F3-2400C9Q-16GTXD Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R

[Terry]

Dear G.Skill,

For about a year now, I have been operating my Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R motherboard, with the Core i7-950 Bloomfield 3.06GHz LGA 1366 using 24GB of memory composed of your F3-12800CL9Q-16GBRL kit and your F3-12800CL9D-8GBRL. With one or two minor changes to match the two kits exactly, everything works trouble free and consistently. Since the memory is 1600MHz, the processor is humming along at 3.2GHz.

The Gigabyte specs calls out a max memory of 2200MHz, but I did not see anything appealing in your configurator page. I would love to see a very low clock speed and 24GB, with the ability to run 2100MHz without seeing clock speeds in the 11 and above range.

F3-2400C9Q-16GTXD together with F3-2400C9D-8GTXD seems on paper that it would have great performance running at 1600MHz and even 2100MHz. This memory is a little more expensive than the F3-14900CL8Q-16GBZM together with F3-14900CL8D-8GBXM, which I think will also work, and it looks like either set would perform the same at 1600MHz.

I think my Gigabyte 1366 motherboard is a great board. And I can easily configure many of the memory settings for each stick, individually if needed. Can you please tell me if I am barking up the wrong tree with my thinking? I am concerned whether these two memory combos would be compatible with the X58 chipset.

Thank you again for having this forum and such awesome memory selections!

Sincerely,

Terry.

[GSKILL TECH]

Couple of things that need clarification:

The motherboard may support up to DDR3-2200, but the memory controller is embedded in the CPU, so how high of DRAM frequency depends on the CPU. For the i7-950, it will be very difficult to achieve DDR3-2000+, especially of 16GB+

It is best to use a single kit of RAM, so your idea of a 16GB kit and an 8GB kit is not a good idea. You can try, but we can not guarantee results since they were not tested together at factory. If you mean to use the RAM at DDR3-1600 with very tight timings, then it may be more possible. For guaranteed results, you will need to try a 16GB or 32GB complete kit with 8GB modules. The CPU memory controller will be very stressed out, so keep that in mind.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[emissary42]

@Terry: I really do not know, how well the F3-2400C9D-8GTXD and the according quad kit will run on LGA1366, but on newer intel platforms you would be able to run them at 8-9-9-20 around DDR3-2000. With your i7-950 that is probably as high as you will get in terms of memory clock. Even most 980X/990X max out lower than DDR3-2400 for daily use. Using some pretty high end RipjawsX i got up to DDR3-2300 with an 980X & Gigabyte X58A-OC back in the days, but that was a ton of work and still was not hundred percent stable (my system voltages were limited by air cooling).

[Terry]

Thank you both! I appreciate both your thoughts and suggestions. I have a very stable computer right now, and the last thing anyone wants is instability for a few more horsepower. I am just having trouble finding your triple channel kits for sale anymore. And I understand the importance of factory tested kits, and the concerns of combining memory from different lots. It seems a shame to leave any memory slot empty :-(

Can you tell me, or would you know if G.Skill still sells your F3-12800CL7T2-24GBSRD , which is listed as a viable memory for my Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R. I'll take the Sniper's low clock speed at 1600MHz, preferable to my Ripjaw's at CL9, which I pieced together from two different sets. One site on the big woman website knows people like me are out there, and is selling it for more than $700.00!!! The egg shows it's been discontinued, and I am still doing web searches. All in all, I appreciate your help. Being a memory wizard must take a lifetime to learn!

Sincerely,

Terry :-)

[supahos]

I can't find a kit with less than CL9 anywhere that is triple channel, 24 gigs. Newegg has a ripjaws kit here:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231359

but that is basically what you have working right now so I don't know.

Really oddball, but another option would be to buy
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231504 and clock them where you want them, and sell 2 sticks or upgrade a friend's computer lol. That is still 1/2 the price you listed above. single/double/triple/quad channel is on the motherboard. All memory will channel together if the board supports it. Seems the tri channel bandwagon fell apart quickly unfortunately for you.

[emissary42]

I don't think those 6x4gb and 3x4gb DDR3-1600 CL7 kits are still in production. Here in europe the last of those kits was unlisted (marked as no longer available) in mid 2012.

[Terry]

Thanks for all your great help! It led me to think out of the box and take a chance. In early December I bought 3 sets of your F3-14900CL8D-8GBXM.

My Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R motherboard identified them right away, and I was given two XMP choices. I chose the second, since that one recognized the memory as 1866mhz. My computer booted up perfectly. It looks like the only big difference is that while this memory is listed as 8-9-9-24, my BIOS is showing 8-9-9-26. But I am getting 1866mhz and a wonderfully low CL8 !!

This memory is working perfectly with my triple channel motherboard. It is a unique 1866 set, as there are not many that is made to CL8 specs. The boot up time and access time to my programs are noticeable quicker. No anomalies. I certainly got more than I paid for. I took a chance and I won!! Thanks G-skill !!!