Z270 - OK to buy faster memory NOT on Asus QVL?

tomsjim · Feb 6, 2017

I am doing a new build around an Asus TUF Z270 Mark 1 motherboard, and need to use 64GB of Corsair memory. There are just a few sets of Corsair 64GB DRAM on the current Asus QVL, the fastest of which is 2,666MHz (CMK64GX4M4A2666C16). I wanted to get something a little faster, but wondering if I am likely to run into trouble if I get something not on the QVL, such as the Dominator 3,000MHz (CMD64GX4M4C3000C15). Can anyone offer any insight? And please don't tell me that's too much memory, or suggest another brand (I ALWAYS use Corsair….).

Thanks!

clarkjd · Feb 6, 2017

Go to the Corsair website, use their memory finder tool. put your make/model of motherboard in there and it will trll you what Corsair memory will work with it.
Here is the site:
http://www.corsair.com/en-us/memoryfinder

Rogue Leader · Feb 6, 2017

As long as the timings are similar to something from the same brand and speed on the QVL its likely to work. The QVL is basically all the memory they have tested with the board, but it doesn't mean other memory will not work.

tomsjim · Feb 6, 2017

I did try the Corsair website memory finder, but they don't have any Z270 boards in it yet.

clarkjd · Feb 6, 2017

tomsjim :

Yes, they do:
search by motherboard
manufacturer: Asus
Model: Intel z270 (scroll down to Intel Z near the bottom)
Search and select Asus TUF Z270 Mark I
Under refine results, move the slider to select 64GB capacity

I had no trouble finding them:
http://www.corsair.com/en-us/memoryfinder?type=motherboard&slug=jTVBD3
Dominator® Platinum Series 64GB (4 x 16GB) DDR4 DRAM 3000MHz C15 Memory Kit (CMD64GX4M4B3000C15)
Vengeance® LPX 64GB (4x16GB) DDR4 DRAM 3200MHz C16 Memory Kit - Black (CMK64GX4M4B3200C16)
Are just two of the results.

tomsjim · Feb 6, 2017

Thanks, Rogue Leader. Unfortunately, I'm not terribly knowledgeable or experienced about this stuff, so I don't really feel qualified to assess whether the timings are "similar" enough. And, of course, I'm leery of the "likely to work" part; are we talking 99.9% likely, or 80% likely?

In real world usage (video rendering, photoshop, very heavy multitasking), how much faster would the 3,000MHz Dominator (15-17-17-35) be as opposed to the 2,666MHz Vengeance (16-18-18-35) anyway? If it's a lot faster, I suppose it's worth some risk of incompatibility; if not, I'm probably better off sticking with the slightly slower kit that is on the Asus QVL. For general guidance on relative speed, I was using this chart: http://images.anandtech.com/doci/8959/10%20-%20Performance%20Index.png?_ga=1.263279108.923248991.1446592014 (which shows a "score" of 167 for the slower kit, and 200 for the faster kit, which seems to suggest nearly a 20% speed difference).

Also, I notice that the voltages for the two sets are different (the slower kit is 1.2 volts; the faster is 1.35 volts). Not sure what to make of that, either . . . .

Thanks for any further insight you can give me.

tomsjim · Feb 6, 2017

clarkjd :

Thanks for following up. That is odd, as I had tried two different links for the Corsair memory finder (http://www.corsair.com/en-us/memory-finder and http://www2.corsair.com/retailer/default.aspx?rid=13251) and I even called Corsair and spoke to someone in tech support who told me they didn't have the Z270 compatibility testing done yet and that was why it was not in their memory finder yet!

When I search using this memory finder, it seems to indicate that virtually every memory kit that is nominally compatible with a Z270 board will work with my board. This leaves me to wonder whether this is specific enough to be meaningful.

Can you shed any light on how much faster the 3000 MHz set would be compared to the 2,666 MHz set (for video rendering, photoshop, heavy multitasking)? Are the differences as great as this link suggests: http://images.anandtech.com/doci/8959/10%20-%20Performance%20Index.png?_ga=1.263279108.923248991.1446592014

And why are the voltages for the two sets different (the slower kit is 1.2 volts; the faster is 1.35 volts)? Does that matter?

Thanks!

Rogue Leader · Feb 6, 2017

tomsjim :

Thanks, Rogue Leader. Unfortunately, I'm not terribly knowledgeable or experienced about this stuff, so I don't really feel qualified to assess whether the timings are "similar" enough. And, of course, I'm leery of the "likely to work" part; are we talking 99.9% likely, or 80% likely?

In real world usage (video rendering, photoshop, very heavy multitasking), how much faster would the 3,000MHz Dominator (15-17-17-35) be as opposed to the 2,666MHz Vengeance (16-18-18-35) anyway? If it's a lot faster, I suppose it's worth some risk of incompatibility; if not, I'm probably better off sticking with the slightly slower kit that is on the Asus QVL. For general guidance on relative speed, I was using this chart: http://images.anandtech.com/doci/8959/10%20-%20Performance%20Index.png?_ga=1.263279108.923248991.1446592014 (which shows a "score" of 167 for the slower kit, and 200 for the faster kit, which seems to suggest nearly a 20% speed difference).

Also, I notice that the voltages for the two sets are different (the slower kit is 1.2 volts; the faster is 1.35 volts). Not sure what to make of that, either . . . .

Thanks for any further insight you can give me.

Real world? You would probably never even notice it. Like literally milliseconds difference and not many. Probably would only see it in a benchmark.

tomsjim · Feb 9, 2017

Rogue Leader :

OK, thanks. Trying to apply that advice, I'm looking at 64GB of Corsair Dominator Platinum (3000GHz) with timings of 15-15-15-36. Do you think that is sufficiently similar to a 32GB set of 3000 Corsair Vengeance with timings of 15-17-17-35, which was tested and made it to the QVL, so that I likely won't have problems?

Thanks again!

Rogue Leader · Feb 10, 2017

Its close, it should probably work. You can also manually adjust timings, being that the tested memory is slightly slower you may need to drop the 64 gb kit to those timings, it should work fine because the timings are slower.

Zerk2012 · Feb 10, 2017

The 3000 memory should work just fine just make sure to buy a 4X16 gb set as in one package.
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820236054

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Z270 - OK to buy faster memory NOT on Asus QVL?

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