BIOS settings for Ripjaws F3-12800CL9D-8GBRL on ASUS Sabertooth X58 with Intel i7-950

[dpolson]

Hello,

I'd like to know what BIOS settings I need to tweak so that the G Skill Ripjaws F3-12800CL9D-8GBRL RAM run at 1600.

I'm a beginner PC builder trying to learn and have just built a PC with the following:

[1] ASUS Sabertooth X58 LGA 1366 motherboard
[2] Intel i7-950 Bloomfield 3.06GHz LGA 1366 CPU
[3] CORSAIR CWCH50-1 High Performance CPU Cooler
[4] EVGA 01G-P3-1465-AR GeForce GTX 465 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 Video Card
[5] G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBRL
[6] Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
[7] KINGWIN Lazer LZ-1000 1000W Modular 80 PLUS BRONZE PSU
[8] LIAN LI PC-A05NB ATX Mini Tower Case

For the two RAM sticks, one is placed in A1 and the other in B1. Both Piriform's Speccy and CPU-Z are telling me that all 8gb are detected and running at about 800 MHz at timings of 9-9-9-24. I understand the Sabertooth X58 is a triple channel board and for now I'm using dual channel RAM, but was thinking it still should be possible to get the two G Skill Ripjaws RAM sticks to run at 1600.

Based on some information I found in the NewEgg feedback I've gone into the BIOS and under Ai Tweaker enabled XMP and set the DRAM frequency to 1600, then Exit & Save Changes, but it didn't seem to change anything, so I'm sure I have overlooked something(s).

So, I'd like to know what all BIOS settings I need to tweak so that the G Skill Ripjaws F3-12800CL9D-8GBRL RAM run at 1600.

Thanks for your help.

[GSKILL TECH]

You are already done. 800MHz is DDR3-1600

DDR is Double Data Rate, meaning real frequency (800MHz) x 2 = DDR3-1600 effective frequency

If you use a benchmark test, that will show you the effective frequency, since that is what it tests at. The memory clock 800MHz is commonly shown in non-benchmark programs as they show real frequency only.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[dpolson]

Thanks for the help

Ok, thanks for the help, much appreciated. Looks like I somehow did it right and didn't know enough to know I did it right (which is much better than the alternative). Thanks for the help, and the quick response!

[Tradesman]

This throws people all the time

[dpolson]

follow up

I installed the 2 x 4gb dual channel G Skill Ripjaws DDR3 1600 RAM (9-9-9-24) on the ASUS Sabertooth 1366 x58 motherboard in the first two tan colored channels and when I booted the PC for the first time Speccy indicated all 8gb were running fine and at 1333 by default (at 9-9-9-24). So I then went into BIOS and changed to XMP and it auto selected Profile 1 running the RAM at 1600, then Save & Exit. After the PC finished booting I ran Speccy and it indicated the 8gb of RAM was now running at 1600 (9-9-9-24).

Several days later I ordered a 1 x 4gb stick of the same G Skill Ripjaws DDR3 1600 RAM (9-9-9-24). Before I installed it I set the RAM setting in BIOS back to Auto, rebooted, and it showed up in Speccy at 1333 again. I then shut down and installed the 3rd stick in the 3rd tan-colored slot and booted and the PC booted, found all 12gb and Speccy showed it running at 1066.

I then shut down, started up and went into BIOS and went back to the XMP setting and it again auto selected Profile 1 running the RAM at 1600, then Save & Exit. After the PC finished booting I ran Speccy and it indicated that all 12gb of RAM was now running at 1600 (9-9-9-24).

The only thing I noted in Speccy after all this was about a 1oC to 2oC increase in CPU temp and motherboard temp.

The G Skill Ripjaws RAM - 2 sticks ordered as a dual-channel kit and 1 stick orderd later as a single stick - seems to have all been compatible enough to work together in my case for this build.

So my last two questions on this thread -

[1] Is it the case then that by buying a triple-channel kit you just are reducing your chances of incompatibility, whereas if you buy 2 then 1, or 1 then 2, or 1 then 1 then 1 stick of the same RAM that you have a higher chance of incompatibility but it still could work fine (as it looks like is the case with my build)?

[2] What are RAM mfr's like G Skill doing to decide which RAM sticks to sell as singles, dual-channel or triple-channel, are they testing each stick in some way that tells them these two and those three will more likely work with each other, but that single won't?

[Tradesman]

1) Yes and congratulations 2) Most all manufacturers know there can be what amounts to microscopic differences in the sticks of a like model so when the bundle sets 2, 3,4,6,8,12,24 GB sets the sticks are tested together for compatibility.

So r u waiting up for Santa also, I figured we could have a brew and some chips before he heads back out......................Ho, Ho, Ho!