DDR3 "Triple" Channel RAM on Dual Channel mobo?

[AllGamer]

Hi guys,

It's been a while.

So, I'm in the mist of setting up yet another beefy machine, but the stores i frequent for parts ran out of Dual Channel DDR3 kits. (testing out i5/ low end i7 / Phenom II 965BE)

Seems like everyone only carries the Triple Channel kits for the standard i7 mobos.

which brings me to wonder if i can use 2 sticks out of a Triple Channel kit to get Dual Channel working on those AM3 and LLGA1156 mobos

Cheers!

[Steve R Jones]

DDR3 SDRAM is an improvement over its predecessor, DDR2 SDRAM, and the two are not compatible.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDR3_SDRAM

[Train]

if i can use 2 sticks out of a Triple Channel kit to get Dual Channel working on those AM3 and LLGA1156 mobos

As long as the ram is compatable, yes using only 2 out of the three in the pack should work just fine.

[AllGamer]

Steve, both the AM3 and LLGA1156 uses DDR3 not DDR2

i was wondering if there's any construction/design issues with those Triple Channel sticks, that might not work if you are not using all 3 sticks, since they were designed with LGA1366 in mind.


Technically speaking i tend to be inclined to what Train says, i can't see any obvious reason why the Triple Channel will not work on Dual Channel setup.

[Train]

The idea behind those multi packs like that is cut the possibility of NON-compatibility between sticks.

[Steve R Jones]

Not sure where I got the idea you'd be mixing ddr2 and ddr3. Me Blind.