Suggestions for RAM for older board (Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD3)

[kghastie]

My board is dual-channel, 4GB max per slot, I think (manual says 16GB max but my expectation is that that is total). It has been suggested that instead of getting a second kit that matches the model (but not bin) of my current memory, I should get a new, quad-channel kit. I'm having trouble selecting one though, since there are so many options, and I can't find any new RAM that is qualified against my old board.

So is it safer to get a second 4x4 kit of the same, older model, dual-channel RAM? Or to buy a new, 4x4 kit that isn't verified, and if so, which one? (I have a NewEgg filter narrowing it down somewhat)

My Machine

• 
  ■ (2 x 4GB) G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL 9-9-9-24 | 1.65V
  ■ Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD3 (rev. 1) (4 x 1.5V DDR3 DIMM sockets up to 16 GB, LGA 1156, dual-channel, DDR3 2200/1600/1333/1066/800 MHz, supports non-ECC/XMP (PDF manual here)
  ■ Intel i7-860
  ■ Windows 10

See my prior posts here: http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-3331870/separate-kits-model-dual-channel-slots.html
and here: http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-3327781/mix-ram-kits-manufacturers.html

Thanks!

 

[t53186]

Best to add the same as existing, or get a 16 GB kit, one that is qualified for your board. Quad channel would only be a benefit if it cost less

 

[kghastie]

Best to add the same as existing, or get a 16 GB kit

1. I've been told that getting another of the F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL kits will not guarantee compatibility because of the issue with binning. But that memory model is validated for my board. Does it matter even though they are in different channels?

one that is qualified for your board.

2. Unfortunately, the configurator on the g.skill site no longer has P55 as an option under chipsets to choose for under Gigabyte.
The onelink I have checked that supposedly points to my board on the G.Skill site no longer works. I don't think the configurator works on a board as old as mine now? Or do I have the chipset wrong or something?

Quad channel would only be a benefit if it cost less

3. So I was told to get everything in the same kit to avoid compatibility issues. Is this only true for a quad-channel board? Or do all 4 sticks in my dual-channel board need to be from the same kit?

Thanks!

 

[t53186]

All four sticks should be from the same kit for maximum compatibility. If that's not possible, then yes two of the same per channel (or two kits of two dimms each), if that's not possible then 4 plain dimms as long as they are [DDR3 1600 with timing of 9-9-9-24] < that's the important timing info and is listed somewhere on all dimms, forgot to add the 1.65v also.

 

[t53186]

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231429

 

[kghastie]

All four sticks should be from the same kit for maximum compatibility. If that's not possible, then yes two of the same per channel (or two kits of two dimms each)

OK, so I can purchase a new, quad-channel set ffrom some of the options listed in my NewEgg link in the original post. Do you have any recommendations off of that list? I'm a bit lost since the g.skill configurator doesn't seem to list my board, and the Gigabyte compatible memory list is from 2010 and has only up to 8GB kits tested. Is it still safer for me to go with something unproven?

if that's not possible then 4 plain dimms as long as they are [DDR3 1600 with timing of 9-9-9-24] < that's the important timing info and is listed somewhere on all dimms, forgot to add the 1.65v also.

Are you listing those timings in order to be matched with my current memory, or are you saying that mobo requires those timings? Does the same apply if I am buying a new 4x4 kit, or can I use a DDR3L or RAM with other timings as long as all memory from the same kit?

 

[t53186]

These are directly compatible https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231193 per the memory list that you probably looked at also, You will notice the important specification are:

DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
Timing 9-9-9-24
Cas Latency 9
Voltage 1.5V

So a larger capacity dimm at the same specifications should work without a problem. They may not have been readily available when that list came out and the lists don't get updated. So as a general rule, without going too crazy, as long as the specs are the same it should work. And if not, send them back for a refund.

 

[t53186]

Hope this is starting to make more sense>

 

[kghastie]

These are directly compatible https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231193 per the memory list that you probably looked at also, You will notice the important specification are:
DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
Timing 9-9-9-24
Cas Latency 9
Voltage 1.5V

So I am trying to get a 4x4 kit to get to 16GB total (and that's a 2x2 kit). Here is the link from my original post with the newegg products filtered down as far as I am confident (bad colorscheme for inline links on this site makes them hard to see!): https://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007611%20601190327%204814%20600006073%204115&IsNodeId=1&LeftPriceRange=0%20120&bop=And&Order=PRICE&PageSize=36&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-VigLink2-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=8167372&SID=iz5zisg3k9000a1700053

Here are the points I'm unsure of:

■ 2200 or 1600? Since my board claims to be DDR3 with 2200 or 1600, is there a reason I should target one over the other (remembering I may be putting this memory on a new board eventually)?
■ DDR3 or DDR3L My board came out before DDR3L was a thing, so should I rule it out?
■ 9-9-9-24 and 1.5v or something lower?

Original Gigabyte list: http://download.gigabyte.us/FileList/Memory/mb_memory_ga-p55a-ud3.pdf