What's better: 2x4GB RAM or 2GB + 8GB?

[yyy]

I want to upgrade the my Mac Mini's RAM (Late 2012). It currently has 4GB in 2 sticks of 2GB so it uses Dual Channel Mode (meaning it can use both at the same time). I saw online that if I use 2 sticks of different sizes then it won't be able to use Dual Channel Mode so my question is this:

Considering I've been doing fine with only 4GB up until recently, what should I do?
1. Get a new stick of 8GB RAM and use it along with one of my 2GB sticks but lose Dual Channel Mode?
2. Get 2 new sticks of 4GB RAM?

 

[jeboles]

Usually more RAM is better than worrying about dual channel. Dual Channel might result in around ~3% increase.

 

[chscag]

Buy the 2 x 4GB modules and continue to run your Mini in dual channel mode. The 8GB module is going to cost more and you will not see much of an improvement, if any, over having 8GB total but in dual channel mode. Or, spend the big bucks on memory and get 2 x 8GB modules for a total of 16GB running in dual channel mode.

 

[yyy]

OK, thank you all! I think I'm going to go with the 2x4 because I don't expect to need more than 8GB of RAM and I'm probably used to the dual channel mode by now anyway so I might notice even a minor regression in performance. Cost is not an issue as 2x4 would cost me as much as 1x8.

 

[jeboles]

Going for 8+2 GB should allow for asymmetrical dual channel in the 2012 mini.

 

[kohlson]

If you need 8GB or less, then Dual Channel will nominally improve performance. If you need more than 8GB memory, then swap will overcome any of the benefits of Dual Channel.

Note that Dual Channel improves memory speed to/from CPU. While this contributes to faster overall performance, it's pretty small on overall throughput - depending on what you're doing.