I recently built a PC with one stick of DDR5-6000 memory and heard that running without a second stick can cause a major performance loss. How much would single-channel memory affect gaming and general performance? My CPU is an Intel Core i7-13700KF, and I'm wondering whether I should add a matching second module.
3 Answers
The impact varies by CPU and application. X3D processors can sometimes hide part of the difference because of their large cache, but the i7-13700KF does not have that advantage, so dual-channel memory is more important. If possible, use a matched kit or add an identical module rather than mixing unrelated memory.
It usually isn’t a catastrophic performance hit, but it is noticeable. In one real-world gaming comparison, moving from two 16 GB sticks to a single 16 GB stick reduced performance by roughly 6–7%. Adding a matching second stick should restore dual-channel operation, assuming the modules are compatible and installed in the recommended motherboard slots.
A second stick is preferable because two modules enable dual-channel memory, which gives the CPU more memory bandwidth. The exact difference depends on the game and the rest of the system, but around 5–15% is a reasonable expectation. Some workloads may barely change, while memory-sensitive games can lose more.
I’m using an i7-13700KF, so it sounds like adding a second module would be worthwhile.