What determines the maximum RAM capacity a processor can handle?
In: 8
In modern processors how many lanes the processor has allocated towards memory channels is a chief deciding factor, as well as the available density of memory modules-assuming socketed memory. 2 or 4 channels are common on consumer processors, 6 or 8 on server/workstation class processors.
Now you can have dual channel memory but 4 physical slots to use, performance can reduce somewhat as 2 slots will share bandwidth but this is typically compensated by the larger allowable memory.
In terms of physical computers some will be limited by how much power than can deliver to the memory, ie a small system may not be able to power high density memory sticks-think 1L micro systems.
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