Question What RAM do you recommend for ASUS WS Z390 Pro?

[anandtechreader]

Hi, my MB is advertised to support up to DDR4-4266. Although the QVL does not include the G.Skill Trident Z DDR4-3200CL14 (16GBx4), G.Skill said it does. Tried it for two weeks but it has happened two days that MB reported Q code 53. When it happened the first time, G.Skill told me that they have no idea and ASUS suspected defective RAM.
Isn't the F4-3200C14Q-64GTZR a popular RAM kit used by many people? If I give up on this brand, what products do you recommend in case I want 32GB or 64GB (ideally with RGB)? Is DDR4-3200C14 the most ideal for my work? I use it for computer simulations, high speed data processing and 4K gaming. Enclosed is the QVL for this motherboard. I am surprised by the short list. There are not many 32GB, 64GB modules listed. Thanks.

https://www.asus.com/us/Commercial-Servers-Workstations/WS-Z390-PRO/HelpDesk_QVL/

 

[RLGL]

GSkill is good stuff. Pick something off the QVL list from Asus. The new chipsets are getting picky about the ram

 

[anandtechreader]

GSkill is good stuff. Pick something off the QVL list from Asus. The new chipsets are getting picky about the ram

Thanks. Do you know what caused the issue I mentioned? From the many posts in different forums I have read, the Trident Z DDR4-3200C14 RGB RAM has Samsung B-die and it is supposed to be very good especially in OC. Why there is a problem this time? Faulty RAM or MB?

For my motherboard, actually is it better to choose DDR4-3000, 3200 or 3477?

Isn't it a bit strange (suspicious?) that they advertised that the MB supports DDR4 4266MHz but on the QVL list, they don't list RAM over 3000MHz?

 

[VirtualLarry]

Isn't it a bit strange (suspicious?) that they advertised that the MB supports DDR4 4266MHz but on the QVL list, they don't list RAM over 3000MHz?

That does make one wonder. I guess, they took some (unspecified?) kit of RAM, and overclocked it (under LN2?), to 4266 on that board, thus, the board (and traces, power-delivery, etc.) support a memory clock of 4266, as a theoretical (overclock tested) maximum, but the highest that someone can actually BUY for the board, that's TESTED (out of consumer kits) is 3000Mhz or whatnot. Though, I don't believe that they would not list any 3200 kits. Sure that you're looking at the right list?

 

[anandtechreader]

That does make one wonder. I guess, they took some (unspecified?) kit of RAM, and overclocked it (under LN2?), to 4266 on that board, thus, the board (and traces, power-delivery, etc.) support a memory clock of 4266, as a theoretical (overclock tested) maximum, but the highest that someone can actually BUY for the board, that's TESTED (out of consumer kits) is 3000Mhz or whatnot. Though, I don't believe that they would not list any 3200 kits. Sure that you're looking at the right list?

I think I am on the right list. It is posted in the original post. Maybe you could have a look?

When this Q-code 53 first happened a week ago (not sure if it is related but it was after I installed Nvidia EVGA 2080Ti FTW3 Ultra Gaming), Asus told me to troubleshoot. They mentioned:

"
Please kindly troubleshoot:

1. If the customer wants to keep 4DIMM, please adjust speed to frequency is 2666Mhz, by going to BIOS -> AI Tweaker-> DRAM Frequency -> 2666Mhz.
2. If the customer is okay with 2 DIMM, the customer can change it to frequency 3200Mhz, please go to BIOS -> AI Tweaker-> DRAM Frequency -> 3200Mhz. This applies to customers who are using 2DIMM only as well.
   1. Some memory can not achieve 3200Mhz, please change DRAM Frequency to 2933Mhz.

Please check memory QVL of the motherboard for memory models for 3200 Mhz and 2666Mhz"

Why they asked me to set to a frequency at 2933Mhz? Together with the lack of 3000+ RAM being listed, could it be an indication that although it is a workstation motherboard that is supposed to accept RAM speed over 4266Mhz, it is not stable if I run the RAM at speed higher than 3000Mhz? Given this, for this motherboard, is it better to look for lower speed RAM such as the DDR4-3000C15 RAM? I am very concerned...

Is it common that Z390 motherboard with i9-9900K cannot be run stably with RAM over 3000Mhz?

 

[LTC8K6]

It is almost always the case that using all 4 memory slots reduces the top stable speed of the ram.
You'll probably never get 4 sticks to run at those very high speeds like 3800 or 4266.

That's why they give you different speeds for 2 or 4 modules.

Anything over the 9900K rated speed of 2666 is an overclock anyway.

 

[anandtechreader]

G.Skill suggested inserting their DDR4-3200C14 Trident Z RGB like the following:

"A2 B2 A1 B1, starting from the lowest serial number. "

What is the reason? Is this recommended even I use RAM from other brands?

 

[LTC8K6]

G.Skill suggested inserting their DDR4-3200C14 Trident Z RGB like the following:

"A2 B2 A1 B1, starting from the lowest serial number. "

What is the reason? Is this recommended even I use RAM from other brands?

I have never heard of that before but I assume they wanted similar serial numbers on the same memory channel.

Possibly if you tried one stick at a time, you may have found that one stick gave the error code, and the others did not.

 

[anandtechreader]

Since I had never used rgb ram before, I asked them if I had to insert the modules in any particular order. The justgave me that instructions.

 

[Rayman30]

I have a Ryzen 2700X build in the living room with a cheap Gigabyte board, and I have tried G.Skill and Corsair and cannot get any speed above 3000 MHz to run stable despite both sets of memory being rated for higher.

 

[Markfw]

I have a Ryzen 2700X build in the living room with a cheap Gigabyte board, and I have tried G.Skill and Corsair and cannot get any speed above 3000 MHz to run stable despite both sets of memory being rated for higher.

I would say the motherboard is at fault. I have every Ryzen system I own over 3000, most at 3466.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I would say the motherboard is at fault. I have every Ryzen system I own over 3000, most at 3466.

Do you overclock the cores? The reason that I ask is, recently I was able to run my Team Vulcan DDR4-3000 2x8GB kits (two of them, all 4 sticks filled), AT 3000, but I was running my R5 1600 at stock speeds. Previously, I had generally been OC'ing the cores to 3.70-3.80Ghz.

I think that possibly, an inverse relationship exists, between high core clocks, and high memory clocks, when the chip is at it's limits (may be power-distribution limits within the chip).

 

[Rayman30]

Do you overclock the cores? The reason that I ask is, recently I was able to run my Team Vulcan DDR4-3000 2x8GB kits (two of them, all 4 sticks filled), AT 3000, but I was running my R5 1600 at stock speeds. Previously, I had generally been OC'ing the cores to 3.70-3.80Ghz.

I think that possibly, an inverse relationship exists, between high core clocks, and high memory clocks, when the chip is at it's limits (may be power-distribution limits within the chip).

No sir, completely stock settings on the CPU.

 

[Markfw]

Do you overclock the cores? The reason that I ask is, recently I was able to run my Team Vulcan DDR4-3000 2x8GB kits (two of them, all 4 sticks filled), AT 3000, but I was running my R5 1600 at stock speeds. Previously, I had generally been OC'ing the cores to 3.70-3.80Ghz.

I think that possibly, an inverse relationship exists, between high core clocks, and high memory clocks, when the chip is at it's limits (may be power-distribution limits within the chip).

I have some at stock, and some overclocked. But I never run the memory beyond their rated speeds. Most of mine is 3600 cl15.

 

[RLGL]

I have some at stock, and some overclocked. But I never run the memory beyond their rated speeds. .

+1