Ram memory Question

DaveA57

New Member
Building new computer with GigabyteZ390 Aorus Ultra MB with i7-8700K processor ( not purchased yet). I in error purchased online Ballistix 3200 ram modules instead of the DDR4-2666 to go with the i7-8700K processor. The question I have is should I return the Ram when it comes and reorder or can i still use the 3200 ram modules when they get delivered.
Looking for help ......its been 8 yrs since a total rebuild and I just missed that important detail. I think I was looking at the memory spec's for the board and just went ahead and ordered the DDR4 3200.

Your replies would be very appreciated.

Tks
dave
 

UnholyVision

Active Member
Do you plan on overclocking? Because you will need to overclock and/or use a XMP for that motherboard for 3200. If you win the silicon lottery you might even get to push the ram pretty far. Games will give you a small increase in performance if it is CPU bound, but it will be a game to game biases. Given the possible price differences you might be just fine with just upping the amount of ram in 2666 and aiming for ram with better timings out of the box. Really depends on what you're doing with this machine.
 

DaveA57

New Member
Do you plan on overclocking? Because you will need to overclock and/or use a XMP for that motherboard for 3200. If you win the silicon lottery you might even get to push the ram pretty far. Games will give you a small increase in performance if it is CPU bound, but it will be a game to game biases. Given the possible price differences you might be just fine with just upping the amount of ram in 2666 and aiming for ram with better timings out of the box. Really depends on what you're doing with this machine.


Thanks for the reply....I did not plan to do any overclocking, as that is something that i haven't gotten into. I think based on your reply is to do a return of the Ram and reorder 2- DD4 2666 modules and send back the 3200 I ordered in error. I think it is best to keep it as per the specs listed under the processor. Do you agree that is my best route.

Tks again
dave
 

UnholyVision

Active Member
Thanks for the reply....I did not plan to do any overclocking, as that is something that i haven't gotten into. I think based on your reply is to do a return of the Ram and reorder 2- DD4 2666 modules and send back the 3200 I ordered in error. I think it is best to keep it as per the specs listed under the processor.

Do you agree that is my best route.
It's not to hard to overclock and XMP is a thing, but it might take some time and testing. XMP doesn't ensure things will just work. You might have to change voltages or something else to stable it out. Then of course you could just have lost the silicon lottery. Regardless, to achieve the 3200 speeds on the motherboard you listed would require going into the bios and setup the overclock. If you refuse to do this, than you are kind of wasting money as it will not be at the speeds listed. If you just want to boot up and do nothing then 2666 is probably the way to go to get those speeds out of the box. Timings may or may not be what is advertised out of the box.

Personally my opinion is right in the middle here and in the grand scheme all boils down to what you want to do. There are pro's and con's to both options. Yet in most cases the increase in ram speed will probably not be noticed in every day use. However, as said before one of the pro's of the 2666 is you might get it cheaper. This could allow you to get more ram capacity in the end. Being as browsers and many things chew through ram these days. The more capacity you have could become a pro in some applications and use cases. However, it all comes back to if you're using lots of tabs and other key things on what your using the computer for. At the end of the day, if at least 16gb ram and actually using the dual channel on that board you should be fine on either choice.
 

DaveA57

New Member
It's not to hard to overclock and XMP is a thing, but it might take some time and testing. XMP doesn't ensure things will just work. You might have to change voltages or something else to stable it out. Then of course you could just have lost the silicon lottery. Regardless, to achieve the 3200 speeds on the motherboard you listed would require going into the bios and setup the overclock. If you refuse to do this, than you are kind of wasting money as it will not be at the speeds listed. If you just want to boot up and do nothing then 2666 is probably the way to go to get those speeds out of the box. Timings may or may not be what is advertised out of the box.

Personally my opinion is right in the middle here and in the grand scheme all boils down to what you want to do. There are pro's and con's to both options. Yet in most cases the increase in ram speed will probably not be noticed in every day use. However, as said before one of the pro's of the 2666 is you might get it cheaper. This could allow you to get more ram capacity in the end. Being as browsers and many things chew through ram these days. The more capacity you have could become a pro in some applications and use cases. However, it all comes back to if you're using lots of tabs and other key things on what your using the computer for. At the end of the day, if at least 16gb ram and actually using the dual channel on that board you should be fine on either choice.

