Dual channel or not, only have 2 RAM slots

[i want a laptop]

Here is my dilema. I doing a new (much needed) build. (More of an upgrade, my motherboard and CPU are garbage, I have PSU, DVD drives, hard drives, etc)I won't be doing any gaming, so rule that out. I am going to be going with an enconomy build, I am liking the looks of the Biostar combo deal. Newegg is sold out, I am going to buy from either axiontech or directron. But all I need is really some RAM and I am up and running, I have everything else.

Here's the newegg link just for reference.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138133

Now one of the downsides (I guess) of this motherboard is that it only has 2 RAM slots. It does support dual channel memory however. Now I don't know much about dual channel memory, but from looking on newegg, you can only get dual channel memory in 2 sticks. Like you can't buy 1 stick of dual channel memory, have to buy 2. So a 1 GB stick of DDR2 800 is 12.50 with free shipping. So I can throw in 1 now, and maybe another later on, or throw in a 2GB or something, who knows. A 1 GB dual channel kit, which is 2 512MB sticks, is 16 bucks and free shipping. I could care less about the money difference. But I only have 2 slots, and that is 2 sticks. So...if I want to upgrade to 2 GB one day...I am screwed because I have to take out the 1 GB set (2 sticks) and then throw in the 2GB, so I am stuck with this RAM I am not using....

So is dual channel worth it? Should I go with the dual channel or just get the single channel stick and upgrade easily later on if I need/want to.

 

[Atomic Rooster]

You really wont see any real performance difference between running in dual channel mode or regular mode. It is faster in dual channel mode, but not enough to worry about.

You'll be fine running a single 1GB stick now than adding another later.

 

[i want a laptop]

Really? So dual channel really isn't worth the cash? Not all it's cracked up to be?

 

[Atomic Rooster]

Yea, it shows some improvement when gaming and running memory intensive apps. The price differences aren't that great either.

For example:

Kingston 1GB (2 x 512MB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - $15.99

Kingston 1GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Desktop Memory - $12.99


This is the best value: Crucial 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - $22.99

 

[i want a laptop]

Alright I'll go with one stick of 1GB single channel RAM for now. Thanks!