P6T Deluxe RAM upgrade question.

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
kmplsv

kmplsv

Distinguished
Nov 9, 2010
9
0
18,510
I'm mainly using this machine (details in signature) as a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) at this point for recording some vocals and doing some MIDI sequencing, but will be doing some video-editing/rendering and gaming as well. I'm going to upgrade the RAM. I've pretty much narrowed it down to two options. G.SKILL Ripjaws F3-1600C9D-16GXM 16GB (2 x 8GB) Dual Channel Kit or G.SKILL Ripjaws Series F3-12800CL9T-12GBRL 12GB (3 x 4GB) Triple Channel Kit.

Which would you go with in my situation? Do I get the 12GB triple channel kit and lose the 4GB of RAM or do I get the 16GB kit and restrict myself to operating in dual channel mode? What is going to give me the best performance here? I'm assuming OCing to around 3.4-3.8GHz won't be an issue with either choice and can be done with relative ease.
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
cinnamon cider

cinnamon cider

Honorable
Nov 1, 2013
178
0
10,760
Go with 2x8GB. It will put less stress on the memory controllers and you'll have a larger RAM capacity. It will also allow you to have space if you plan to add an additional 2x8GB in the future if you wish to upgrade your system's memory into 32GB.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
kmplsv

kmplsv

Distinguished
Nov 9, 2010
9
0
18,510


Upgrading in the future brings up another issue...

At the moment I've got two different 3x2GB triple channel kits in the machine and the BIOS is only reporting up to 8GB of RAM, same in Windows. However, CPU-Z and Speccy show 12GB of RAM running in triple channel. I suspect this is because one kit is an old OCZ3G1600V2G kit and the other is a G. Skill F3-12800CL9T-6GBNQ kit. I've run Memtest86+ and all the RAM is reporting, but the OCZ reports as running at 1066MHz (not 1600MHz) and the G Skill reports as running at 1600MHz. I read the manual a bit closer and it does state, "Due to Intel spec definition, X.M.P. DIMMs and DDR3-1600 are supported for one DIMM per channel only." So this must mean that the RAM speed of the OCZ set is being dropped down to 1066MHz when all slots are populated.

I'm assuming this same issue with arise if I try to add an additional 2x8GB kit in the future. On the Asus site it says, "Triple-channel DDR3 2000(O.C.)/1866(O.C.)/1800(O.C.)/1600(O.C.)/1333/1066 Memory". So I think that the only way to run triple or dual channel 1600MHz RAM is one single kit, or else run 1333 or 1066 RAM if you want to populate all slots.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
kmplsv

kmplsv

Distinguished
Nov 9, 2010
9
0
18,510


I have another G. Skill F3-12800CL9T-6GBNQ kit waiting at my house as we speak. After work I'll pop it in with the existing G. Skill kit and see if all 12GB show up in triple channel. If they do then it'll be pretty obvious that the problem was the mixing of the RAM kits.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
kmplsv

kmplsv

Distinguished
Nov 9, 2010
9
0
18,510


So, just as you suggested, I bought and installed an identical kit of RAM. Now things are getting even more strange. Instead of 12GB of RAM, 8GB of RAM is being reported in my BIOS, Windows properties, the task manager, and Prime95. However, CPU-Z and Speccy are reporting 12GB of RAM. Speccy is even reporting 12GB running in triple channel.

I've attached a screenshot. This is mind-boggling. I think I'm going insane. Both kits are F3-12800CL9T-6GBNQ.

LV6yau4.png
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom