Need some help! X58 mATX Motherboard

[The0n3]

Hey guys, im looking to buy some more/faster ram and i was clueless on the sub category of my prob so if this is the wrong spot you know why =)

all i could find about my motherboard was

X58 mATX Motherboard
Memory
Number of Memory Slots6×240pin
Memory StandardDDR3 1333
Maximum Memory Supported24GB
Channel SupportedTriple Channel

does that mean i can only use 1333 ram?

some my specs are:

Alien aurora ALX
I7 960 3.2
9.00GB 1333
64-bit OS
crossfired 2gb 6950s
I think 875 wat power sup

i see they are selling this modle with 1866 ram but im not sure if it would come with a diff motherboard.

thx for help!

 

[The0n3]

wops double posted this, im a noob

 

[dayto11]

according to the info you cant go above 1333 can you say if your useing this But more motherboard info would help
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130227

 

[The0n3]

Would it say someware on the motherboard? or mby in my settings some ware

 

[The0n3]

i found this
Board: Alienware 04VWF2 A02
BIOS: Alienware A11 11/10/2010

Its weird cuz on the site they will let you buy 1600 ( something like that) ram with the computer.

 

[dayto11]

i found this
Board: Alienware 04VWF2 A02
BIOS: Alienware A11 11/10/2010

Its weird cuz on the site they will let you buy 1600 ( something like that) ram with the computer.

This is the best i can find. It can support up to 24GB of 1333MHZ DDR3 RAM, 12GB of 1600MHz RAM, or 6GB of 1866MHz RAM according to Dell.

 

[The0n3]

cool, thanks - what do you think is best for a gaming rig 6gb @ 1866 or 12 at 1600

 

[dayto11]

cool, thanks - what do you think is best for a gaming rig 6gb @ 1866 or 12 at 1600

Honestly you really don't need more than 4 unless your doing multi tasking i guess if your gaming have the 6gb running at 1866 even know there isn't a big difference but its up to you.

 

[jaquith]

Many Alienware have the option in the BIOS to set the 'Memory Ratio' above Dell's typical locked-out memory settings. IF your BIOS has 'Memory Ratio' then IMO get DDR3-1600 CAS 8/9 4GB/stick in 3x4GB Kit(s).

Before buying check the BIOS under Frequency/Voltage Control verify 'Memory Ratio' can be set 12 or above first!!!

133.33 * 12 = DDR3-1600
133.33 * 14 = DDR3-1866

Also, anything >DDR3-1600 probably will require 'Adjust CPU BCLK' under the Overclock Configuration.

IMO 3x4GB DDR3-1600 is the best choice for most X58 users with BIOS control. For the performance and GB/$:
Mushkin Enhanced Blackline 12GB (3 x 4GB) DDR3 1600 Model 998776 -> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226100

Then shelve of sell your current RAM. The cost benefit for 1866 MHz isn't there for the 1~4FPS, but I run DDR3-2000 on my 980X.

Good DDR3-2000MHz - Mushkin Enhanced Blackline 12GB (3 x 4GB) DDR3 2000 Model 998990 -> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226195

Keep in mind those are Budget-Performance kits. This is what I'm running, Corsair Dominator GT 12GB (3 x 4GB) DDR3 2000 with Air Fan Model CMT12GX3M3A2000C9 -> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145329

 

[dayto11]

Many Alienware have the option in the BIOS to set the 'Memory Ratio' above Dell's typical locked-out memory settings. IF your BIOS has 'Memory Ratio' then IMO get DDR3-1600 CAS 8/9 4GB/stick in 3x4GB Kit(s).

Before buying check the BIOS under Frequency/Voltage Control verify 'Memory Ratio' can be set 12 or above first!!!

133.33 * 12 = DDR3-1600
133.33 * 14 = DDR3-1866

Also, anything >DDR3-1600 probably will require 'Adjust CPU BCLK' under the Overclock Configuration.

IMO 3x4GB DDR3-1600 is the best choice for most X58 users with BIOS control. For the performance and GB/$:
Mushkin Enhanced Blackline 12GB (3 x 4GB) DDR3 1600 Model 998776 -> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226100

Then shelve of sell your current RAM. The cost benefit for 1866 MHz isn't there for the 1~4FPS, but I run DDR3-2000 on my 980X.

Good DDR3-2000MHz - Mushkin Enhanced Blackline 12GB (3 x 4GB) DDR3 2000 Model 998990 -> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226195




Thank you for explaing to him more than i knew but do alien ware use tri channel or quad channel i thought they used tri channel thats why i suggested 6gb

Keep in mind those are Budget-Performance kits. This is what I'm running, Corsair Dominator GT 12GB (3 x 4GB) DDR3 2000 with Air Fan Model CMT12GX3M3A2000C9 -> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145329

Thank you for explaing to him more than i knew but do alien ware use tri channel or quad channel i thought they used tri channel thats why i suggested 6gb

 

[The0n3]

It says Qpi frequency 4.8 or 6.4 and mem ratio up to 16, what would u run if you had this MBoard?

