Still confused about memory speeds.

[UHF]

I guess it makes it hard to choose..

I'm buying an: ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z Gen3 w/ DDR3 1600, 7.1 Audio, Gigabit Lan, PCI-E, CrossFireX / SLI / Virtu

It will overclock to 2200Mhz, (2133 by default).

I was thinking of purchasing two sets of this;
http://www.gskill.com/products.php?index=397

Does that double my bandwidth to 34GB/s?


Also... what is most important for performance? CL is your sequential access time. So 2133 Mhz CL11 = 10.31ns access time sequentially.

These guys should be a fair bit faster... CL9 is 8.44ns sequential access?
http://www.gskill.com/products.php?index=403

Without overclocking these guys would be 9.65ns... any advantage to being a 4 way set of RAM?
http://www.gskill.com/products.php?index=434

[UHF]

And if I 'overclock' (or at least increase my memory voltage) I'll be able to reduce the CL timing?

http://www.gskill.com/products.php?index=397
I notice that the ASUS user manual shows this.

[GSKILL TECH]

You need a single kit, so this would be better:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231473

No, that's not how to calculate bandwidth, but it can be very close to that.

If you overclock CPU, it should reach around 30GB/s

Access time is not sequential, it is random. This kit will have overall latency of ~40ns

If same frequency but lower timing, then it will be slightly quicker.

Yes, in most cases, especially low voltage kit, if you raise voltage, you can lower timings.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[UHF]

What exactly is the advantage to getting a Quad Channel kit versus two Dual Channel kits? (Quads aren't available where I am right now.)

[Tradesman]

That's a common misconception, 2 dual channel vs quad channel - your Gene is a Dual channel mobo, so whether you run 2 sticks or 4 sticks it's still in dual channel, the only true quad channel mobos out right now are the X79 socket 2011 mobos, and the DRAM designed to get the most from QUAD channel is the Ripjaws Z. That said, Gskill Tech suggested this particular set as it is a 4 stick set for the 1155/dual channel (and those sticks have been tested to work together) that will work using XMP, where as you were looking to 2 8GB sets (each set tested to work together) which won't work under XMp as the setting for XMP are for THAT set, meaning you need to set them up manually, also any time you mix sets it can be problematic, i.e. the sets may not want to play together (for various reasons, they may be from different production lots, may be made with components that originated in different lots, like memory chips, PCBs, even the solder used can affect the stick), which can usually be compensated for by adjusting voltages and/or timings. While this is generally easy to do with say 1333 and even 1600 sticks, as you speed up the frequency of the DRAM tolerances grow smaller and smaller up through 1866, 2000, 2133, 2200 and up, so chances that the two sets won't want to play grows proportionally higher.

[GSKILL TECH]

If quad is not available, you will have to try two kits.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

What exactly is the advantage to getting a Quad Channel kit versus two Dual Channel kits? (Quads aren't available where I am right now.)

[UHF]

Thanks.

I think I understand my risks. (If push comes to shove, I may not get my full overclock.)


By the way, you guys are great. Now for some BF3 and Reality Rendering!

[GSKILL TECH]

You got it. Where are you located anyway? We have RMA site in USA, Taiwan, and Nederlands now so if they really can not work, you can exchange directly through G.Skill anyway.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[UHF]

I'm in Calgary Alberta. I'm buying from here;
http://www.memoryexpress.com/

The hardware they sell tends to be shy of top performance but always rock solid stable. I've been buying from them for 20 years. If they carry your stuff, it is good.

[GSKILL TECH]

Especially for DRAM import, it is difficult to purchase high end / top performance since price fluctuates every day. The sales volume for these is generally lower, so companies do not want to be stuck with kits they can not sell in time to profit.

Memory Express is definitely a good company, hopefully they will carry a little bit high end some day so Canadians can enjoy. =)

Thank you
GSKILL TECH