Yeah, I think I will go with your suggestion. I will do a return on the 3200 and get 16g instead- 2 modules of 8g DDR 2666. I was watching a review of that board and they pretty much recommended going with 16g anyway and like you said it will be cheaper in the long run. The computer is pretty much just the one that I use for household stuff and the odd single player game I play from time to time. I just like setting up a new build when it is time for the machine to have a full upgrade. Windows 7 support ends early next yr, so it's time for a Windows 10 machine anyway. I will keep you updated as to my progress.......I may need your help again when I get to the build stage. I will keep you posted.
Thanks again for your help much appreciated.

Dave from "The Rock" ( Newfoundland, Canada)
 

UnholyVision

Active Member
Windows 7 support ends early next yr
Well if you've been holding out and the support runs out on Windows 7 you can always install Linux on it. It would give it more life without needing to go out and really buy anything for a while or at all. Linux can play tons of Windows games too and being as you stated you play random single player games from time to time it might just support all your games without a hiccup. Considering Steam Proton has 6,385 Windows games stated as working and Lutris has quiet a few as well, it might cover all your bases. Which would give you either a full time or temp solution since you would have nothing to lose, since Linux is free and you can always remove it. Then just buy and install Windows 10, if you don't like Linux. (Though you might end up liking it, like I did).

I may need your help again when I get to the build stage. I will keep you posted.
A good thing is even in 8 years time not to much has changed. Other than perhaps NVME's and other small little changes. It's pretty much like Lego's, so once you get going it should be easy. Though if you do need help, I'm sure me or a handful of the others on this forum will happily help. :)
 

OmniDyne

Active Member
Because you will need to overclock and/or use a XMP for that motherboard for 3200

There will be no need for an overclock. Even the 2666MHz RAM will require that the XMP profile is used in the BIOS. 2666MHz is still treated as an overclock.

XMP doesn't ensure things will just work

It pretty much does, if you ignore Zen or Zen+ based platforms.

I think based on your reply is to do a return of the Ram and reorder 2- DD4 2666 modules and send back the 3200 I ordered in error.

I really think this is unnecessary and 2666 isn't going to be much cheaper, if at all. 3200 will run just fine and all you have to do is enable XMP in the BIOS; you're going to have to do the same with the 2666 modules regardless.
 

UnholyVision

Active Member
There will be no need for an overclock. Even the 2666MHz RAM will require that the XMP profile is used in the BIOS. 2666MHz is still treated as an overclock.
Based on the site I looked at this was listed in the specs. If the source is wrong then maybe. I'll check a actual store to double check with Amazon & Newegg. Though, by the following it should just run at those speeds out of the box.
DDR4 4000(O.C.)/ 3866(O.C.)/ 3800(O.C.)/ 3733(O.C.)/ 3666(O.C.)/ 3600(O.C.)/ 3466(O.C.)/ 3400(O.C.)/ 3333(O.C.)/ 3300(O.C.)/ 3200(O.C.)/ 3000(O.C.)/ 2800(O.C.)/ 2666

Edit: double checked and it was missing 2400 & 2133.

It pretty much does, if you ignore Zen or Zen+ based platforms.
I've had XMP profiles not work on Intel. I've had Bios's be messed up on flag ship boards not work properly with XMP until future Bios updates Also, setting the XMP doesn't mean you don't have to change anything in the voltages for it to be stable, because we are talking about the silicon lottery here. Meaning, no it's not a guarantee everything will just work. (Also, no I didn't have bad memory in any of those situations. Nor did I overclock my CPU at the time either).
 
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OmniDyne

Active Member
Though, by the following it should just run at those speeds out of the box.

It won't. I own a Gigabyte Z370 board with a locked Intel i5-8400. My G.Skill 2666 ran at 2133 during first boot. I had to manually select the XMP profile.

I also had the same scenario with my FX-8300 build and the 1600MHz RAM I purchased. Even though 2666MHz isn't an "overclock", it's out of JEDEC spec and requires manual selection. If it's common 3200MHz RAM on a Z390 platform with an 8700K there's a 99 percent chance it'll work just fine.

Remember, XMP means "Intel Extreme Memory Profile".

Also, setting the XMP doesn't mean you don't have to change anything in the voltages for it to be stable, because we are talking about the silicon lottery here. Meaning, no it's not a guarantee everything will just work.

