RAM : 2GB Dual Channel or 3GB

Could any of you answer my questions? Getting really pissed as the answers were not upto the mark. Sorry for being rude but try to understand.

1. Would it hard on performance, stability or chances of frying up my motherboard if I do buy a Transcend DDR2 2GB 800 Mhz or any other brand (but not dynet)? As I want to be able to play recent games. I have a GT240 GDDR5 1GB GPU, 32-Bit Windows XP.

2. Would I have to change over to 64-Bit so that my PC can detect both my 3GB RAM(If 3GB is recommended by you guys.) as well as my GPU?

3. I don't have enough cash to buy both, the 1GB and the 2GB to test. So please understand my problem.

4. Would there be any noticeable difference (by noticeable, I mean NOTICEABLE)between the 2 GB (2 x 1GB DDR2 800Mhz both but not the same brand.) and the 3GB? (1 x 1GB + 1 x 2GB Different brand, but same speed, ie, 800 Mhz). And no, I don't know how to set up Dual Channel. May search up the internet for tutorials. But shouldn't it be like automatic or something if I just plug it into my Mobo?

It would be nice of you if you would answer these questions as deep as possible. I'm a complete and I mean a complete noob. So it would be really nice if you pros help me out. And I will be indebted to you. (Just kidding, but seriously.)
 
1. No

2. No. If you go with 4GB or more, you would need a 64 bit OS.

3. Ok.

4. Dual channel memory configurations work best when using identical memory modules. This means same brand, speed, capacity, timings, latencies, etc. Identical means everything is identical. If not, you will suffer performance and/or stability issues. Most of the time the motherboard can detect this and run the memory in dual channel mode.

Hope this helps.
 
no it will not hit hard on performance. (not if it is the same capacity and mhz)
it's just that your PC might not boot with it. most likely it will. but as a rule of thumb you don't mix RAM.
it will NOT fry your motherboard.

32bit XP can handle 3-3,5GB ram when also having a dedicated graphic-card, so you don't have to worry about that.

dual channel is automatically activated when using the right slots on the motherboard.

i don't know the difference between having 2 or 3 gig when playing new games.
mostly because that almost no gamer uses less then 4 gig. i think you will be able to notes performance boost with 3 gig, but if i should take a guess i would say from 20fps to 24fps in crysis.

if you are not gonna get a kit with 2 modules(which would be the best option if you where not on so tight a budget) then i think you should go for the 2GB module, and if it does not boot, send it back to the store. (you maybe gonna get your money back. i have tryed that with a graphic card)
(if it does not boot the first time try use 2 slots right next to each other (enabling single channel))

hope it helps you make a decision.
 
Yeah lol make sure those RAM sticks have the same specs as each other. If they don't they can cause a lot of performance issues, usually intermittent ones. So match your RAM evenly. See how much RAM each DIMM can take on your mo-bo and you may be better off just buying a bundle of 2 sticks of the highest amount of RAM each slot can take rather than adding an extra two sticks. Dual channel will still work with 4 sticks though, obviously, but the dual channel RAM is only about 5-10% better than single channel. Just make sure the RAM is compatible with your mo-bo.

Edit: I'd go with a minimum of 4GB of RAM for gaming. Windows already uses up a GB anyways. Also, dual channel is just the physical RAM sticks themselves, not the amount of RAM. You could technically have 2 2.5GB RAM sticks and still run dual channel, just to give you some clarification. The two DIMMs (RAM slots) that go together with dual channel RAM will be the same color btw.
 
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