16GB ram for an old ASUS P5Q3 Motherboard?

[NicoN]

I want to install 16 GB of new (still to be purchased) DDR3 ram into my old ASUS P5Q3 motherboard. Can I use the G.SKILL Ripjaws X, model F3-12800CL9Q-16GBXL to get the full 16GB? The product is 4 sticks of 4 GB DDR3 ram. My old ASUS P5Q3 mobo is the plain version, not the Deluxe model. 16GB is the maximum ram for the P5Q3. The CPU is a Q9550. From other posts I believe I need to overclock the FSB to 400 MHz plus other fine tuning adjustments. I am using extra CPU cooling but I have not considered extra cooling for the ram.

Nominally the mobo wants CL9-9-9-24. In some threads I read that the old mobo needs ram sticks with the old "internal architecture" 512Megabitx64. I am unsure if this is a real issue and I can't tell what the internal architecture is on G.Skill ram sticks. The mobo manual says "This motherboard does not support memory modules made up of 256 Mb chips." The qualifed memory list mentions Serial Presence Detect (SPD), I assume SPD is present in currently available ram.

Some old G.Skill forum threads that discuss ram for the P5Q3 and the P5Q3 Deluxe. It looks like the threads deal with only up to 8GB ram. I want to get the full 16 GB. Is this possible?

[GSKILL TECH]

No, it is best to get DDR3-1333 since the CPU can not support DDR3-1600.

Here is an ideal kit:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231442

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[NicoN]

Many thanks GKILL TECH. I looked and I can't find your recommended RAM locally,
Ripjaws X Series F3-10666CL7Q-16GBXH
4x4GB DDR3-1333 CL7-7-7-21

The closest I found at my local vendor is this 1333 MHz memory in 2 dual channel sticks, 8 GB total:
Ripjaws X F3-10666CL7D-8GBXH 8GB
2X4GB DDR3-1333 CL7-7-7-21

Will 2 of these (4 x 4 GB sticks) give me 16 GB on the old P5Q3? Need I worry about "SPD" and the size of the chips on each stick? Am I better off buying exactly what you suggest from your suggested source?

I am new to overclocking so maybe getting the 1333 MHz RAM and keeping the Q9550 at 2.83 GHz is for the best.

Again, thanks for your thoughtful feedback.

Nick

[NicoN]

Has anyone seen the F3-10666CL7Q-16GBXH deliver 16GB on ASUS P5Q3 or P5Q3-Deluxe mobos? I see old forum reports about achieving 8GB, but nothing about 16GB or using this newer ram on a P5Q3. Based on the ram's excellent reviews I want to believe it avoids technical issues encountered in ram from a few years ago.

Please excuse me if my question is not very good, I am no ram expert.


update 2013.11.18
I intend to get 16GB in 2 sets of dual channel ram, F3-10666CL7D-8GBXH. I's available and similar to the F3-10666CL7Q-16GBXH.

[GSKILL TECH]

If only 8GB kits are available, then you will need to try those to see if you can stabilize two kits.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[NicoN]

Faster 4-stick kit instead of 2 slower 2-stick kits?

I can get these faster 4 stick kits locally. Is one fast 4-stick kit better than buying 2 slower 2-stick kits of PC10666? Can I use one of them with the Q9550 in the ASUS P5Q3 mobo?

F3-12800CL9Q-16GBZL
16GB 4X4GB DDR3-1600 CL9-9-9-24 Sandy Bridge E 1.5V Memory Kit

F3-14900CL9Q-16GBXL
16GB 4X4GB DDR3-1866 CL9-10-9-28 1.5V Dual Channel Memory Kit

F3-14900CL9Q-16GBZL
16GB 4X4GB DDR3-1866 CL9-10-9-28 Sandy Bridge E 1.5V Memory Kit

Hoping to buy ram tomorrow, let me know!