It pretty much does. Never had a problem with XMP. Ever. You're talking about rare and extraordinary circumstances. The odds of the 3200MHz ram not operating out of the box are the same as 2666 not running; slim. It's a high-end Gigabyte Mobo, not some off- brand budget board.
 
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UnholyVision

Active Member
It won't. I own a Gigabyte Z370 board with a locked Intel i5-8400. My G.Skill 2666 ran at 2133 during first boot. I had to manually select the XMP profile.
I made an edit on my post... I don't know if the site at the time was broken do to script blocking or what, but it's bare minimum 2666. If that is the case and by said logic would be the lowest speed possible for the board. You're cherry picking my post now and avoiding the edit.

Remember, XMP means "Intel Extreme Memory Profile".
(I'm condensing this because you're going on about AMD. Also, if I'm reading something wrong sorry, as I am going on almost two days no sleep. Thanks thyroid for giving me insomnia).
My question now is. Who said otherwise and whom is using AMD in this thread with the mindset of XMP other than you? OP is using an Intel system and we were talking Intel, then you come along with AMD CPU's. I don't understand where the tie in of XMP and AMD you're trying to make is coming from.

It pretty much does. You're talking about rare and extraordinary circumstances.
Pretty much does isn't "it just works". Throwing out the idea that XMP could fail and calling it less likely to happen, isn't a one-hundred percent guarantee. There is no such thing as a one-hundred percent guarantee. I'm not saying it will happen or is a guarantee it will happen. It's just you're arguing over petty details with wishy-washy replies like, "it pretty much does". Sure you might not get DOA hardware, but it happens. Sure you probably wont get a monitor with dead pixels, but it happens. Et cetera and et cetera. Would you argue with, "It pretty much does" on those topics as well? It seems like you're just trying to argue to argue at this point.

Never had a problem with XMP. Ever.
Um, congratulations? So because it's never happened to you means it doesn't happen? By all means, congratulations....... (You could say, "well why did you bring it up then", but that was just stating XMP could fail and nothing is 100% with you're snake oil "It pretty much does" guarantee. Your reply now is just sticking your head in the sand and going, "Well I didn't see it or hear it so it doesn't happen").

It's a high-end Gigabyte Mobo, not some off- brand budget board.
Wow it's a high-end brand motherboard and that means it just works... You really need to step away from brand loyalty and the idea that just because something is priced more means it just works. Hardware price doesn't mean it just works or a brand name, as if you actually look around there are plenty of examples.. Though again I have to say you're arguing to just argue at this point. I say something as a small possibility, and you come in complaining that I even brought it up.......
 

OmniDyne

Active Member
You're cherry picking my post now and avoiding the edit.

2666MHz is an XMP spec. It requires manual selection in the BIOS, same as 3200MHz. Not sure how to state this in a way where it becomes any more clear.

My question now is. Who said otherwise and whom is using AMD in this thread with the mindset of XMP other than you? OP is using an Intel system and we were talking Intel, then you come along with AMD CPU's

Because Ryzen 1000 had memory compatibility issues? Because XMP profiling is still relevant to the Ryzen platform?

It's just you're arguing over petty details with wishy-washy replies

Do you always get so emotionality involved over the interwebs?

You really need to step away from brand loyalty

I'm not going defend myself against this ridiculous statement and strawman logic.

Hardware price doesn't mean it just works or a brand name

You do understand that Intel locks memory compatibility to 2666MHz on anything under Z series motherboards? So Z370/ 390 is/ are designed for higher speed RAM. Compatibility on those platforms is pretty much guaranteed.

Again, 3200MHz is just as likely to fail as much as 2666MHz.

To be frank, telling the OP to return 3200MHz RAM on a Z390 platform due to "overclocking" is really quite, well...novice. It makes no sense and shows your lack of understanding regarding the topic.

All the OP had to do was put the RAM into the motherboard, boot, select the XMP profile, restart, done. He'll have to do the same with the 2666MHz RAM.
 
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UnholyVision

Active Member
Do you always get so emotionality involved over the interwebs?

I'm not going defend myself against this ridiculous statement and strawman logic.
Way to project guy, lol. No one was emotional apparently, until your reply going off on a tangent. Now throwing out silly nonsense about strawmans too. Sounds like you already went on a defense to be honest.

