1.5v or 1.65v RAM with 4th Gen core i3

game-addict · Jul 17, 2016

Hello guys,
Am building a budget PC for my kids & here are the parts I intend to get according to my budget & availability in a nearby PC hardware store:
Xigmatek Mach II Mid Tower Case
ASUS H81M-K miniATX
4th Gen Intel Core i3-4150 Processor 3.5GHz 3MB
ASUS GT730 4GB GPU

I already have a monitor, Corsair TX 850 PSU, LG DVD RW optical drive & 320GB Seagate HDD taken from my old PC & am intending to put them to good use.

Now, the confusing part! I want o use a 1600Mhz RAM but am not sure what's the proper voltage for this setup considering my H81 MB & Core i3 CPU.
My local dealer got 3 different models to choose from & hope you guys help me through picking one.
Just for the record, this setup is intended for teaching & kids gaming purposes, no overclocking here!
My RAM options are:
1- Kingston 4GB DDR3 1600MHz CAS11 @ 1.5v "part# KVR16N11S8/4" value RAM :pfff:

2- Kingston HyperX 4GB KIT (2x2GB) DDR3 1600Mhz CAS9 @ 1.65v "part# KHX1600C9D3X2K2/4GX" supports XMP

3- HyperX Fury Black Series 8GB DDR3 PC 1600MHz CAS10 @1.5v "part# HX316C10FB/8"

When checking Intel website for his CPU, they have listed the supported memory as DDR3-1333/1600, DDR3L-1333/1600 @ 1.5V, & according to ASUS, their H81M-K mobo supports the first & second options only "Kingston part# KVR16N11S8/4 & Kingston part# KHX1600C9D3X2K2/4GX" while the Kingston Fury Black is not in their supported memory document!!!

So, either a CAS11 value RAM running @ 1.5v or a CAS9 RAM running @ 1.65v! not sure whether the 1.65v RAM can hurt the CPU on the long term, all I know this 1.65v RAM will run @ a slower clock speed i.e 1333 @ 1.5v.. still not sure if ASUS is telling the truth about compatibility with the Fury RAM from Kingston!

Tradesman1 · Jul 17, 2016

Stick with 1.5, at 1600 if the DRAM is higher than 1.5 it's probably old, old or is using very weak memory chips, over 95% of all 1600 DRAM is 1.5 or even lower voltage

geofelt · Jul 17, 2016

I think any of your options will actually work.
But... I would not pick any of them.

4gb is too small these days. Ram is cheap enough for 8gb.

Always buy ram in 2 stick kits so you can run in faster dual channel operation.

1600 ram is actually stock 1.5v 1333 ram that can run at higher 1600 speed.
Sometimes it takes a bit of overclocking to 1.65 v to get 1600 speed.

Lower cas numbers are better.

One figure of merit is to divide the sped by the cas number; higher is better.

In the end, do not sweat this, buy the amount you need in a compatible 2 stick kit.

And... ram does not need fancy heat spreaders or any at all; they are mostly marketing.
You want documented ram compatibility. If you should ever have a problem, you want supported ram.
Otherwise, you risk a finger pointing battle between the ram and motherboard support sites, claiming "not my problem".
One place to check is your motherboards web site.
Look for the ram QVL list. It lists all of the ram kits that have been tested with that particular motherboard.
Sometimes the QVL list is not updated after the motherboard is released.
For more current info, go to a ram vendor's web site and access their ram selection configurator.
Enter your motherboard, and you will get a list of compatible ram kits.

Ram speed for Intel is largely irrelevant.

MeanMachine41 · Jul 17, 2016

The third with HyperX Fury is the best. They have been tested by ASUS for compatibility and listed on the QVL.
They don't come with XMP profile, so no OC and meet JDEC standards re: voltage of 1.5V VDDQ.

game-addict · Jul 18, 2016

geofelt :

Yep, 4GB RAM is never enough these days even if this rig is meant for kids, 8GB is my target. I must have said I always buy RAM in 2 sticks kit for a dual channel setup which works better, must have forgotten that!
Well. I have a little battle going on in my head between what Intel says about RAM voltage & what RAM vendor & MB sites say! Kingston says the Fury release is compatible, ASUS says nothing about that particular RAM "part# HX316C10FB/8", may be that PDF file I downloaded for RAM compatibility is out dated as you said. Intel statement about higher voltage RAM can damage the CPU is the most confusing statement ever, so I guess the Fury release from Kingston is the best choice for me considering the more updated compatibility results from Kingston not ASUS & it is a 1.5v RAM, the only downside is the CAS which is 10!

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1.5v or 1.65v RAM with 4th Gen core i3

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