Best ram for A10-5800K & FM2-A85XA-G65

[toddreynolds]

I am building a new computer with a MSI FM2-A85XA-G65 motherboard and an AMD A10-5800k CPU. Please tell me the best ram to go with this set up. I was thinking 16GB @ 1866MHZ??? Thanks

[Tradesman]

Think that would be a good choice, don't know what your budget is, but I'd look to a 2x8GB set like the Snipers (F3-1600C9D-16GSR), Ripjaws Z (F3-1866C9D-16GZH), or even try kicking up to the Ripjaws X 2133/CL9 set (F3-2133C9D-16GXH)

[toddreynolds]

I was recommended these F3-1866C8D-16GTX. Any thoughts?

[Tradesman]

The Tridents are fantastic, haven't really been out all that long but I've used them in about a dozen builds and used some in upgrades (including my Z77, went from the 32GB 2133/Ripjaws X to the 32GB 2400/Tridents)

[toddreynolds]

I think I will give the Trident a shot. Do you know all of the settings I should use for those? If I go in and manually make the changes in the bios should I not use the OC Genie II??? This is only my second build, the first one was for my son. Thanks alot for your help.

[Tradesman]

I'd start by making sure you have the latest BIOS on the mobo, then enable DOCP/EOCP and give that a whirl at the 1866 settings

[toddreynolds]

Tradesman,

Which would you suggest the F3-2133C9D-16GXH or the F3-1866C8D-16GTX for my setup? The Ripjaws are at 2133MHZ but the CAS and timings are also higher. Thanks for your help.

[Tradesman]

I'd go with the 2133 set....if by chance your APU can't carry 2133 you can drop to 1866 and tighten the timings starting at CL8

[toddreynolds]

Supports four unbuffered DIMM of 1.5 Volt DDR3 1066/1333/1600/1866/2133*(OC) DRAM, 32GB Max is what it states so I should be good to go right? Do you have the settings and/or instructions for all the settings that should be manually changed in the Bios for this setup for my AMD APU setup? Thanks again.

[Tradesman]

Believe your mobo uses OC profiles, either under DOCP or EOCP, I'd start with that and be prepared to possibly add a hair more voltage to DRAM or CPU/NB

[toddreynolds]

Okay I just ordered them. It was a tough decision between the 2133 and the Tridents. I am taking your recommendation. I will start putting this build together as soon as I get them. I shouldn't have any worries even though they don't say they are for AMD APU right?

[Techmeister]

Any of the brand name RAM will work on both Intel and AMD systems. You may or may not be able to run the RAM @ 2133 MHz. depending on your APU, mobo, the RAM and BIOS. You are asking a lot of the IMC to run 16GB. of RAM beyond the 1600 MHz. frequency that is the default frequency for 2 DIMMs in a 4 socket mobo, for your APU. If you can run the higher RAM frequency stable, on an APU this will increase system performance, where as with a CPU, not so much.

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles...spx#controller

The inability of any popular brand name RAM to run at the default CPU/APU frequency is usually a BIOS issue, so be sure to use the latest mobo BIOS. You typically need to manually set the higher RAM frequency and latencies, be it 1600 MHz. or higher unless your BIOS automatically sets it to the XMP profile frequency and latencies as most BIOS will boot to the safe RAM frequency 1066/1333 MHz. programmed into the SPD.

[Tradesman]

I don't think you'll have any real problems - if so, we'll be here.

....and as to your question "even though they don't say they are for AMD APU right?" , I can only offer my opinion on this, and it is echoed by basically all the builders/techies/IT folks I know and network w/, sadly you seldom ever see any DRAM designed for use with AMD systems, the last I remember that was particularly (supposedly) designed for AMD rigs was released back in Nov 2011, which in large part was to coincide with the release of the FX-8150/8120/4100 and the company releasing it was AMD (though it was actually nothing more than rebranded Patriot and (I believe) VisionTek DRAM. I say sadly for a couple of reasons, AMD released I believe it was 3 lines of DRAM Entertainment (entry), Performance (mid) and Radeon (supposedly high) that I believe went up to 1866...none ever sold very well and they had numerous complaints about the 1866 sets as few folks could even get them to run with the FX CPUs even though originally AMD advertised the FX CPUs as being native to 1866.

Many have asked why there isn't more DRAM that is designed for AMD CPUs and to me (keep in mind I'm not GSkill - I'm an independent) is that it would be counter productive to a DRAM makers business plan, in effect throwing money away.

Currently DRAM makers are and have been pushing the envelope on DDR DRAM with sticks running up 2800 already and 3000 and up on the way, 16GB sticks, DDR4 coming around the corner, etc. In effect DRAM freqs continue to go up and quantities continue to increase (mobo BIOSs are still lagging on the Intel side to support large amounts of DRAM, the makers didn't expect folks to move towards 16GB and 32GB as a common amount for users to build with, but sales continue to rise).

So, again, just my opinion, why would DRAM makers want to invest time and money into reinventing what they already have available, officially AMD rates their newest CPU the FX-8350 to RUN UP TO 1866 AT 1 DIMM PER CHANNEL - or 2 sticks at 1866 (and if you delve deeper into their BIOS and Kernel Guide you'll find this is based on 4 GB sticks or 8GB total). I'll be the first to admit folks have exceeded this, I've seen folks running 16GB at 1866 and even 32GB at 1600 but those aren't all that common, but then I think about my 2500K (still in use) that I got in Nov/Dec of 2010 (slightly before the release) or over 2 years ago and I immediately started off with it at 16GB of 1866, then to 16 of 2133 and on to 32GB of 2133 when prices dropped a bit. My 3570K (almost a year old) easily runs 32GB of 2400, 3770K running 32GB of 2666, you can also jump to the 2011 platform where folks run 64GB of 2400.

