Recommendation request for 24GB 3x8 ddr3 2000+ clock speeds

[seigan]

Hi All,

I have an I7 950 proc and currently need to bump my ram up from 12GB to 24GB (i believe this is the max supported by the IMC of the 950) and due to the QPI architecture quirkiness wanted to avoid using a 6x4 set up and simply go with at 3x8GB dimm kitt. I can find tons of 16 and 32 but no love on the 24 and don't think i will have good results with 3 sep dimms of the same brand/capacity as they could have varied IC issues. I looked all around the forums but have had no luck digging this up as my rig is a dinosaur compared to what is out there but would appreciate any guidance and or suggestions on both brand (if there is a leader now..I have Corsair GT which has been great) and even speed recommendations I.E. go 1866 and oc to 2000. 2000+ is not a must have but if i am upgrading i prefer to shoot the wad..not like $400 for the set of ram but up to is ok. I have not ocd the proc beyond 3.5 but have some free time coming up and have heard results of 4.2 with water cooling..which i have.

PS. Rampage 3 Extreme
12 GB Corsair GT 1600 native
1200 w psu Coolermaster
2 sli 580 gtx
water cooled with apogee xt block and will be installing wc circuits for SLI and Mobo as I dont believe you can do just a SB cooler set up on this rig.

Thanks in advance

[Myk_SilentShado]

It would seem, if you are wanting to stay with Corsair; that they have only 1 24GB Kit of Triple Channel DDR3.

http://www.corsair.com/us/memory-by-product-family/vengeance/vengeance-24gb-triple-channel-ddr3-memo...

[seigan]

I did note the Vengance RAM kit but it is only 1600 and i am shooting for 2000+ for speed. However, I am not wedded to Corsair it is just what i am familiar with in the Dominator GT line which has been a solid performer for me but ty for the reply

[seigan]

Thanks for the warm welcome 🙂

This is going to be for a database which heavily leverages windows file caching algorithms and is hybrid in nature with a behavior that will range from 50/50 to 80/20 r/w as i step through testing paces. The application does a tremendous amount of work in memory and will perform hashing algos, encryption, and other goodies. I am thinking that in this instance the addtional HP would be observable as a differentiator but I am always open to observations or feedback. While i do use this as a gaming rig it is also a sand box for my VMware ESXI world and believe that may also have an impact relative to speed as well as capacity available. However, i am no guru in VM.

I could do 32 GB but think it would be a pure waste and also put me back in the QPI dog pound, while my Win 64 Enterprise environment could use the RAM i do not believe the IMC would present it beyond 24 and 16 isn't enough to meet my build spec.

[Myk_SilentShado]

No worries, but honestly. Unless you bench or OC Pro, you're not gonna notice any difference between the 1600 and 2000 speeds.

Oh and welcome to the ROG Forums! 🙂

[Gphish]

I have R3E with a 990X and I use 2 sets of dominator gt CMT12GX3M3A2000C9 FOR TOTAL OF 24 Gb this has been my set up since Jan 2011. Now what I can tell you is when I run this in XMP mode only 16Gb will show up in windows I am using Win 7 64 Pro. this is due to hitting a limitation of some sort with memeory bandwithI dont know the technical term for it. But if I back down to 1800 then all 24 Gb will be seen by windows. Does this help?

[HalloweenWeed]

seigan wrote:
due to the QPI architecture quirkiness wanted to avoid using a 6x4 set up and simply go with at 3x8GB dimm kitt.

seigan wrote:
I could do 32 GB but think it would be a pure waste and also put me back in the QPI dog pound, while my Win 64 Enterprise environment could use the RAM i do not believe the IMC would present it beyond 24 and 16 isn't enough to meet my build spec.

That's what we thought in 2010. When I say "we," I mean us EVGA forumites. It doesn't matter that it's another brand, the IMC is on the CPU, the mobo Mfgr is irrelevant in this aspect. In 2009-2010 what you are saying was the general consensus. But in 2011, as larger memory kits became mainstream among enthusiasts, we found out the number of sticks had little effect; but it was the total GB that was the culprit. It was easy to OC to high level W/6GB, but when you add more you had to settle for a lower OC. We originally thought this was due to 6 sticks vs 3, but in 2011 we found out it was only a matter of total GB, and even if you stuck W/only 3 sticks, 12GB in 3x4 limited the OC just as much as 6x2 did (due to more stress on the IMC as you mentioned).

What's more, there was little difference going more than 12GB. Since you have 12GB, you should be able to do just about the same OC W/24 (you might have to drop ~100-200MHz). So let's just kinda cast this number of sticks superstition aside.


So are you OCd (CPU overclocked)? I'm guessing you are. Sorry to 'burst your bubble' but you will buy that mem only to find out what I just said is true. It would be cheaper for you to buy another exact same memory kit and add it. But to do this you will find you also need to loosen your latencies a little. Do not mix kits W/different specs. FYI.

I suppose if you are going to increase your RAM speed, you have to replace it all. But we can't give you a good recommendation without your Bclock setting, we need to calculate what speeds are possible. We don't want to recommend 2400 if your system can only run it at 1867. So what is your Bclck?

P.S.: Click on "Eve" in my signature below. Look at the mobo.

[HiVizMan]

If our work is as described then I honestly believe that you need to actually change your platform. The pure processor and memory bandwidth that you are describing is best suited for the X79 platform.

Pretty sure you did not want to hear that but ....

if you are willing to take a chance then go for 8GB sticks of ram and try use three of a 4 stick kit.

[HalloweenWeed]

Gphish wrote:
I have R3E with a 990X and I use 2 sets of dominator gt CMT12GX3M3A2000C9 FOR TOTAL OF 24 Gb this has been my set up since Jan 2011. Now what I can tell you is when I run this in XMP mode only 16Gb will show up in windows I am using Win 7 64 Pro. this is due to hitting a limitation of some sort with memeory bandwithI dont know the technical term for it. But if I back down to 1800 then all 24 Gb will be seen by windows. Does this help?

If you start a thread we might be able to help you get all your 24GB working. You have to adjust things for multiple sets.

[seigan]

Hi guys, sorry for the delayed response on my part. I have looked a great deal and there are variant ideas that i have as alluded to by Weed. I was thking of just getting a 32GB kit and dropping the 4th stick. However, I can buy two 12 GB sets much like i did for the 1600 and use them. I have not ocd my rig to its fullest potential and i am in the process of installing some addtional water circuits. Again, this application is not CPU intensive per se it is really about how windows handles write caching when dealing with large DB files and requires about 2GB of ram per 1TB of file data to cache the index to work from. So i think the proc is fine tbh and i will most likely OC it to around 4.0 which i have read on many boards is quite possible with this chip set and proper cooling/voltages. So i think in the end i am just going get two 12GB dimm kits at either 1866 or 2000. The speed of the RAM is not so relevant here as is just the capactity but if i am going to drop the bones for the kit i may as well bump the speed I am thinking. Thanks for all your input and help.