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Dual Channel vs Quad Channel G'Skill Part Numbers - Confused

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  • Dual Channel vs Quad Channel G'Skill Part Numbers - Confused

    On G.Skill's site under Trident Series, I can select 32 Gig (8 Gig X 4) Dual Channel or Quad Channel, 3200 MHz tested speed, 14-14-14-34-2N and get the following part numbers.

    Dual Channel - F4-3200C14Q-32GTZ
    Quad Channel - F4-3200C14Q-32GTZSW

    If I understand G.Skill's part numbering scheme, the SW at the end of the Quad Channel part number indicates the color scheme of the DIMMs and nothing more. Take that away and they are the same part number. If I select them and Compare, I see the attached image.

    The specs are exactly the same except one says Dual Channel and one says Quad Channel. So what is the difference between these 2 sets of Ram? They have the same part number except for the suffix that I am pretty sure just indicates color. They both are 8GB x 4 DIMM kits.

    Thanks in advance!
    Attached Files
    Last edited by BillB; 10-29-2016, 07:19 PM.

  • #2
    So no one knows the answer to this question? Not even a G.Skill representative?

    Thanks !

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    • #3
      Dual Channel is designed for Z170 chip set
      Quad Channel is designed for X99 chip set

      Take a look at the QVL list for compatible motherboards

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      • #4
        Yes I did look at the QVL for both of them and do see that, and that they are listed as Dual Channel or Quad Channel. But the part numbers are the same except the 2 suffix letters at the end which I thought just denoted the color scheme of the DIMMs. All of the specs listed and all published timings are identical. So the ONLY difference is that one is Dual Channel and the other is Quad Channel?

        Thanks !

        Comment


        • #5
          There might be differences among the secondary timings or in general in the way the SPD is programmed to optimize it for one platform or another (other than just a different number of modules per channel).
          Team HardwareLUXX | Show off your G.SKILL products!

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          • #6
            Yes there may be differences at those levels. The G.Skill specs do not go into that level of detail so there is really no way to tell unless sets of each are physically in hand. Perhaps a G.Skill rep will chime in again with more detailed information.

            Thanks!

            Comment


            • #7
              XMP is designed for the specific platform. A quad channel CPU vs. dual channel requires different settings/Voltages. For this reason it is imperative to check G.Skill QVL list and which motherboards are fully certified. These are extreme performance memory kits so it is not as simple as only matching a frequency number for compatibility. The only specs that can be considered universally compatible is DDR4-2133 CL15 1.20V.
              Last edited by GSKILL TECH; 11-01-2016, 11:34 AM.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by GSKILL TECH View Post
                XMP is designed for the specific platform. A quad channel CPU vs. dual channel requires different settings/Voltages. For this reason it is imperative to check G.Skill QVL list and which motherboards are fully certified. These are extreme performance memory kits so it is not as simple as only matching a frequency number for compatibility. The only specs that can be considered universally compatible is DDR4-2133 CL15 1.20V.
                Thanks for your response. It makes sense.I guess those last 2 letters in the part number for G.Skill F4-3200C14Q-32GTZSW really don't just denote the color scheme of the DIMMs. Since that is the only difference in the two part numbers, it must also denote Quad Channel verses Dual Channel.

                I actually purchased a set of F4-3333C16Q-32GTZB for my Asus X99-Deluxe II MOBO back in July. At that time, that part number was listed on the Asus QVL list but that MOBO was not listed on the G.Skill QVL list. IIRC, the G.Skill QVL list did not even list X99 at all at that time. It also did not list CPU family.

                Now the G.Skill QVL does list the Asus X99-Deluxe II and it includes a note that it is rated for Broadwell-E CPUs only. My CPU is an i7-5820K (Haswell-E) and I have not been able to get the one XMP profile in the DIMMs to work at all. I have gotten it to run at 3000 MHz which is pretty good though I need to run more stability tests on it. I purchased this particular kit because the Asus X99-Deluxe II is rated up to 3333MHz and the kit was on sale for a great price so I went for it. Since then I have learned that Haswell-E is not capable of controlling the RAM at that speed and even 3000MHz is pushing it.

                In July, the Asus X99-Deluxe II had just been released and I guess the QVL lists had not caught up yet. At least if I ever upgrade to a Broadwell-E CPU, I can hope to use this kit at it's fullest potential.

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                • #9
                  You may need to increase VCCIO and/or VCCSA Voltage to push the DRAM Frequency beyond DDR4-3000.

                  DDR4-3333 is maximum, so it can require some tweaking to reach it. Pushing capabilities +150% is an overclocking accomplishment. Some hardware state it is capable, but it is not as easy as plug and play.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by GSKILL TECH View Post
                    You may need to increase VCCIO and/or VCCSA Voltage to push the DRAM Frequency beyond DDR4-3000.

                    DDR4-3333 is maximum, so it can require some tweaking to reach it. Pushing capabilities +150% is an overclocking accomplishment. Some hardware state it is capable, but it is not as easy as plug and play.
                    Yes I know though “some tweaking” may be an understatement! I think it will require a whole lot of tweaking and the 5820K may just not be able to do it. I have run some calcs and due to the timings of the F4-3333C16Q-32GTZB (16-18-18-38-2N), its a tad slower that the F4-3200C14Q-32GTZSW (14-14-14-34-2N) at the same clock speed. In fact, if my calcs are correct, the F4-3333C16Q-32GTZB is actually still slower at 3333 MHz than the F4-3200C14Q-32GTZSW at 3200 MHz.

                    I am reading up on tweaking RAM and am going to try to get the F4-3333C16Q-32GTZB kit running stable at 3000 MHz then try to tighten the timings to 14-14-14-34-2N. I don't know if the IMC on the 5820K can handle it, especially if I have the CPU overclocked. I may have to go back to stock CPU clock to do it. Given that choice, I will probably choose to overclock the CPU to 4.4 GHz or 4.5 GHz and run the RAM at whatever speed and timings I can get. CPU overclock benefits performance more than RAM overclock and tighter timings (benchmarks aside) so given the limitation of the 5820K, I think maxing the CPU overclock and settling on whatever I can get the RAM to do stably is the best bet. Does this make sense?

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                    • #11
                      Math calculations alone does not necessarily determine maximum performance.

                      You are correct with the second paragraph

                      Let us know how it goes!

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