Memory for ASROCK FM2A75 Pro-M AMD A10-5700

[mikeskill]

I am replacing my 5 year old HTPC. I plan to use an ASROCK FM2A75 Pro4-M motherboard with A10-5700 APU. I have no plans to OC or use gaming. My aim is to get the best memory performance that the mobo and APU will allow. The specs say 1866Mhz at 1.5V and XMP 1.3. Does XMP 1.2 vs 1.3 make a difference ie X vs Z series? I also want to put a stick in each slot (4) and thought 16GB (4x 4GB). Having a stick in each slot means no dust is going to get into those slots and stop them working in the future, a problem I have had in the past. I know this is an overkill for an HTPC but I want this this to last 5 years like my current HTPC has. Putting a matched set of memory now should mean I won't have to do anything in the memory department again. The ASROCK supported memory list is very poorly populated for these requirements.

Any suggestions. Any advice would also be appreciated as none of this is locked in yet.

[Tradesman]

While the Z series is native XMP 1.3, Gskill has been loading an XMP 1.3 profile into the X line also, although at this freq there is almost no difference and either should work equally well. Could also look at the Ares 1866 they have a 4x4GB set of 1866 at CL9 (F3-1866C9Q-16GAB) and yet another at CL8 (F3-14900CL8Q-16GBZM), the CL8 carries about a $45 premium ($140) over the X, Z or Ares CL( sets which are about $95 at the Egg or if the idea of CL8 is appealing, could go with a 2133/CL9 set think the Egg has a X set for $120 and a Z, Ares and a Sniper set (all 2133/CL9) at $130 these could be run at CL8 and provide a $10-20 savings over the native 1866/CL8 Ares set. If $130 would fit in budget wise, I'd suggest the Sniper set (of all GSkill DRAM these are my overall favorites, especially for AMD rigs)

[mikeskill]

Hi Tradesman
Amazingly quick response. These are the ones I found on Newegg. Which specifically is the one you recommend. I notice the 2133Mhz are not at 1.5V. Will this matter on my board?

G.SKILL Sniper Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1866 (PC3 14900) Desktop Memory Model F3-1866C9D-16GSR 1.5V

G.SKILL Sniper Gaming Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2133 (PC3 17000) Desktop Memory Model F3-17000CL9Q-16GBSR 1.65V

G.SKILL Sniper Gaming Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2133 (PC3 17000) Desktop Memory Model F3-17000CL11Q-16GBSR 1.6V and out of stock.

I am in Australia so will have to then check what is available here. Newegg won't ship to Australia.
Much appreciate the help.

[Tradesman]

First on the 2133 sets, voltage shouldn't matter and it's safe, whether at 2133 native or if you downclock you can prob drop from stock voltage by 0.05 or so. On the selections you list, I didn't include the 1st Sniper set you show as it's a 2x8GB set, and you had mentioned you wanted to keep all 4 slots filled, that's why I only gave thought to 4 sticks sets.

The second is the set I referred to 2133/CL9, F3-17000CL9Q-16GBSR...these are great sticks hae used them in a number of systems.

the final set you show is a 2133/CL11 set, I always look towards the lowest CL I can get whether it be my own or a clients budget. I try to find the highest freq with the tightest CL....To consider a base difference I like to think 2400/11 - 2133/10 - 1866/9 - 1600/8 each of those bases are fairly even performance wise, but the higher the freq the higher the overall bandwidth which provides a boost....so looking at those as a base 2133/9 would be better than 2133/10 and the set at CL9 can downclock to 1866/CL8

Sorry bout the NewEgg references, but that's where I shope and should give a rough idea pricewise, not sure where you are down-under but here's a link to places that carry GSkill in Australia

http://www.gskill.com/reseller.php?c1=3&c2=27

Have a gud 1 mate and keep in touch, let us know what you decide on and how it goes

[mikeskill]

Hi Tradesman
You are a prince. Many many thanks for your help so far. These are some of the local Aussie offers.
Will they do the trick? I suspect they are trying to offload old stock?
G Skill 16G(4X4G) DDR3 2133MHZ PC3-17000 CL9(C9Q-16GAB)
G Skill 16GHi (4X4G) DDR3 2133MHZ PC3-1000 CL9(L9Q-16GBZH)
so they cost about US$140 so a bit of a local rip off.

