best memory for speed and OCing

[jreifste]

I'm looking to try and get the best memory for the least (of course)
System build
ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155
Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core
Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing

Question 1:
If I want to install 8Gb is it better to get 2 4Gb or 4 2GB? Which would be faster/more proficient?

Question 2:
Comparing the

ARES F3-1600C9D-8GAO with the ARES F3-1600C8D-8GAO the only difference is the latency speeds but what do these mean in terms of real time speed and the ease of overclocking in the future? Is one chip better than the other for that? Or would a gamer really notice the difference?

Thanks.

[G.Skill - Matt Wang]

Re: best memory for speed and OCing

Hi,

reply your PM first and see the thread now... please check your notifications.

[nleksan]

Re: best memory for speed and OCing

Personally, I have become a G.Skill Convert!

After the "death" of the Elpida Hypers and similar IC's, there was a drought of performance memory for quite some time... Well, there was some out there, but you really never knew what you'd actually receive, and it was no fun :(

However, G.Skill has just CONSISTENTLY knocked it out of the park with their memory line ups!

I am a RAM bencher (well, I bench everything, but RAM is a favorite of mine), which means that just one poorly binned IC out of as many as 64 on a 4x4GB kit (for my RIVE + 3930K rig) can cost hundreds of points and a loss of first place.

I run the G.Skill Ripjaws Z 16GB (4x4) 2133 9-11-10-28 kit, which uses some highly binned Hynix IC's, and without adding even 0.005v to the vDIMM I can easily run them at DDR3-2588 10-12-10-26 1T with my CPU @ 5.24Ghz, and that's with just air cooling for the memory (Water Cooling for CPU, Motherboard, and GPU's). They're simply the most flexible kit of RAM I've owned, far and away the most value I've EVER seen in a memory kit!
The Trident X kits are ideal for Z77 (Gigabyte Z77X-UP7 + 3770K de-lidded with PK1 @ 5.2-5.5Ghz), and I have the 2400 9-11-11-31 4x4GB kit (got it so I could use it for benching my X79 rig, too; only use 2 DIMM's for runs on Z77), 2666 10-12-12 2x4GB kit, and the 2800 11-13-13 2x4GB kit. I've used the higher-latency kits at each of the available speeds, and I HIGHLY recommend going for the better, lower latency kits; they are binned much better. For example: the 2400 9-11-11-31 kit will run 2400 9-10-10-27 1T, 2600 9-12-10-29 1T, and 2740 10-12-11-31 1T all with stock voltages; the 2666 will do 2666 10-11-11-30 1T, 2780 11-12-12-32 1T, and 2940 11-14-12-34 1T with no more than 1.675v, and the 2800 kit is an absolute masterpiece as it will run not only insanely tight timings at 2400 and below (i.e. 1600 6-7-6-13 1T, 2133 8-10-9-22 1T...) but it has lots of headroom and will do 2980 11-13-11-33 1T, 3120 12-14-12-35 1T, and 3208 12-14-13-36 1T with no more than 1.675v!
Once you go between 1.7-1.8v, you can expect even better timings/frequencies, as I have yet to find the true wall of any of these kits; every time I think "no, it can't go higher", and I bump up the voltage, sure enough, it POST's and boots and runs fine!

[G.Skill - Matt Wang]

Re: best memory for speed and OCing

Glad to see you share your experience with us! Great work!!!!!