[ The PC Guide | Systems and Components Reference Guide | Motherboard and System Devices | The Motherboard | Motherboard Integrated Components ]

Memory Sockets

Most motherboards today come with between 2 and 8 sockets for the insertion of memory. These are usually either SIMMs (single inline memory modules) or DIMMs (dual inline memory modules). These can come in different sizes. See here for details on memory packaging technologies.

The motherboard usually labels these sockets "SIMM0" through "SIMM7" or "DIMM1" through "DIMM3", etc. The sockets are almost always filled starting with the lowest numbered socket first. Most Pentium class or higher motherboards require SIMMs to be inserted in pairs, but DIMMs may be inserted individually. See here for details on memory bank size and selecting appropriate memory.

Note: The maximum number of memory modules on a motherboard is dictated by the design of the motherboard's chipset. However, not all motherboards have the maximum number of sockets that the chipset allows for, so you need to shop around if memory expansion is an important issue to you.

Next: Cache and/or Cache Sockets

Home  -  Search  -  Topics  -  Up