[Tradesman]

Either should work (and prob not really old stock) the Ares are GSkill latest lines of DRAM after the Tridents and the Ripjaws Z are the next newest, so both of these are newer than say the Snipers, Ripjaws X or plain Ripjaws

[mikeskill]

Thanks Tradesman. Will let you know what I finally go with and why.

[Tradesman]

We'll be waiting to hear

[newbino]

Let me join this thread as I have a very similar request, I will be using an ASROCK FM2A75 Pro4 [no M] motherboard with A10-5700 APU. I will not be doing gaming.

Considering my budget, I would like to install 16GB RAM - these are the options that my supplier has in stock:

• DDR3 G.Skill Ares F3-1866C10D-16GAB 1866MHz 16GB (2x8GB) 10-11-10 2N Low Profile
• DDR3 G.Skill Ares F3-1866C9D-8GAB 1866MHz 8GB (2x4GB) 9-10-9 2N Low Profile
• DDR3 G.Skill RipjawsX F3-14900CL10D-16GBXL 1866MHz 16GB (2x8GB) 10-11-10-30 2N
• DDR3 G.Skill RipjawsZ F3-1866C9D-16GZH 1866MHz 16GB (2x8GB) CL9 9-9-9-24 2N XMP 1.5V
• DDR3 G.Skill Sniper F3-14900CL9D-8GBSR 1866MHz 8GB (2x4GB) CL9-10-9-28
• DDR3 G.Skill Sniper F3-1866C9D-16GSR 1866MHz 16GB (2x8GB) CL9 9-10-9-28 2N XMP 1.5V

which would you recommend?
Thanks

[Tradesman]

For 16GB and an AMD system I'd go with the Snipers, F3-1866C9D-16GSR. The other 16GB sets will also work, (preferably the CL9 sets (shown in model # as the 8 at the 'C9' opposed to the 'C10' sets) as CL9 will be better performance), but I tend to like to pair the Snipers w/ AMD over other sets, seems to be a better 'fit'

[mikeskill]

Just another couple of questions again. Is it OK to buy 2 pairs as opposed to a 4x set? There seems to be much more choice of pairs than fours. Also the 2133Mhz all seem to be 1.65V with no 1.5V available. Are the 2133Mhz really the same technology as the 1866Mhz sticks with the higher speed achieved by simply upping the voltage?

[Tradesman]

Any time you mix sets (even the same model) it can be problematic, especially with AMD. Also, XMP is programmed by the set, so you'd need to try and set up everything manually (and trust me the advanced timings can be a Bear). Different chips and timings setup/programming...higher freqs require higher voltage if keeping a relatively low CL. Originally they planned DDR to hit 1600 and look at it now (2800-3000)

[mikeskill]

Thanks Tradesman. Looks like it has the be a 4x set.

[Tradesman]

It's really the best approach for most everybody. A person needs to be rather comfortable with advanced timings and working with voltages, especially with the mid to higher freq sets to jump in to doing this and to be honest most aren't, we get people here on the forum that went and picked up 2 sets, rather than a single set, often to save $5 or $10 and then find themselves spending hour after hour after hour trying to get them to play and often even more hours waiting for help on the phone, via email or even here on the forums. I try and hop in here as often as possible (I'm not a GSkill employee) but I see some of these folks with nice rigs (say a 3570K or a 3770K and a good mobo) and it might take a day or even two to get them running (and that's if we can, there's times two sets just WON'T PLAY!) and if you think about it, if they are trying to get 16GB of 1866 going, by the time they do, with what it costs them in time, they prob could have bout a single 32GB set of 2400 or invested in a good SSD or something like that, and they are . I'm pretty comfortable working with DRAM but generally buy full sets (even if I do set them manually anyway) as with a full set you KNOW they have been tested to play together.