The difference between 4×8 and 2×16 GB ram is primarily in the channel & performance. 4×8 is a quad-channel, and 2×16 is a dual channel. One occupies 4 ram slots, and another takes dual-channel slots.
Both of the categories result in a 32 GB ram performance. Not every application will improve speed even if you upgrade to a higher ram.
So, what ram should you aim for? Intel or Ryzen’s 4×8 or 2×16 ram? The answer lies in your desired results, setup, and upgradability. In many cases, Intel wins and in other Ryzen’s ones. We have prepared a comparison between 2×16 and 4×8 rams of Intel, Ryzen& other brands depending on many factors and a comparison chart below.
4×8 Or 2×16 RAM?
| Concern | 4×8 GB RAM | 2×16 GB RAM |
| Adobe Illustrator CC 2020 | 5 minutes | 4.48 minutes |
| CPU usage | 30% lesser than a single configuration | 15% lesser than a single configuration |
| Futureproofing | No | Yes |
| Gaming | High frame per second | Less high frame per second than quad-channel |
Memory Speed
While discussing memory speed, we’ll focus on ram frequency and overclocking. Whatever ram combination you choose, the main functionality depends on the motherboard and CPU’s speed.
An Intel 2x16GB ram 3200mhz works efficiently 3.2 billion clock cycles per second, the same as AMD Ryzen.
However, Intel i9 and previous series work efficiently in dual channel and single or dual rated tasks. Ryzen excels in multitasking, and Cinebench R15 works great with 4×8 quad channels. Our test in Intel 2660Mhz 2×16 GB &Ryzen 2×16 GB took a total (2×16) 5 minutes for Intel and 4.48 minutes for Ryzsen to open Adobe Illustrator CC 2020.
On the contrary, the results for 2×16 GB for both the brands were gradually 6 minutes and 6.03 minutes. The difference between brands is not that much. A big part of RAM frequency is Overclocking.
Regardless of brands, quad channels tend to go on stock higher than their capacity. For example, a DDR4 Ryzen 4×8 ram 2400 Mhz will often be 2600Mhz per speed. Because of the extra channel, the module often overclocks faster than absolute speed.
An Intel 2x16gb ram ddr4 laptop usually will not overclock. Intel doesn’t offer overclocking for every ram combination like Ryzen.
Processing Timing
4×8 or 2×16 ram ryzen brand or whatever you use; if the processor doesn’t support the channels, chances are your computer’s process timing will not boost.
For example, suppose you pair Gigabyte DDR4 ATX Motherboard with an Intel 4×8 GB ram. In that case, the per-command processing time will not increase, and the extra two ram sticks will go to waste. Because the motherboard doesn’t support quad-channel ram sticks, so ultimately,
If it is using the dual-channel. It results in regular processing time, meaning double-channel performance is better than single ones.
CAS Latency
CAS Latency or Column Access Strobe does differ in a channel change. Whether it is 4×8 oder 2×16 ram, Intel performs better while taking a common in a dual channel.
Ryzen can multitask in a 2×16 ram, but it does 4×8 ram work more smoothly than Intel. However, suppose you are doing simple tasks like browsing. In that case, you will not see much difference between both ram functions regardless of brands.
If you pair an Intel dual channel with 4×8 ram, it will not be effective even if you use the best CPU and Motherboard setting. Because the CAS latency will not understand the command language of a quad-channel as it’s made for dual channels.
Performance
The performance between 2 sticks vs 4 sticks of ram depends on what combination of Intel or Ryzen CPU and motherboard you are combining. We used CAD, Adobe Illustrator, and Premiere Pro for a short test. Intel 2×16 GB rams performed slightly better than the Rygen one while simultaneously operating Illustrator and Premiere Pro. Both used 14 GB of memory combined and took 3 minutes to run.
However, 4x8GB ram worked better than 2×16 for the extra two slots. Ryzen 4×8 performed better because it only took 1.06 minutes to open, and Intel took a full 1.43 minutes. Honestly, while running CAD, we didn’t find a significant difference between the ram combinations.
We saw a good amount of distinction using the Sisoft Memory Bandwidth. It was 49GB for quad-channel and 26 for dual channel. 4×8 GB ram configuration won in this case. But moving forward to 7Zip, the threads were 3486 for quad-channel and 3250 for 2x16GB.
Again, the difference did not create much difference in overall performance. In quad-channel, CPU usage was less than 30% than single-channel use. On the contrary, the usage was 15% lesser than single-channel configuration use for dual channels. Again, the option 2×16 or 4×8 ram depends on your software.
Gaming
Both channels result in 32 GB ram configuration, resulting in a great gaming experience. We tried an Intel 2×16 and an AMD Ryzen 4×8 GB ram.
However, while playing Battlefield 2042, Quad-channel took 195 space in the taskbar while dual-channel took 195.5. Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker took 120.05 fps in 4×8 and 119 fps in 2×16.
Graphics and resolutions wise, both Intel and Ryzen were the same. 4×8 or 2×16 ram, the quad-channel was 1 or 2 fps ahead of dual channel. Dual and quad-channel performance is similar to a single-channel configuration for gaming.
Futureproofing
Between 4×8 or 2x16gb ram, 2x16GB ram is better for upgrading. Intel or AMD Ryzen doesn’t matter much here. Because with 2×8, you are already occupying your extra ram slot.
On the contrary, 2×16 GB keeps the option for you to upgrade to another 32 GB. Also, if you’re changing the processor itself, dual-channel works better than the quad-channel. However, if you don’t futureproof, then the quad-channel works fine.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is 2×16 Faster Than 4×8 RAM?
4×8 ram is a bit faster with quad processor support than 2×16 ram. In most cases, they perform close to each other. But 4×8 ram performs faster than dual-channel.
How Much Better Is 32gb RAM Than 16?
In gaming, heavy graphics, and CPU loading applications, cinema editing 32 GB performed 3x faster than 16GB ram.
Is It Better to Have Less RAM Sticks?
The increased number of rams decreases the cache per ram stick. So, more ram sticks lessen the load on the PC’s CPU. But yes, it is not always better to have more. In case you afford to upgrade, more ram sticks are good.
Which Gives the Best Performance?
4×8 or 2×16 ram? Which one is for you? As you’ve read our complete comparison, you can see that dual or quad channels perform relatively close regardless of brand.
The difference comes when you’re using different applications. The configuration order provides 32 GB ram performance which is ideal for gaming, coding, editing, and other major work.
If you want less load on your CPU, go for the 4×8 GB ram option. On the contrary, staying in the dual-channel is better if you plan to upgrade to 64 GB.
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