32G for FX-8120 and Giga 990FXA-UD3

[wildbill001]

At the end of the month I hope to be able to build another system for home use. I'm planning on an AMD FX-8120 plugged into a Gigabyte 990FXA-UD3 mobo. My problem is the QVL does not list any 8g sticks but the board supports 32g, which is what I want to run.

Ya'lls RAM CONFIGURATOR also doesn't list 32g kits for this board either. So am I out of luck? I would really like to use G.skill since ya'll were so helpful on my other system.

So, Help me Obi Wan, you are my last hope!

Bill W
P.S. If this is not the right forum for this, please feel free to move me where-ever.

[Tradesman]

AMD CPUs have weak MCs (memory controllers), w/ an 8120 (even an 8150) to run 32GB you'd probably have to go 1333 (and I wouldn't guarantee even that), the 8120-8160 is rated up to 1866 at 1 stick per channel (and those specs were written to 4GB sticks) so doubling the number of sticks to 4 and the density from 4GB to 8GB makes it even harder. Sadly the Force isn't strong with AMD when it comes to large amounts of DRAM, nor with high freq DRAM.....

Not sure of your budget, but I'd try and add about $50 to the CPU/mobo combo (or less) and go with a Z77 and maybe a 2500K or a 3570K, with either it'll will keep you happy a lot longer than an 8120 or 8150...and AMD doesn't really have anything in development that will be much stronger. Considering the investment, just in the DRAM, think you would be much happier with Intel, which can handle the sticks and get performance out of them, typically with the same sticks and near equal CPU's (AMD vs Intel) you'll see much better performance with both the DRAM and the CPU (as well as the rest of the rig).......and remember you called on Obi Wan who championed the more powerful side of the Force (Intel), so you must be wanting to leave the Dark Side

[wildbill001]

Wow, was not aware of that/those issues with AMD. This rig will be for "work" and NOT gaming or OC'ing or just seeing how far I can push the envelope. I'll be running ESXi 5 with a number of virtual machines. So I'm not trying to win any bragging rights as to speed and/or performance.

NOW, having said that I do want a stable system. So thank you for the info and I guess I need to go investigate the Intel side.

[Tradesman]

Even if not looking for speed/total power you'll be happier with an Intel, especially if you want to be running multiple VMs, which can take a fair amount of DRAM, INtel just handles it much better, like said especially in large amounts and faster sticks....and if you take a look around the forums you'll find many not getting anywhere with AMD and 16 GB or with 8GB sticks (even 2)

[GSKILL TECH]

What it comes down to is $.

AMD is just cheaper, not necessarily an "issue".

Pay for what you get, like Volkswagon and Audi, the VW Beetle is very fun and sporty, but the real fast car is Audi R8.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[wildbill001]

I think you are almost right. Money and stability. I don't mind spending $40-50 more. But it seems that it is never just that amount. Before you know it $50 turns into $100 or more because of "incidentals" and "oh, $20 to get that? Ok."

While not adverse to going Intel, I have been diligently searching various web-sites and systems chosen are all over the map. There are quite a number of systems out there running the 8120 on a 990FXA-UD3 at 32g and folks are very happy with them. Thing is, it is almost always one of your competitor's sticks (starts with a C and ends with R).

Now while I don't dispute what ya'll are telling me about the MC on AMD chips (you are the experts afterall), I'm not seeing much if anything about that on the wild, wild web. Maybe I just need to use 1066 instead of 1333. If that is the case, that's fine with me.

I came here first because ya'll were INCREDIBLY helpful with my other system and wanted to give G.skill a shot. No hard feelings. No ill feelings. And if it turns out that ya'll don't have any memory that will work reliably, I understand. Next system I build after this, I'll still come back and see what you have to offer.

Bill W

[GSKILL TECH]

Forgive me, I didn't read the first post, so I didn't answer your question.

We absolutely have many kits compatible with that motherboard and CPU; in fact, most are compatible as we have done quite a bit of testing with that motherboard. It is a great combo.

As far as which memory to purchase, I suggest DDR3-1866. That is the highest performance you will want to go for 32GB, without stressing your CPU too much.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...rder=BESTMATCH

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...rder=BESTMATCH

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...rder=BESTMATCH

With your 8 core, the "weak" memory controller is less of an issue. DDR3-1333, DDR3-1600, will all be no problem with that CPU.

Feel free to ask any further questions.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[wildbill001]

Thanks for the help. This will give me a good starting point! I'll let ya'll know how this turns out.

Bill W

[Tradesman]

We'll be waiting to hear

[islhopr]

Um Well we just bought 32g's of your ram last week thru Newegg. For Amd's best MB "Crosshair V", and we use the 8120.
We have been running Corsair 1600 4x4g for months, but decided to upgrade to 32 for runing test VM's for our clients.
UM well we had a choice, either to buy Corsair sitcks again or go with your sticks, which as of last week were cheaper by 30 bucks.
We went with 2 sets of your 16g sets of your Ares brand rated at 1600.
When we installed them at the rated 1.5 voltage we can only run at 1333! Each identical set was installed on its own channel/
Maybe we should of gone with Corsair, they just simply work! without any excuses, but we wanted to save a few bucks ;-(

Any thoughts?

[Tradesman]

First thought is the sticks may not want to play together, as any time you mix sets it can be problematic, they may be from different production lots, may be using components from different lots, etc, and any time you go mixing, especially with high freq/high capacity sticks there can be a problem. Generally this can be straightened out with slight voltage adjustments and is why the DRAM manufacturers sell sets in varying amounts of DRAM from 1 to 64 GB, with GSkill, each set is tested to ensure all sticks work together....also while not really applicable here, SPD programming is done by the set and as you probably know advanced timings will differ from a 2 stick set to a four stick set, especially like the tRFC, tFAW and others, which would mean XMP won't work (mainly Intel mobos). In this case, I'd make sure you have the latest BIOS, and if your mobo supports DOCP give that a try (though it may not be ready for 32GB (most AMD mobos aren't (in either the BIOS or the DOCP programming) and if that fails, set the base timings manually, raise the DRAM voltage to about 1.58 and increase the CPU/NB voltage + .1 to + .15 and try that.........if still no joy, post up your BIOS settings and we'll see if we can manually set up advanced timings for you