Sign in with
Sign up | Sign in
Your question
Solved

Choosing the right RAM for me, and then some

Tags:
  • AMD
  • CPUs
  • Components
  • Memory
Last response: in Components
Share
September 13, 2014 12:43:15 PM

I've done my research and I've narrowed down the type of RAM I would like. Speed, brand, all that stuff. I would very much like to hear what other's top picks from my choices would be and why. This is my current build.

asrock 970 extreme 3 motherboard

Corsair tx750 psu

Radeon 6450 GPU

AMD athlon ii x4 945 denab

Cooler master hyper 212 evo

Kingston hyper x 8g RAM

I built this myself and got everything for a STEAL. A little more than $300 total. Not bad. Don't worry I WILL be upgrading the GPU to either a R7 260X or the R9 270X. Also the CPU to the FX-8350. Anyway here is a link to my RAM choices. Looking forward to hearing from you guys!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?Submi...

More about : choosing ram

a b À AMD
a c 84 à CPUs
a b } Memory
September 13, 2014 12:47:57 PM

Go for the cheapest RAM,Mushkin Enhanced Redline,since they all have a CL of 9,speed of 1866 MHz and operating voltage of 1.5V.
m
0
l
Related resources
September 13, 2014 12:50:56 PM

My motherboard won't read 2133 no matter what type of CPU I have
m
0
l
a b À AMD
a c 87 à CPUs
a b } Memory
September 13, 2014 12:53:14 PM

Kyle Lanning said:
My motherboard won't read 2133 no matter what type of CPU I have


You can still run it at 1866. The ram is stable to run at 2133Mhz or under.
m
0
l
a b À AMD
a c 240 à CPUs
a c 152 } Memory
September 13, 2014 1:05:04 PM

You mean a Phenom II X4? The memory controller on a Phenom II was designed for both DDR2 and early DDR3 up to 1333. I have used DDR3 1600 with Phenoms before with no problems but you may have to underclock anything faster for stability.

Here is an excellent article on scaling.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/phenom-ii-ddr3,2319...
m
0
l
a c 457 À AMD
a c 1079 à CPUs
a c 146 } Memory
September 13, 2014 2:10:43 PM

970 Extreme3 R2.0

Make sure you get the Revision 2 board it's the one that supports the 8350.
m
0
l
September 13, 2014 2:31:38 PM

anort3 said:
You mean a Phenom II X4? The memory controller on a Phenom II was designed for both DDR2 and early DDR3 up to 1333. I have used DDR3 1600 with Phenoms before with no problems but you may have to underclock anything faster for stability.

Here is an excellent article on scaling.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/phenom-ii-ddr3,2319...


My CPU is http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168... It works just fine with the ONE stick of Kingston hyperX 8gb in it. I am quite sure though my MB, CPU, and RAM research that the ones I chose to link won't give me any problems. Phenom II X4 not a bad CPU! Will probably keep it around after I decide to upgrade.
m
0
l
September 13, 2014 2:36:38 PM

SR-71 Blackbird said:
970 Extreme3 R2.0

Make sure you get the Revision 2 board it's the one that supports the 8350.


You're getting fancy with me on the extreme3 R2.0 !! I just have the extreme3
m
0
l
September 13, 2014 2:48:08 PM

During all my research of RAM Gskill did seem like a pretty good choice. I can see why SO many people/gamers like Gskill, especially the X and Sniper series. I just thought that a lot of the Mushkin and some of the Crucial RAM looked really good at the 2X4 8gb kits. Of course price was factored in but it didn't make much of a difference. NOW if I was going for the 2X8 16gb I would go for one of these kits http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?Submi...

But anyway! Would you please give me your input on the selections I'm choosing from, though not your preference?
m
0
l
a b À AMD
a c 240 à CPUs
a c 152 } Memory
September 13, 2014 2:49:55 PM

It will not support an FX 8350 then.

The thing about RAM is that unless you buy from an actual manufacturer like Micron ( Crucial is their retail division ) or Samsung you don't really know what chips are used and for instance the Corsair and Mushkin may very well be the same DRAM with different heatspreaders and maybe slightly different modules.

