The number of channels that your RAM uses is very important for performance. For example, you might find that you are experiencing micro stutters in games when using Single-channel memory, but the problem disappears in Dual Channel, even with the same amount of memory. So, how to enable Quad Channel memory?
First of all, you need a motherboard and a CPU that actually support Quad Channel memory. You can check the specifications of the CPU and motherboard that you have or plan to buy to see if Quad Channel is supported. Next, buy a bundle of Quad Channel RAM sticks that are designed to work in Quad Channel. When you put them in the right slots, they work in Quad Channel.
“But how do I know what slots to put my memory in for Quad Channel memory? How to enable Quad Channel memory then?”, you might ask. Thankfully, you can read about all that and whether Quad Channel memory really matters below.
How to Enable Quad Channel Memory?
Enabling Quad Channel memory is pretty straightforward. It is the same principle as with Dual and Triple Channel memory. You get the right motherboard with support for Quad-channel memory, a CPU that supports it, and of course the RAM that is designed to work together in Quad-channel mode.
After you have all that, it is as simple as putting all the RAM into the right slots and it will work from the get-go. But how do you know which RAM slots are for Quad Channel? They are usually color-labeled. In other words, put all the RAM into the same-colored RAM slots and you should be good to go.
But if you are still not sure or if your motherboard has all-black RAM slots, then how can you know? Easy, you just go to the motherboard manufacturer’s website and find the manual. When you open the manual, look for the section that explains memory. The slots will be labeled and explained there so you will know where to put in your RAM sticks.
And how can you know whether your motherboard supports Quad-channel memory in the first place? Again, you can look at the motherboard specifications on the manufacturer’s website and it will tell you how many channels of memory are supported. If it says Dual Channel, that means you can only have two sticks working together, not three or four.
A good rule of thumb would be to actually think about the price and intended usage for your motherboard. If you bought a gaming motherboard that costs a couple of hundred dollars, then you probably do not have support for Quad-channel memory. But if you bought a high-end workstation motherboard that supports CPUs like Intel Xeon and AMD Ryzen Threadripper, then you may have Quad Channel support.
This is because Quad Channel does not offer any real benefits to the average user. They do not improve FPS in games or normal use. Instead, Quad-channel memory can help with heavy workloads that use all the memory your computer has. At best, you will get a few percentages of better performance when using Quad Channel compared to Dual or Triple Channel.
So, once you know for sure that your motherboard, CPU, and RAM are all capable of working in Quad Channel, how can you verify it? It is actually quite easy. Simply download and install a third-party program, such as CPU-Z, and check the Channel # section under Memory. If it says Quad, then you got it working and there is nothing else left to do.
If it does not work for some reason and says Single or Dual, then try removing the RAM sticks and putting them back in. Again, make sure you are using the right slots.
Conclusion
So, how to enable Quad Channel memory? In pretty much all cases, it will work in Quad Channel right away. But you must be using a compatible CPU, motherboard, and the right RAM to make it work. Once you have all the hardware that works together, it is as simple as installing the RAM into the appropriate Quad Channel slots and it will work.
And if you are not sure how many channels your RAM uses, simply use a third-party program to check it and you will know for sure.
