How does the new Core i7 architecture affect memory?
There are two major changes with memory for Core i7. The first, as mentioned above, is that the memory must be tuned for the memory controller on the processor itself. This arrangement significantly reduces memory access latency, as the Northbridge is no longer there as a “middleman”. The second substantial change is that the Core i7 processor has three memory channels, rather than dual channels. So, to achieve maximum performance, memory must be installed in matching sets of three modules.