You may find this interesting.

http://ramlist.i4memory.com/ddr3/

I like GSkill myself. Their modules are generally of very high quality.
m
0
l
a b À AMD
a c 240 à CPUs
a c 152 } Memory
September 13, 2014 2:52:34 PM

The high heatspreaders on the Mushkin may interfere with aftermarket cooling. If you get Corsair get low profile. All GSkill modules will fit under any aftermarket cooler I know of.
m
0
l
September 13, 2014 3:30:53 PM

anort3 said:
It will not support an FX 8350 then.

The thing about RAM is that unless you buy from an actual manufacturer like Micron ( Crucial is their retail division ) or Samsung you don't really know what chips are used and for instance the Corsair and Mushkin may very well be the same DRAM with different heatspreaders and maybe slightly different modules.

You may find this interesting.

http://ramlist.i4memory.com/ddr3/

I like GSkill myself. Their modules are generally of very high quality.


Whats with all these people saying that the 8350 will work or they have one in their extreme3? I know it supports an 8 core CPU up to 140W. I guess there is even more research to do. It would be nice if asrock would contact anyone back about these questions. I also guess I will have to check out the heat spreaders on the RAM.
m
0
l

Best solution

a b À AMD
a c 240 à CPUs
a c 152 } Memory
September 13, 2014 4:11:52 PM

The 8350 will work. In the 970 Extreme 3 Rev. 2.0. Most every motherboard on the market goes though revisions just for reasons like newer CPUs being released or to fix bugs found in the first models.

970 Extreme 3 CPU support list. The 8150 is the best CPU supported. And only with the newest BIOS.

http://www.asrock.com/mb/AMD/970%20Extreme3/?cat=CPU

970 Extreme3 R2.0 CPU support list. The 8350 is supported with the first BIOS revision.

http://www.asrock.com/mb/AMD/970%20Extreme3%20R2.0/?cat...
Share
September 13, 2014 4:19:42 PM

Completely solves my CPU question. Now just for my RAM. Looking at benchmarks are what prompted the choices I posted.
m
0
l
a c 457 À AMD
a c 1079 à CPUs
a c 146 } Memory
September 13, 2014 4:29:22 PM

That's why I asked you if you had the REV 2.
m
0
l
a b À AMD
a c 240 à CPUs
a c 152 } Memory
September 13, 2014 4:36:08 PM

Of the RAM in your first post the Mushkin and Corsair Vengeance with the tall heatspreaders will likely not fit with your Hyper 212. The other 3 are fine. RAM is RAM is RAM pretty much especially with the AMD memory controller. Intel can be a bit pickier. Any GSkill should also fit.
m
0
l
September 14, 2014 2:13:55 PM

anort3 said:
The 8350 will work. In the 970 Extreme 3 Rev. 2.0. Most every motherboard on the market goes though revisions just for reasons like newer CPUs being released or to fix bugs found in the first models.

970 Extreme 3 CPU support list. The 8150 is the best CPU supported. And only with the newest BIOS.

http://www.asrock.com/mb/AMD/970%20Extreme3/?cat=CPU

970 Extreme3 R2.0 CPU support list. The 8350 is supported with the first BIOS revision.

http://www.asrock.com/mb/AMD/970%20Extreme3%20R2.0/?cat...


Finding any of the FX-8100 series or just the FX-8300 is going to be a little tricky. Should probably just try and find a better AM3+ MB. Suggestion?
m
0
l
September 14, 2014 3:15:20 PM

anort3 said:
Of the RAM in your first post the Mushkin and Corsair Vengeance with the tall heatspreaders will likely not fit with your Hyper 212. The other 3 are fine. RAM is RAM is RAM pretty much especially with the AMD memory controller. Intel can be a bit pickier. Any GSkill should also fit.


