1333 vs. 1600 on ASUS board

[ZForce915]

Hi folks, I'm wondering if I could get some opinions on this scenario. I am going to build a PC with the new i5 2500k SandyBridge chip on this motherboard:

ASUS P8P67-M PRO

The board supports RAM as follows:

1866(O.C.)/1600(O.C.)/1333/1066

Now by nature I'm not really an overclocker but I'm wondering what kind of everyday value I can get out of RAM at speeds of 1866 or 1600. My plan would be to buy that RAM at native speeds or 1866 or 1600 and set the BIOS to recognize it as such. Will I be putting any real stress on my board by doing that?

I will be getting 8GB of RAM at 2x4GB, my original selection was this set by Crucial, and unless I'm missing out by not getting the 1866/1600 option I think that is what I'm going to do.

Thoughts?

EDIT - Looks like the new info on the flaw in the SandyBridge chipsets will delay my purchase by several months. I'd still appreciate input on this but the urgency is gone.

 

[dfusco]

You might as well stop messing with it. It looks like you will be sending the mother board back, see: http://www.dailytech.com/Intel+Fin [...] e20789.htm
"Intel Finds Design Flaw in New Sandy Bridge Chipset"

 

[ZForce915]

You might as well stop messing with it. It looks like you will be sending the mother board back, see: http://www.dailytech.com/Intel+Fin [...] e20789.htm
"Intel Finds Design Flaw in New Sandy Bridge Chipset"

Yeah, I just edited my post to reflect that just around the same time you posted. The topic is still relevant even if I don't purchase for several months. It's something I need to learn.

 

[descendency]

What is your intended use? If you are not intending to use software that is heavily RAM bottlenecked, you won't notice a difference (because the RAM is usually one of the last things to bottleneck in typical applications).

1333 is the best thing to buy for the cost.

That said, if you are heavily bottlenecked by RAM, you might want the additional performance ram.

However... if you are that RAM bottlenecked, you should buy a LGA-2011 socket MB+CPU later this year, which while more expensive, will better fit your needs. (or a 1366 setup if you want to save money)

 

[jaquith]

The SB 'seems' to be hitting a wall above 1333 MHz, and the best option to 'squeak' out the most performance is either low CAS 1333 or low CAS 1600 MHz.

Great article -> http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/memory/2011/01/11/the-best-memory-for-sandy-bridge/1 especially pages 4-6.

BTW - I 'hope' this is fixed a/k/a better with the SB LGA 2011 CPUs!!!

edit: The 'wall' is not like that in the i79XX and most other current CPU's IMC. I get the SB has a 1333 MHz IMC...