[supahos]

F3-14900CL9Q-16GBXL
16GB 4X4GB DDR3-1866 CL9-10-9-28 1.5V Dual Channel Memory Kit

That is a quad channel kit to no idea why its listed as dual channel


Honestly they'll all perform very similarly when down clocked i would just buy the cheapest and see if it works.

[NicoN]

F3-14900cl9q-16gbxl

I'll order the F3-14900CL9Q-16GBXL and run it at 1333MHz. Thanks supahos.

16GB 4X4GB DDR3-1866 CL9-10-9-28 1.5V

[supahos]

Whoops I wasn't suggesting that kit was just making a correction. If F3-12800CL9Q-16GBZL
16GB 4X4GB DDR3-1600 CL9-9-9-24 Sandy Bridge E 1.5V Memory Kit Is cheaper buy it. My point is they are very similar chips and would likely all perform the same at 1333, If you haven't bought them already just buy the cheaper ones (granted the price difference between those two kits should be tiny)

[NicoN]

I ordered the 4-stick kit:

F3-14900CL9Q-16GBXL
16GB 4X4GB DDR3-1866 CL9-10-9-28 1.5V

The price was about the same as the other possible 4-stick 16GB kits. I guess an important thing for a ram-sensitive motherboard is getting all 4 ram sticks electrically-matched. Presumably capacitance-inductance s-parameter detail. Fingers crossed.

I was interested in the F3-12800CL9Q-16GBZL
16GB 4X4GB DDR3-1600 CL9-9-9-24 Sandy Bridge kit. However this CPU is a Wolfdale generation chip, the Q9550. Wolfdale predates Sandy Bridge a few generations. I thought maybe Sandy Bridge optimization could work against my older build so I ordered the one 16GB ram set that was not specific to CPU generation.

2013.12.15 update
I installed the new G.Skill ram in the old ASUS P5Q3 mobo. All 4 sticks, all 16GB worked fine on 1st power up. This is very agreeable and I owe thanks to G.Skill for pointing me in this direction. Over the last few years several users have tried unsuccessfully to get 16 GB, the max possible with the P5Q3. For it to work the first time for me - it feels great.

Thanks for the reliable product! I will be buying G.Skill ram for any future builds.

[supahos]

It should work fine, it won't hurt it to have chosen the faster memory, and heck if you upgrade it will be faster for you down the line. I just meant there wasn't a need to spend more for it if you didn't want to. It may take more major tweaks to get it up and running as you want with and older cpu/board, Make sure you update the bios before the memory change, and if it doesn't work properly let us know and we can try to get things sorted for you.

[terje]

No, it is best to get DDR3-1333 since the CPU can not support DDR3-1600.

Here is an ideal kit:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231442

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

Hi,
I ordered the kit you recommended here for my P5Q3 board, but are not able to get the PC to even POST. Are this kit really compatible with that board? What settings do I have to adjust?

-Terje

[GSKILL TECH]

DDR3 chips have changed, so the compatibility is different now. Is the kit you have double sided? If not, you will need to exchange for a NT series kit that is dual sided and that should work much better.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[bluearcher]

DDR3 for Asus P5Q3 deluxe

Bought the 16GB Ripjaws X Series F3-10666CL7Q-16GBXH kit (4x4GB DDR3-1333, CL7-7-7-21) for my elderly but excellent Asus P5Q3 deluxe on basis of recommendation in this thread. CPU is a 3.0GHz Intel Q9650 core two quad.

Unfortunately board will not POST with these G.Skill modules (all settings currently set to auto).

Have been running it without any trouble with 4x2GB Corsair 1600MHz XMS3 DHX, CAS CL9-9-9-24 modules (running on board's auto settings which tell me it is operating at the board's native 1333MHz, at improved CAS of CL7-7-7-20).

Please can you advise? Thanks

[bluearcher]

I tried this recommended memory in my Asus P5Q3 deluxe but board won't post with it. Any suggestions why?