My question is, should my new stick (the second stick) go into slot #4 or #1 (as numbered, not as positioned) so as to have dual channel functionality (which I've heard is some 10% faster than single channel)?
The original RAM stick is in slot #2, 'position 4'. What's confusing about what I read is that my slots are actually numbered, visibly, from left to right as 3-1-4-2, which is not in the order of their positions (1, 2, 3, 4 from left to right). I just bought another 4GB stick of RAM (1600Hz, one that matches the first stick) and want to install it in one of the three remaining slots. I have the Dell Optiplex 7010, with the Intel i5, 3550, 3.3Ghz processor, with 4GB RAM (in the slot that is numbered #2 on my MOBO, which happens to be the fourth slot, the one furthest to the right of the four slots of the two pairs). My confusion is because posters don't distinguish how the RAM slots are ordered/numbered. I've been reading all around and still don't have clarity as to how to configure my RAM sticks in their slots.