SOLVED - Changed to Low P: OLD RAM DIDN’T FIT / New Ram may interfere with CPU Cooler

[Herkulese]

I was all ready to get my new system up and running and to, at least, get Windows installed, and the last thing that needed to be done was to swap out the 4gb ram (2x 2gb) in my old tower for the original 2gb stick that I had had in it before, and then to put the 4gb pair in the new system.

One thing I had not thought about is that my old motherboard uses DDR2, and the new motherboard uses DDR3, and that the two are not compatible. This was, of course, a major disappointment, and led me onto yet another research project to find the beast memory in my budget for this new system.

After a lot of reading here at Anandtech, and other forum sights, as well as reviews on Newegg, Amazon, Etc...., I decided on this 8gb package.

G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 1600 SDRAM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231428

I was going to go with a 4gb package, as I probably will never need more that, but the price for 8gb was so good that I thought to myself, just get an 8gb package, and be done with it, so as not have to be concerned with matching another 4gb pair later. I do have the Windows 7-64 bit OS.

I won’t be able to complete the build, now, until the end of this week, but I will have a much better system than I originally started trying to put togehter, and it is largely due to all the guidance found right here at Anandtech.
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So, instead of a simple CPU upgrade on my old board, I will have a relatively new system, with faster motherboard, faster ram, and a fast SSD system drive.

CPU

BTW I also ordered one of these to cool my CPU:

Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835103099

And two of these to put on it for a nice, quiet push pull air flow system:

ARCTIC F12 PWM Fluid Dynamic Bearing Case Fan, 120mm PWM Speed Control, 74CFM at 22dBA
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835186033
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TOTAL SYSTEM:

CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 955 BE
MOTHERBOARE: Gigabyte GA 970A-UD3
RAM: 8gb G.Skill DDR3 1600 (2X 4gb sticks)
DRIVE - SYSTEM: Crucial M500 240gb SATA - SSD
DRIVE - DATA: 500gb SATA - HDD
CPU COOLER: Cooler Master 212 EVO (with 2 Arctic F12 120mm PWM Fans)
DVD-RW: LG Super Multi SATA Burner
CASE: Diablotek TITAM Small ATX Mid Tower
CASE FANS:
Front Lower Intake - Noctua 140mm
Side Lower Intake - Noctua 140mm
Rear Upper Exhaust – Stock 140mm and PSU
Video – Onboard (Upgrade TBD)
Audio – Onboard (Upgrade TBD)

 

[Charlie98]

I had that problem as well... with my Gigabyte Z68 board and G.Skill Sniper RAM. The card in the 3rd slot (DDR3_2) actually pressed up against the 212+ cooler... and no way to put high profile RAM in the 4th slot.



Depending on your board, you might be able to fit your Ripjaws in that 3rd slot, but it will certainly be pressing up against the cooler. You can also raise the cooler up a bit (it's just clipped on) to clear the higher RAM heatsink.

 

[Herkulese]

I had that problem as well... with my Gigabyte Z68 board and G.Skill Sniper RAM. The card in the 3rd slot (DDR3_2) actually pressed up against the 212+ cooler... and no way to put high profile RAM in the 4th slot.



Depending on your board, you might be able to fit your Ripjaws in that 3rd slot, but it will certainly be pressing up against the cooler. You can also raise the cooler up a bit (it's just clipped on) to clear the higher RAM heatsink.

You know, I saw a U-Tube video on installing this cooler and he mentioned issues with only the 4th slot. He was using standard flat board ram, and put it in place prior to installing the cooler.

I totaly forgot about this when ordering the cooler, and the ram. I sure hope it will not be an issue, I also purchased a second fan for this cooer, so that may be an even bigger issue.

Man nothing is ever easy or simple.
Thanks for the heads up

Looks like I might be testing Neweggs return policy on either the cooler and fans or the Ram.

 

[Charlie98]

I've got 2 fans on my 212+, too... didn't really help, there are shortcomings with these type coolers I've documented here, but they are better than nothing.

The Ripjaws has a pretty high heatsink... give it a try... fiddle with the fan position a little and see if that works.

 

[Herkulese]

I've got 2 fans on my 212+, too... didn't really help, there are shortcomings with these type coolers I've documented here, but they are better than nothing.

The Ripjaws has a pretty high heatsink... give it a try... fiddle with the fan position a little and see if that works.

My question is this: If the ram does interfere with the cooler, should I switch to another cooler that will not interfere with the high profile ram, or should I try to return the Ram for a low profile kit?

Either way, can you provide low profile ram suggestions, or optional cooler recommendations?

 

[coffeejunkee]

Pretty sure your new ram will fit fine, provided you use slots 2 & 4 counting from cpu. You will only run into trouble if you want to upgrade to more ram later. If you intend to do so it would be better to get low-profile ram.

I don't really understand the point of buying extra fans for the Hyper 212 though. First: you will also need some kind of pwm splitter cable. Second: Thermalright Macho is cheaper and will deliver better cooling with less noise.

 

[Compman55]

1.) Get a different cooler.
2.) Get different ram (my personal choice)
3.) Gently grind a bit of the heat spreader fins to get the last one to fit. This would be my absolute last option as this will void the warranty, and make it look terrible.

 

[Herkulese]

Pretty sure your new ram will fit fine, provided you use slots 2 & 4 counting from cpu. You will only run into trouble if you want to upgrade to more ram later. If you intend to do so it would be better to get low-profile ram.

