Why is some memory installed in pairs?

You’re planning a memory upgrade on one of your laptop computers, and you notice that the manufacturer requires that memory modules are installed in pairs. Why might this requirement be part of the memory specifications?

A) The memory modules are redundant. If one fails, the other module will continue to operate.

B) The memory modules are dual-sided, but the laptop motherboard can only access one side of the memory to save battery power.

C) The laptop motherboard doubles the available memory throughput when two memory modules are used.

D) The laptop motherboard was engineered before large-capacity memory was widely available.

E) The laptop manufacturers are in secret pacts with the memory manufacturers to increase the sales of memory modules. It’s an international conspiracy!

The answer: C) The laptop motherboard doubles the available memory throughput when two memory modules are used

Motherboards that support a dual-channel architecture can effectively double the throughput of their memory bandwidth by installing memory modules in pairs. Different motherboards use these multiple channels differently, so you should check your documentation to determine the appropriate type and speed of memory to use.

Want to know more? Watch “Installing and Upgrading Memory.” The process of installing or upgrading a computer system’s memory is easy to accomplish if you have the right procedures in place. In this video, we’ll walk you through every step of memory installation. You’ll learn how to select the correct memory modules, how to physically install the new memory, and how you can check your work after the installation is complete.