I also took a look at the benchmark on these and they perform way better. Plus the Corsair heatspreader problem would be fixed. Still don't know about the Mushkin but I lean towards them every time and I don't know why... I also don't understand why everyone is so hot on Gskill. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Productcompare.aspx?Submi... Thoughts?
m
0
l
a b À AMD
a c 240 à CPUs
a c 152 } Memory
September 14, 2014 5:54:33 PM

GSkill does not make the DRAM chip but they make the actual RAM board and they do a great job.

I would love for you to show me benchmarks saying one set of RAM is better than another in any meaningful way. I think you are reading advertising and confusing it with benchmarks. You can only compare with your current CPU and any CPU you hope to upgrade to as memory controllers have been on the CPU for the last few generations of both Intel and AMD chips. Haswell based Intel CPUs do better with faster RAM but like with the rest of the CPU Intel has a superior memory controller. AMD will not matter.

See here. No difference at all in kits of the same speed with FX chips. Several pages showing the same at various speeds so click through the article.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/bulldozer-ddr3-over...


The only RAM I recommend against is Kingston as they still use low quality ICs. Their DDR3 1600 still needs 1.65v for instance when literally every other company has moved to the newer 1.5v standard. 1.65v is fine for AMD but less voltage = less heat and less heat is always better.

m
0
l
September 15, 2014 4:39:57 PM

anort3 said:
GSkill does not make the DRAM chip but they make the actual RAM board and they do a great job.

I would love for you to show me benchmarks saying one set of RAM is better than another in any meaningful way. I think you are reading advertising and confusing it with benchmarks. You can only compare with your current CPU and any CPU you hope to upgrade to as memory controllers have been on the CPU for the last few generations of both Intel and AMD chips. Haswell based Intel CPUs do better with faster RAM but like with the rest of the CPU Intel has a superior memory controller. AMD will not matter.

See here. No difference at all in kits of the same speed with FX chips. Several pages showing the same at various speeds so click through the article.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/bulldozer-ddr3-over...


The only RAM I recommend against is Kingston as they still use low quality ICs. Their DDR3 1600 still needs 1.65v for instance when literally every other company has moved to the newer 1.5v standard. 1.65v is fine for AMD but less voltage = less heat and less heat is always better.



I agree with you on kingston all the way. I'll link you the benchmark site I use the most when I check CPU GPU or RAM. http://www.memorybenchmark.net/ I mean I look at the latency, read and write obviously and for RAM I see what is closest to the top in all 3 catagories. I look at the speed and then compare the prices I find and that's where I come up with my little lists. Although after reading the link you sent me I see why the Gskill 17000 set is so popular and has jumped up my list very much so! Thank you for that. That was lots of good information, but I had hoped they would have chosen Mushkin, Crucial and Corsair to name a few popular brands. Even if just to clear it up. As far as I can tell, if I went with any 1866 it wouldn't matter in the slightest. Gskill , Mushkin or Corsair. For $90 and a for sure high speed, it looks like your Gskill recommendation is most certainly the best! You've convinced me! I can't find any information like that on any of the RAM I had questions about. Sorry to be so stubborn, but you were LOADS of help. I'd l ike to come to you in the future, since it won't take nearly as long to convince me.
m
0
l
a b À AMD
a c 240 à CPUs
a c 152 } Memory
September 15, 2014 5:39:17 PM

Any 1866 kit with the same timings and voltage will perform so close that even benchmarking software will have a hard time telling it apart. To be honest for you as a user to tell a difference you would almost have to be comparing DDR3 1333 to DDR3 2133 or higher and the only difference would be in things like video and photo processing and encoding. The difference might be the task completing a few seconds faster with the higher speed kits. In gaming there is little to no difference.

Passmark is completely synthetic. It's much more accurate to look at actual benchmarks like I linked to. Synthetics are just that and don't necessarily reflect real world performance especially if not tested on your exact hardware.

Glad to help! :)  I would be glad to help you again if I can. I would suggest starting a new thread and sending me a PM with a link. That way others will be available to help you as well. I certainly don't know everything and have even been known to make a mistake every now and then ;) 

m
0
l
!