Sandy Bridge Q - is a "K" required to use >1333 RAM?

[VirtualLarry]

I know that the i5-2500K is "unlocked". The i3-2100, otoh, is "locked". As least from the perspective of the CPU's core clock multiplier.

But how does that affect RAM?

Can I use higher than DDR3-1333 (stock RAM speed for SB) in a rig with an i3-2100, and an H61 or H67 board? Or do I need Z68/P67 and a "K" CPU in order to have unlocked RAM multipliers too?

I'm sure I could figure this out if I just ordered the parts, but I would prefer to know ahead of time, and I haven't really seen this discussed much on this forum. Or if it has, I've missed it. So many people go for the 2500K, there isn't much talk of people using 1600 or faster RAM on an i3 rig.

 

[fastamdman]

You can use whatever frequency you want. They don't like things above 1600mhz but you can still run it, just sometimes need to adjust the vccio/vtt voltage for it to be stable. 1333mhz to 2400mhz is just fine.

 

[VirtualLarry]

So memory multipliers on all Sandy Bridge chips are unlocked, regardless of whether or not it's a "K" CPU? Can I get a second confirmation on that?

 

[fastamdman]

It's just whether or not the motherboard supports it, not the processor. SB chips are supposed to use 1333mhz, but you can run 2133mhz with a little bump in voltage. It's not the processor you gotta worry about, it's the motherboard.

 

[VirtualLarry]

It's just whether or not the motherboard supports it, not the processor. SB chips are supposed to use 1333mhz, but you can run 2133mhz with a little bump in voltage. It's not the processor you gotta worry about, it's the motherboard.

The memory controller is in the CPU, therefore the CPU controls the memory multiplier, ergo, I wanted to know if this multiplier was locked or unlocked in the non-"K" CPUs.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I am toying with the idea of upgrading (really, more like sidegrading, except for power consumption) my two Q9300 desktops to i3-2100 on a Z68 or P67 chipset, in anticipation of upgrading to and overclocking a nice Ivy Bridge unlocked quad-core. It would be with Microcenter's $50 off motherboard offer.

I already have invested in quite a bit of DDR3 RAM. I have four 2x4GB kits of Gskill Value DDR3-1333, as well as four 2x4GB kits of Gskill Sniper DDR3-1600. Both are 1.5v.

So I'm kind of wondering if I should go with the i3-2100, or a 2500K, and then which sets of RAM I should use. If the i3-2100 can't take any advantage of RAM faster than 1333, then I'll use the 1333. Otherwise, I'll use the 1600. If I get a 2500K, then I'll probably use the 1600 regardless.

I do Distributed Computing, and while I realize that the i3 is probably slower than my existing Q9300, some of the DC apps are probably memory-bandwidth constrained, so possibly, DDR3-1600 would help there. I don't really know.

 

[lehtv]

It's not a question of the CPU but the motherboard. H61/H67 = 1333, Z68/P67 = up to 2200.

In official specs though, you will see both i3-2100 and 2500K supporting only 1066/1333.

Since 1600mhz will be the default for Ivy Bridge and you're planning on upgrading to that, I'd use the 1600mhz kit.

Random googling result: http://hardware-review24.com/load/cpu/core_i3_2120_and_core_i3_2100_processors_review/1-1-0-46

But compared against the previous generation, the new Core i3 processors allow more flexible DDR3 SDRAM clocking. You can set the memory frequency not only to its default values, but also to much higher ones, including DDR3-1600, DDR3-1866, DDR3-21330, etc. However, the value of this feature is totally diminished by the overclocking-unfriendliness of the new processors.

 

[fastamdman]

With the price of ram, I would go with the 2133mhz sticks personally.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Huh, so it depends on the mobo I get? I noticed that an H67 board I was looking at at Newegg, and it only lists 1333/1066. So I guess that makes sense.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...a-_-na&AID=10440897&PID=3332167&SID=u00000687

Damn Intel, crippling features at every turn, just to make a buck.

 

[fastamdman]

Don't buy an h67 board, they are worthless. If you are buying an overclocking processor, buy a board that supports it like a z68....

 

[Fun Guy]

I already have invested in quite a bit of DDR3 RAM. I have four 2x4GB kits of Gskill Value DDR3-1333, as well as four 2x4GB kits of Gskill Sniper DDR3-1600. Both are 1.5v.

So I'm kind of wondering if I should go with the i3-2100, or a 2500K, and then which sets of RAM I should use. If the i3-2100 can't take any advantage of RAM faster than 1333, then I'll use the 1333. Otherwise, I'll use the 1600. If I get a 2500K, then I'll probably use the 1600 regardless.

I had this weird feeling while reading your post...I had to check to see if I had written it myself while drunk, and forgotten about it.

This is my exact situation. I have four 2x4GB kits (32GB) of GSkill DDR3-1333 SDRAM sitting right here. Was looking up CPUs last night, and added an i3-2105 to my new build wishlist, in anticipation of a check arriving in a few days. Then, was going to drop in an IB once they were released.

Creepy!

 

[aigomorla]

wont matter until u start playing with bclk.

and as far as i know u cant play with bclk on ANY SB processor until you go -E series.

 

[paperwastage]

wont matter until u start playing with bclk.

and as far as i know u cant play with bclk on ANY SB processor until you go -E series.

you can play with BCLK (default = 100)... i'd say up to 103-105 w/o any problems

 

[fastamdman]

BCLK can be dangerous =P