HELP!!! Confused about Ram...point me in right direction?

[Havensdad]

O.K. I am working on my system build I was given this motherboard...

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3265#sp

with this CPU, which I am planning on overclocking ...

http://ark.intel.com/products/37150/Intel-Core-i7-950-Processor-8M-Cache-3_06-GHz-4_80-GTs-Intel-QPI

And I want the BEST memory I can get. The CPU and MOBO supports dual or tri-channel ram, but I am thinking that 16GB in dual channel, is better than 12GB in tri-channel.

I am looking, then, for a SPECIFIC 16GB ram kit...the BEST that I can get for my rig...without wasting a bunch of power. It will have to be a 4 x 4 GB kit, and I am unsure about the rest...hopefully someone knows a bit more.

I was looking at this kit:

http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-4x4GB-Desktop-Memory-CMX16GX3M4A1333C9/dp/B0054KPK9C/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=3HMJPG4HIA960&coliid=IQA9MG4POD7AR

Would that be compatible?

 

[alexoiu]

Corsair is good, Crucial the same. not forgeting Kingston. Use their configurators for finding guaranteed compatible kits:
http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=GA-EX58-UD3R%20(rev.%201.0)&Cat=RAM
or
http://www2.corsair.com/configurator/product_results.aspx?sc=us&id=847565
I would use triple channel, 3x4GB.
http://www.ninjalane.com/articles/general_information/dualvtriple/page5.aspx

 

[Havensdad]

Corsair is good, Crucial the same. not forgeting Kingston. Use their configurators for finding guaranteed compatible kits:
http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=GA-EX58-UD3R%20(rev.%201.0)&Cat=RAM
or
http://www2.corsair.com/configurator/product_results.aspx?sc=us&id=847565
I would use triple channel, 3x4GB.
http://www.ninjalane.com/articles/general_information/dualvtriple/page5.aspx

That article said their was only a slight difference between triple and dual channel, even when the same amount of Memory was used in each. I am running After Effects with fairly high end renders: I need every scrap of memory I can get. There is no way 12GB of triple channel, is anywhere near as good as 16 GB of dual channel.

In fact, since AE can use 4gb of ram per core, this will make an enormous hit to processing renders. I really need a 16 GB kit, not a 12GB, and the sites you are linking are not filling me with confidence, especially the Corsair site, since it is saying my MoBo max is 12, when its 16...

 

[alexoiu]

Well, it's up to you. They list there kits that they tested and they guarantee them as compatible. It doesn't mean that other kits would not work. But it's try and see.

 

[Havensdad]

But any ram will work? In other words, I can put 1600 MHZ ram in the system, even though the I7 officially only supports 1066?

Also, does overclocking the CPU effect RAM?

 

[Xttony]

No problem with 1600 but I'd say go for 12 gB as I don't think you will use any more than that.
Triple channel is definitely good. Almost 50% performance boost.

 

[Havensdad]

No problem with 1600 but I'd say go for 12 gB as I don't think you will use any more than that.
Triple channel is definitely good. Almost 50% performance boost.

Everybody keeps saying that, but they are apparently unfamiliar with After Effects. Just After Effects, without any background programs, is capable of utilizing 20 GB of Ram on a 4 core CPU.

Again, I need every scrap of memory I can get.

 

[Xttony]

Obviously 16gB is better than 12gB triple channel when you need a huge memory reserve.
As you need memoRy and you have four slots with max 16gB supported. You are better off with 16gB.
Although I'd say get the ram cards with higher frequency. As your board supports upto 2133mhz. You better take the advantage of it.
1866MHz 16gB cards will cost about $100

If you disable XMP then it won't affect your ram if you are overclocking CPU

 

[Havensdad]

Obviously 16gB is better than 12gB triple channel when you need a huge memory reserve.
As you need memoRy and you have four slots with max 16gB supported. You are better off with 16gB.
Although I'd say get the ram cards with higher frequency. As your board supports upto 2133mhz. You better take the advantage of it.
1866MHz 16gB cards will cost about $100

If you disable XMP then it won't affect your ram if you are overclocking CPU

Does it matter that my CPU (I7 950) is only rated for 1033?

And what exactly is the benefit of disabling my XMP? If I OC my CPU to 4 GHZ without disabling my XMP, will I get overheating problems?

 

[Xttony]

XMP automatically changes the settings of other components, if you change CPU voltage.
If you can manually change the settings (and you know what you are doing) like ram then don't go for XMP.

Your processor supports 1866 MHz