 

[jaquith]

The "Mushkin Enhanced Blackline 12GB (3 x 4GB) DDR3 1600 Model 998776" as I've listed above. It's a function of stability and cost.

Getting $256 or even $140 of 12GB is crazy unless you have all sorts of money and have SSD, GPUs, etc already. The $78 12GB DDR3-1600 CAS 9 makes sense to most configurations and wallets.

 

[The0n3]

k, i left out i have a OCZ vertex 3 ssd. what will give me my best proformance for this mother bored budget aside

 

[jaquith]

First, 9.999/10 your biggest problem is the SATA limitations to your SSD, at best you're loosing ~180MB/s R/W speeds off the top of your 550/500MB/s. DDR3-1600 won't slow down your SSD nor its' performance.

Q - What chipset is your SSD connect to now?

 

[The0n3]

just got it a few days ago, im a noob i basically just plugged it in and formated it to NTFS and put two of my fav games on it lol. i was planning on reformating my old drive and putting my OS on it on the weekend. if u have any suggestions to help a noob out feel free =)

 

[jaquith]

Looking at both the specs and downloads there's NO SATA3 ports and they all seem to be SATA2 {~280~290MB/s}, I hoped you at least had a Marvell 912X which is a x1 PCIe lane or theoretical 500MB/s {real world 'shared bandwidth' ~370MB/s -- hence the '9.999/10'}. If you indeed have an OCZ Vertex 3 then you're losing almost half your SSD speed.

Only the newest X58 MOBO's utilize Marvell 918X chipset which is x2 PCIe lanes to achieve the full R/W speed of the OCZ Vertex 3.

ref - http://www.dell.com/us/p/alienware-aurora-alx/pd

Solutions:
1. SATA3 Card with x1 PCIe lane, affordable, but still losing ~180MB/s R/W speeds.
Example $30 HighPoint Rocket 620 PCI-Express 2.0 x1 SATA III (6.0Gb/s) Controller Card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816115072
ref {Marvell 912X} http://www.highpoint-tech.com/usa_new/series_rr600.htm
2. SATA3 Card with x4+ PCIe lanes and Marvell 918X, very expensive, and achieve full SATA3 speeds.
Example $400+ {LSI} Intel RAID SATA 8 internal port w/ 256MB cache memory PCI-E 2.0 x8 Controller Card (RT3WB080) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816117214
3. New X58 MOBO with Marvell 918X chipset, expensive, and achieve full SATA3 speeds.
Example $220 GIGABYTE G1.Guerrilla LGA 1366 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128481
ref {Marvell 9182} http://www.gigabyte.us/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3776#sp

See -> http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?93757-Old-Motherboard-Marvel-9128-amp-Highpoint-2720-Comparison-Single-Vertex

 

[The0n3]

hmmm the new MOBO option is tempting, but im prob to much of a noob to do the change, ill prob have to settle for option 1. with option two am i able to hook up more then one OCZ Vertex 3? for a raid 0 config

 

[jaquith]

IMO - I would NOT RAID 0 the OCZ Vertex 3 on ANY PCIe x1 or Marvell 912X controller, it would be a enormous waste {loss} of R/W speed i.e. 1/2 poof aka gone.

Your choices are really limited to options 2 & 3, and BEFORE purchasing either contact Intel or Adaptec for the 6-series -> http://www.adaptec.com/en-us/_common/series6/

Adaptec has good customer support, BUT the 6-series are big bucks for anything good/worth buying i.e. >$400.

Getting some of these controller cards to work on Consumer let alone OEM e.g. Dell/Alienware is difficult if not impossible. Frequently, the BIOS of the MOBO won't release/provide adequate support/memory/resources to the controllers. Server and Workstation MOBOs are more generally supported.

 

[The0n3]

Ive spent about a hour checking out how to replace the mobo and stuff, i think i mite be able to do it. If so would this mobo you told me about fit? It doesint seem to bad, theres a video on Utube video that shows u how to strip the alienware modle i have, if this would work it would be awsome because eventually i wanted to get a faster processor

 

[jaquith]

On the safe side measure, the dimensions are Height 12" x Width 10.35" / ATX Form Factor; 30.5cm x 26.3cm.

Here's the G1.Guerrilla specs -> http://www.gigabyte.us/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3776#sp

 

[The0n3]

Ill measure the one i have tomoro, cuz my tapes at work. But everything looks the same, one thing that is different ( or i cant see because my gfx card is over top of it ) is the passive cooler for the southbridge, would that be to big or would my graphic cards fit over top of that as well?

 

[jaquith]

Your GPU will fit fine over the MOBO's chipsets i.e. the X58; it's the same height as the top of the PCIe.

 

[The0n3]

cool man, thanks alot for your help. So when i get this i hook everythign up the same, and turn it on and it should just work? or is there lots of drivers and stuff i have to change around in bios. I'll look up the detales you have helped me enough just kinda want to get pointed in the right direction

 

[The0n3]

Just checked my MOBO size and its closer to 10' x 10'

 

[jaquith]

Interesting a mATX, but IF there's 2" space on the bottom then it 'should' fit.

See -> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATX
mATX lighter orange
ATX green