Dual-channel pack vs. Individual sticks

[FishaOfMen]

I’m about to buy some Mushkin PC3500 Level2 RAM for dual-channel. The 2x256MB dual-channel pack costs $167 at newegg. Individual 256MB sticks cost $78 each, which means that I’d spend $156 in total ($11 less). If I bought the individual sticks, what are the chances they would not work together in a dual-channel setup?

[cowpuppy]

Well I bought my KHX3500 sepratly and they work, but if I had it to do all over agian I would by a matched pair. There is a slight differance in the layout of my pcb boards on them and now I have to wonder did I get ch5 on one and bh5 on the other? Spend the extra 11.00 and be safe.

[enzoR]

with mushkin.. none. they are exactly the same

[Oc2theSkY]

One problem though, if you get the duel and you get a bad stick you have to return both to get a new duel set. Kind of sucks but thats how it goes with matched sets.

[skate2snow]

11$ is the price to pay to be sure it will work ;)

[LikwidKool]

honestly though, all they will do is take 2 sticks and run them at rated timings to ensure they work. What's the difference with 1 stick or 2 sticks. They will both be tested the same way. For rated timings and volts.

Even in a dual pack there is a very big chance one stick will be better than the other just as in a single pack.