So in part it becomes a matter of economics, put a design team into creating new designs for DRAM that already fits the bill (i.e. GSkill already has a large number of 1866 sticks the RJs, RJ X, RJ Z, Ares, Snipers, Tridents, etc in a number of different configs, all of which will work with AMD rigs) or continue to advance current trends (faster/higher capacity), knowing that as AMD improves their CPUs you basically already have products on the shelves that will fit the needs of their advances (and to a degree might aide their development, as they could take existing DRAM, say the Tridents and throw that into their development and R&D teams (though they won't do that)

[Techmeister]

There is no such thing as RAM designed for Intel or AMD CPUs. In theory all DDR3 RAM should be interchangeable, but in reality this simply does not happen all the time due to the variations in ICs and the range of IC industry specs and variations in CPU IMCs. All DRAM is made to industry standards, not for a specific brand of CPU.

AMD has recently started marketing (relabeled) DDR3 RAM under the Radeon brand. The reason they are doing this is because they can control the compatibility of the DDR3 RAM better and thus insure that the RAM will work with AMD APUs and CPUs.

The reason why DDR3 RAM can vary in compatibility is because all RAM is made to industry standards which have a range for the specifications. In addition not all specs of an IC are quantified in the industry specifications, thus there are variations in the ICs used to produce RAM and the deviations can vary from batch to batch as well as IC supplier to supplier.

All RAM suppliers other than Samsung and Micron/Crucial (same company), buy the RAM IC's from the ~8 IC suppliers and then produce the DIMMs they sell with whatever heatsink they desire. The RAM suppliers - out of necessity, may use one IC for production of a specific speed grade RAM for several months and due to lack of availability, switch to another brand of IC several months down the road to meet customer demand. This is why mixing of RAM kits is not guaranteed to work and is not recommended by most RAM makers.

Most people do not need more than 4-8GB. of RAM for a typical desktop PC. Test show very small gains in going from 4GB. to 8GB. for typical games and applications. Some software like CAD and modeling programs can often use increased RAM, but it depends on the software. Unless you have an O/S and applications that can use more than 8 GB. of RAM, it's of no real value unless you use the extra RAM as a RAM disk. All you need to do is use Task Manager or similar to see how much RAM is being used when you are running your PC under max load. With less than 4 GB. it will be high. With 4GB.-8GB. it will typically be ~60%.

[Tradesman]

While DRAM may not be designed for a particular CPU, it can be designed to work better with a line of CPUs or a particular chips by tweaking the advanced timings so that out of the box they will be somewhat tweaked to work with them better than a standard line of sticks will, much the same as an individual can tweak the base timings or one can tweak a CPU, and this can be and is done by staying within the DRAM Standards as laid out by JEDEC, which offers a range of acceptable settings for use in any particular DRAM freq family.
AMD introduced the Radeon line as one of 3 lines of branded (rebranded Patriot and Vision Tek) DRAM back in 2011 (not really recently), they also ‘introduced’ the Entertainment and Performance lines, all of which they’ve already about said good bye to. Last I looked I think both TigerDirect and NewEgg were down to remaining stock of two sets where they once carried a dozen or more sets of the AMD lines.
As far as DRAM being made to Industry standards, this is true to a degree, JEDEC, the organization that lays out the standards for DRAM originally envisioned DDR going up to 1600, by the time they got around to setting up standards for 1866 and 2133 sticks, there were already numerous sets by numerous manufacturers out on the market before any standards were published (and are still out there). Additionally JEDEC has yet to publish any Standards for DDR3 2200, 2400, 2600, 2666, 2800 or up.
Where you say that DRAM makers simply change ICs, if one becomes unavailable, yes that can happen, they also may choose to drop a line of DRAM if the supply of a specific IC dries up completely – a good example is the GSkill Flare line of DRAM which was extremely popular high freq/low CAS line of sets.
And again, most people don’t need more than 4-8GB of DRAM when working with a single application, as you point out “Unless you have an O/S and applications that can use more than 8 GB”. How about those that use multiple programs that can use large amounts of DRAM? Larger amounts and higher freqs are favored by those that multi-task, especially those using large data sets and multiple apps. I’d also offer that I see many clients a month that want DRAM upgrades just for the simple fact that they are learning they can multi-task and running numerous programs things start to bog down for lack of DRAM.
Also keep in mind, that regardless of your personal thoughts about what you’ve read, or what you may think is sufficient, it‘s not going to apply to many (maybe the majority) of the members here, like me, they come here to get help, help others and learn about DRAM, mobos, CPU, SSDs and the like.
There’s other areas of the forums where you can post thoughts, ideas, and other subjects (like the General Discussions, What’s New, and Lounging areas – rather than inserting random thoughts into the posts of those seeking help with a problem. With all the experience you’ve informed us about, things like HOW TO (you mentioned using RAM DISK a time or two) articles, PRODUCT REVIEWS, etc would be greatly appreciated….