Does having 2 memory of 512 MB improve performance over a single 1 GB Mem?

Besides , I want to upgrade my RAM of my Laptop which is a Compaq Presario v 2000 model . I already have a 512 MB RAM in it and the performance of the Laptop is decent for my browsing work etc . Should I go for a new 1 GB RAM or would a additional 512 MB ( new ) give good performance ? I dont want to spent much on old laptops , just need decent performance . Just want to know ur opinion .

Solution 1:

If you have 2 x 512MB sticks of RAM you may see some improvement in terms of memory speed over 1 x 1GB stick as your system may support Dual-channel which can in some situations offer a performance increase. Generally the increase is only seen in highly memory intensive situations and you won't really notice the difference in just casual browsing / word processing.

You'll probably notice a difference going from 1 x 512 to a total 1GB of memory more than you would if you had 1GB and were going to a dual channel configuration.

Solution 2:

This depends on a few things.

If the 512MB DIMMs are the same speed as the 1GB DIMM, and can be run in dual channel, you may see a performance increase.

If the 1GB module has significantly better speeds, it could outperform the 512MB modules.

If all modules have the same speed, and dual channel is not an option, the fewer memory modules the better as there is less strain on your motherboard's northbridge.