I don't really understand the point of buying extra fans for the Hyper 212 though. First: you will also need some kind of pwm splitter cable. Second: Thermalright Macho is cheaper and will deliver better cooling with less noise.

There is a wealth of information on the 212+ and EVO, and they seem to be very well liked, when considering there price point. The extra fans are cheap enough, very quiet, and create good static pressure, besides just CFM, for forcing air through those fins. As far as needing to headers, the fans have male and female power plugs so that they can be daizy chained to one common header.

Thanks for all the comments. I have looked at several images on the internet of thes board with this cooler, and second fan, and it looks like the ram stick in slot # 3 will just clear the fan.

 

[coffeejunkee]

Ok, that included pwm splitter is nice, but still. Reason Hyper 212 is liked is because it is cheap. Adding fans makes it expensive. More expensive than Macho which is a better cooler with a better fan, no matter how many satisfied users Hyper 212 has.

 

[Herkulese]

Ok, that included pwm splitter is nice, but still. Reason Hyper 212 is liked is because it is cheap. Adding fans makes it expensive. More expensive than Macho which is a better cooler with a better fan, no matter how many satisfied users Hyper 212 has.

I have no argument for that, and your point is well taken. However it was the Hyper 212 EVO that I kept finding all kinds of info about, and it seemed to be a clear favorite at the price point, and the extra fans were a total of $20.

The only place I can find the Macho is at Amazon, and it is $65, while the Hyper EVO with the extra fans came to $55, not much less, I know, and the Macho may be a better cooler, but I didn't see that one when I was looking. Also, this cooler should move a lot of air, and still be very quiet.

You see, I needed to get one ordered so that I could have it when my ram comes in order to finish the install. Otherwise I would have had to put on the stock cooler, then take it off and reinstall the new cooler whenever I decided what to order. To me it is a bit of a pita to install coolers on CPU's, and I only wanted to do it once.

If I had seen this then, I may have considered it, but it just didn't go down that way. Thanks for all the info, just the same.

 

[Charlie98]

My question is this: If the ram does interfere with the cooler, should I switch to another cooler that will not interfere with the high profile ram, or should I try to return the Ram for a low profile kit?

Either way, can you provide low profile ram suggestions, or optional cooler recommendations?

Any standard RAM will fit under a 212 (+ or EVO, ) and that includes ones with heatsinks... just not high profile heatsinks like the Ripjaws. I'm looking at my pictures again and, like Coffee says... I think they will fit in the #1 and 3 positions OK, or press a little up against the fan.

I don't know if turning the cooler 90^ (pointing up or down instead of side to side) would provide more clearance... it may, but then you might have issues with heat anyway.

There is some 212 hate, for sure... but it's a decent cooler for cheap, and beats the Intel cooler. I would probably send the RAM back if it doesn't work, and get whatever standard- or low-profile RAM is on sale this week. I got some Team RAM a few weeks ago for my next build... I'm running it in my desktop now to check it for errors, undervolted I might add... and it's doing well. RAM is RAM...

 

[coffeejunkee]

I have no argument for that, and your point is well taken. However it was the Hyper 212 EVO that I kept finding all kinds of info about, and it seemed to be a clear favorite at the price point, and the extra fans were a total of $20.

The only place I can find the Macho is at Amazon, and it is $65, while the Hyper EVO with the extra fans came to $55, not much less, I know, and the Macho may be a better cooler, but I didn't see that one when I was looking. Also, this cooler should move a lot of air, and still be very quiet.

You see, I needed to get one ordered so that I could have it when my ram comes in order to finish the install. Otherwise I would have had to put on the stock cooler, then take it off and reinstall the new cooler whenever I decided what to order. To me it is a bit of a pita to install coolers on CPU's, and I only wanted to do it once.

If I had seen this then, I may have considered it, but it just didn't go down that way. Thanks for all the info, just the same.

It's no biggie, Hyper isn't bad or anything and definitely a vast improvement over the stock cooler. Those Arctic fans look ok too. But you asked for alternatives so I complied. Macho for $50: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009MS326U/?tag=pcpapi-20

 

[sze5003]

I use low profile corsair vengeance ram and it fits fine in the first and third slot. It looked like it would be an issue snapping the first stick in and it was a bit tight but it clicked in fine with a small push, just line it up properly and don't touch the fan or heatsink while you are placing it down in the slot.

 

[Herkulese]

It's no biggie, Hyper isn't bad or anything and definitely a vast improvement over the stock cooler. Those Arctic fans look ok too. But you asked for alternatives so I complied. Macho for $50: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009MS326U/?tag=pcpapi-20

And I appreciate your taking the time to do so. If I indicated otherwise, I do apologize.

 

[gorcorps]

Just get this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231544

I have 4 sticks of that memory with a 212 cooler and it fits. Not all mobos are created equal obviously, but the ripjaw heatsinks are absurd.

 

[Herkulese]

Just get this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231544

I have 4 sticks of that memory with a 212 cooler and it fits. Not all mobos are created equal obviously, but the ripjaw heatsinks are absurd.

That is exactly what I did.

It turned out that the case fans needed to be 120mm rather that 140mm, so I had to return them and the filters that I bought, so I returned the ram as well and bought the Aries kit, along with the 120mm fans and filters that I need. Now I should have not issues with the ram and CPU cooler interfering.

Thanks to you and the others that suggested this ram. I have no intentions of overclocking it, so it should be just fine.

Thanks again