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DD3 Frequency Question

S

SpookyAnon11

Junior Member
Hello Anandtech,

I am currently planning my first new PC build in about 10 years. I am a bit rusty and I have the following question:

Official Intel specifications for Ivybridge and Sandy Bridge E chips state that they will take a maximum DDR3 frequency of 1600MHz. ON the other hand, hardware shops and review sites are rife with Intel systems running much higher frequency DDR3. What gives?

RAM seems to have become much more commoditized and confusing since my last build. How do I pick the right memory?

Thanks.
 
1600MHz is the highest "officially" supported memory clock. Anything higher, and Intel technically could deny any warranty request. That said, if the memory is sold at a higher speed, and it doesn't require going over 1.5V to get there, the likelihood of damage to the processor or motherboard is quite negligible. That said x2, very few programs really benefit from going much higher than 1600MHz. Generally, if you find some reasonably priced RAM from a reputable manufacturer that is CAS9/1600MHz at stock speed, it'll work well. A bit faster or lower CAS is gravy. Spending twice as much for 2800MHz RAM doesn't buy you much real world improvement.
 
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