Which memory for a GA-Z77X-UP5 TH build

I'm currently building a system with a Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UP5 TH motherboard and an Intel 3770k CPU. I checked the Corsair Memory finder but don't see my board listed.

 

The system will be used for a bit of gaming, video transcoding, etc. I plan on triple booting it with Win7 64-bit, Ubuntu 64-bit, and Mac OS X Mountain Lion.

 

I will run it with the integrated graphics for now, but plan on buying a video card later on when money permits.

 

What are my options for RAM? I was thinking of installing 16GB, in a 2x8GB configuration. Would 16GB be overkill?

 

Thanks.

What are my options for RAM? I was thinking of installing 16GB, in a 2x8GB configuration. Would 16GB be overkill?

In todays world, no 16 gig would not be over kill.

Any of the Vengeance series Dual channel kits ,The Dominator or Dominator Platunum Line line that are rated at 1.5v. at 1600 mhz. or above.

 

Oh and yes, a 2x8 kit would be ideal. And if budget is an issue, then the Vengeance line would probably be the best choice.The Dominators and the Platinum's are a bit more expensive than the Vengeance series , but there are no real advantages to one or the other for normal everyday use unless you plan on overclocking . The Dominators and Platinums may provide a bit more headroom for that.

 

If you plan on overclocking the memory then you could run 1866 or 2133mhz quite easily with that CPU. Some people like the to try faster memory 2200mhz and above, but that can really be hit or miss as to whether or not your CPU can handle that much of an overclock.

Thanks for the reply.

 

I plan on overclocking the CPU a little.

 

This is my first computer build in about 10 years, so I'm a little confused. If I want to overclock is it better to use memory that is faster than 1600MHz?

 

My motherboard manual says:

 

Support for DDR3 1600/1333/1066 MHz memory modules

 

Can I even run stuff that is faster than 1600?

In your case no. The MB only supports a max of 1600mhz. With a different MB you could easily run 1866 or 2133mhz memory.

 

But you may be able to get the CPU to overclock some.

I was browsing Gigabyte's website and came across a page with system specs for my motherboard. I notice it says:

 

Support for DDR3 2800(OC)/1600/1333/1066 MHz memory modules

 

Whereas my motherboard manual lists 1600MHz as the fastest compatible memory module (perhaps 2800MHz was enabled with a BIOS update after my manual was already printed?).

 

I assume that the 'OC' beside the 2800 stands for overclocked? So what does this all mean? If I want to overclock I can get something faster than 1600MHz (e.g. 1866), but no more than 2800MHz?

 

I also found a memory support list on the Gigabyte website, which lists modules of 1866MHz and 2400MHz.

Whereas my motherboard manual lists 1600MHz as the fastest compatible memory module (perhaps 2800MHz was enabled with a BIOS update after my manual was already printed?).

 

I assume that the 'OC' beside the 2800 stands for overclocked? So what does this all mean?

Yes, that means overclocked and with your CPU you would not be able to hit 2800mhz unless you were using liquid nitrogen,dry ice, or something similar to keep the CPU/MB cool enough to achieve that speed.

It's aimed towards the serious overclocker who is running 30 second benchmarks for bragging rights or just trying to see how high of an overclock that they can achieve. Not something that you would be able to use for everyday 24/7 use.

 

Your CPU only supports a max of 1600mhz modules, but can be easily overclocked to 1866 or maybe even 2133mhz depending on the CPU. And there is no way to tell how much your CPU will overclock other than to physically try it.

It's not tied to a specific CPU part number or anything, but the strength or weakness of the memory controller contained within the CPU. I like to say they are like fingerprints. Every one is different (even given the same part number) and will overclock slightly different.

 

With your CPU i would not expect more than 2133mhz for 24/7 stability. Some do reach 2200 and some slightly higher, but you NEED to have great CPU cooling. I would suggest water cooling at the very least if your going to try for 2200mhz and above.

 

With all that said 1866 would be easily attainable with the click of a mouse setting in the BIOS and would run just fine on a good air cooler.

I will probably do some overclocking, but I won't push it. I do have an H100i for cooling.

 

I'm wondering if I would need low profile RAM. Below is a pic of the memory slots on my board. Would the heat spreaders on Vengeance or Dominator memory brush up against the right fan?

 

From the angle of the pic it looks like it should clear. However the hoses on the H100 look like they might interfere with regular Vengeance modules, so the LP might be a good idea if you have any doubts about either of those.

So could I stick 16GB (2x8GB) of 1866MHz memory in and run it at 1600MHz if I'm not overclocking, and run it at 1866MHz when I do overclock?

Sure, actually, you could still run them at 1866 without the CPU side of things being overclocked.

 

Technically , you would still be overclocking the CPU, just not raising clock speed since the memory controller is located in the CPU itself instead of the MB. But it's possible for you to do either of those scenarios with no real problems other than maybe having to adjust system voltages , which XMP would do for you anyway.

 

Really that is all you need to do is just enable the XMP profile in your BIOS and the memory would run at 1866 without overclocking the CPU.