Again, 3200MHz is just as likely to fail as much as 2666MHz.
Again, who said otherwise? You keep coming up with these crazy narratives that no one said. No one is claiming that higher wouldn't be the same either. The only claim that was made is nothing is perfect and that there is a small chance of XMP failing.......

All the OP had to do was put the RAM into the motherboard, boot, select the XMP profile, restart, done. He'll have to do the same with the 2666MHz RAM.
Who said otherwise again? Yes an error was made and then edited. You ignore said edit. Which I have to say, you're just arguing to argue at this point, and I was suppose to be emotional, lol.
 

Shlouski

VIP Member
RAM sticks have an SPD chip which contains information about itself and lists different memory profiles, but by default ram will post at lower speeds until manual changed in the bios, this helps with compatibility. XMP makes life easier for novices by providing predefined profiles that can be tested, and if a post fails the ram will revert to default configuration. Personally I never use XMP and just set frequencies, timing and voltages manually and set the memory to the max advertised frequency (motherboard permitting), and then start overclocking.

I don't know if the site at the time was broken do to script blocking or what, but it's bare minimum 2666. If that is the case and by said logic would be the lowest speed possible for the board.

Gigabyte list support all the way down to 2133mhz: https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/Z390-AORUS-ULTRA-rev-10/sp#sp

It would be strange for a motherboard not to support slower ram modules, its still using the same DDR4 technology. I don't think I've ever seen a board that can't run the slowest ram for its version of ddr.
 

UnholyVision

Active Member
I don't think I've ever seen a board that can't run the slowest ram for its version of ddr.
Honestly, are you guys this bored on this forum to keep beating a dead horse? Only to clear things up. I will admit my edit wasn't the most clear thing ever. Though, as stated in one of my post I was on an insomnia kick. I'm amazed I was as clear as I was as I went four days no sleep which I called out of work for. I managed to sleep for six hours after the fourth day only to repeat the cycle. I started on another got up to three days and just caved to taking a sleeping pill. Did that a few more times to maintain some sleep. Hoping this is the last time this year it happens as I have at least two or three times a year this occurs. Yet this is a me problem and it's not really anything other than me elaborating on why it could have been a better edit and why I took the first bit of info and ran with it.

Yet during that time instead of addressing the edit and just moving on, OmniDyne just keep on arguing for no reason. Only making these assumptions and suggestions of things no one said once in this thread. Going off on explanations that were not needed, like how Intel XMP was, "Intel Extreme Memory Profile" and no AMD . Also, I never claimed to be correct on the screw up you Shiouski quoted and did an edit. You I will give some props for talking about the actual product OP was using, but you did cherry pick the edit out. Again maybe not the clearest thing ever of an edit, but still there. Ignored by, OmniDyne and yourself. Though OmniDyne keep on about semantics and other non-related topics, arguing for no reason.
 

OmniDyne

Active Member
It's just you're arguing over petty details with wishy-washy replies

with you're snake oil "It pretty much does" guarantee. Your reply now is just sticking your head in the sand

You really need to step away from brand loyalty

OmniDyne just keep on arguing for no reason.

Though again I have to say you're arguing to just argue at this point.

pot-kettle.jpg
 

UnholyVision

Active Member
Remember, XMP means "Intel Extreme Memory Profile".
Never had a problem with XMP.
It's a high-end Gigabyte Mobo, not some off- brand budget board.
Not sure how to state this in a way where it becomes any more clear.
Do you always get so emotionality involved over the interwebs?
I'm not going defend myself against this ridiculous statement and strawman logic.
You've been getting emotional and throwing out projections. Now you're telling me I'm calling the cattle black when you cherry pick my posts to fit a narrative. What is this gaining any of us?
 

Shlouski

VIP Member
Respectfully, his thread is ready to be locked down imo.

Honestly I didn't really read much of the back and forth between you two, I instead decided to try clear a few things up and give some useful info to the OP or anyone else who comes across this thread.
 

Okedokey

Well-Known Member
Respectfully, his thread is ready to be locked down imo.

Honestly I didn't really read much of the back and forth between you two, I instead decided to try clear a few things up and give some useful info to the OP or anyone else who comes across this thread.

Both of them are as bad as each other. Im with you Shlou
 
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