Will this RAM work?

[Craig234]

I know little about RAM nowadays.

I have a couple sets of 8GB (2x4GB) I've picked up recommended here, and am thinking of adding one to my 4GB system for a total of 12GB, to get rid of all this swapping delay.

A set is G.SKILL Ripjaws X F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL. It says it's 'designed specifically for Intel 2nd gen CPUs'. I'm using an AMD 965BE in a MSI 890FX-GD70.

Will it work, is it a good choice?

 

[Craig234]

Without a response here, I called g.skill.

They say the RAM will work with AMD despite the packaging saying 'designed specifically for Intel' - but that they don't guarantee it to work with any other RAM.

So they say the only way to use 16gb would be to buy a 16gb kit - and that if the 4gb I have has a different frequency it's definitely not going to work with the 8GB.

So that would suggest my only option is to replace the 4GB with the 8GB - not add it.

 

[ElFenix]

Without a response here, I called g.skill.

They say the RAM will work with AMD despite the packaging saying 'designed specifically for Intel' - but that they don't guarantee it to work with any other RAM.

So they say the only way to use 16gb would be to buy a 16gb kit - and that if the 4gb I have has a different frequency it's definitely not going to work with the 8GB.

So that would suggest my only option is to replace the 4GB with the 8GB - not add it.

the 8GB should work with the 4GB just fine. they just don't want to support it if there is an issue. designed for intel 2nd gen just means it's 1.5V ram, as opposed to earlier 1.65V ram that worked with the nehalem generation processors.

what's your current ram? if it's slower than the new stuff you'll likely be running the new stuff at the same slower speed.

 

[Craig234]

CPU-Z says the 4GB is 2000 'NBfrequency', 666.7 RAM frequency, 9-9-9-24.

It looks like it's also G.skill, and from the part number 1066 speed (new is 1600).

 

[ElFenix]

667 ram frequency is 1333 speed. if your old part is rated for only 1066 then it's somewhat overclocked. the new ram should run fine at those timings as well (your motherboard will automatically apply those timings to the new sticks).

worst case scenario is you get some instability indicating that the new sticks and old sticks don't work well together. options then are to loosen up the timings a bit or remove the old sticks and get the new ones operating to their full speed.

 

[Craig234]

Would you suggest it's worth trying them together and running the new RAM at the slower speed, or just give up the 4GB and run 8GB? I have never adjusted the speeds.

 

[ElFenix]

Would you suggest it's worth trying them together and running the new RAM at the slower speed, or just give up the 4GB and run 8GB? I have never adjusted the speeds.

unless you're doing workstation type stuff 8 GB is probably plenty. you do have 64 bit windows, correct?