB per second.
Installing Dual-Channel Memory
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The memory slots on a motherboard designed for dual-channel operation are typically numbered and color-coded. For best operation, dual-channel configurations require memory modules with the same speed, features and capacity. Many manufacturers sell memory in matched pairs for this purpose. When installing dual-channel memory, use memory slots with matching colors and populate the lowest-numbered slots first.
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Performance Benefit
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In 2007, computer website Tom's Hardware studied the impact of dual-channel memory on overall computer performance and found the benefit to be minimal. Tom's Hardware recorded increases from 82.3 to 85.9 frames per second in "Call of Duty 2," 138 to 140.2 frames per second in "Prey" and 197.9 to 201.6 frames per second in "Quake IV."
Confirming Dual-Channel Support
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You can confirm dual-channel support by examining your computer's motherboard for different-colored memory slots or consulting the instruction manual. If you do not have access to the manual or do not want to open your computer, you can use the free utility CPU-Z. If your motherboard has dual-channel support, the "Channels #" field under the "Memory" tab should display the word "Dual."
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