# RAM Upgrade



## spirit

I am currently on 8GB RAM at the moment and for the most part it's nice, but I want to upgrade because I like to run virtual machines and sometimes even with 8GB RAM I am kind of hitting the ceiling a bit. 

At the moment I have 4x2GB 1333MHz DDR3 and I was wondering if it would better to upgrade to 3x4GB 1333MHz DDR3 to make 12GB or 4x4GB to make 16GB. I have a Core i5 760 and I'm not sure if this supports 1600MHz or not, but it's running happily with 1333MHz at the moment so I'm going to assume the RAM I buy will be 1333MHz. I have an ASUS P7P55D-E motherboard by the way. OS is Windows 7 Ultimate x64 by the way.

16GB of G-Skill RipJaws stuff (1333MHz DDR3) costs £79.96 but 12GB of generic RAM (yeah G-Skill don't do a 12GB kit nor do any other vendors??) costs only £50.94. 16GB of the generic RAM is £67.92. Budget isn't too much of a worry for me.

So for virtual machines and video editing software (Vegas, Premiere etc) would 12GB or 16GB be best?

thanks.


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## wolfeking

you will need either 12 via 2x4 with 2x2 or 16 by 4x4. You need matched sets to preserve dual channel performance. 

For VM, I would say 16GB.


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## spirit

Thanks for your input, 16GB it is then I think! Guessing 16GB would also be better for the future-proofing.


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## M1kkelZR

why not get 1600MHz RAM then? faster...


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## spirit

I don't think my i5 760 supports 1600MHz RAM, see http://ark.intel.com/products/48496/Intel-Core-i5-760-Processor-(8M-Cache-2_80-GHz) and look under memory specifications. No mention of 1600MHz.


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## linkin

1333MHz is the "maximum" but the CPU can easily support anything up to 2133MHz if the board supports it. 1600MHz CAS9 is the average speed these days.


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## spirit

I'm wondering if upgrading to an 1155/Sandy-Bridge i5 or i7 and getting a new motherboard with 16GB RAM would be worth the money, as it seems to me like 1156 is an obsolete socket.


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## wolfeking

its only 1 generation older than 1155. 1155 is 1156 replacement, and LGA2011 is the replacement for LGA1366. 
I would only upgrade if your current system is feeling weak to you.


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## FuryRosewood

^this


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## spirit

Yeah I've decided to keep with the i5 760. I will be upgrading to 16GB RAM though and sorry in another post I said I already had an ASUS P7P55D-E motherboard I actually have a Foxconn H55M-S at the moment and I am looking to purchase a P7P55D-E so I get SATA III.


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## wolfeking

It would be better to get a SATA 6 Gb/s controller card. If you have OEM windows (likely), replacing teh motherboard will inviladate your warranty, costing you another 100+ to fix.


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## FuryRosewood

that would be worth the money, only if you are using a SSD with a sata III controller setup


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## spirit

wolfeking said:
			
		

> It would be better to get a SATA 6 Gb/s controller card.


It's not an option I'm afraid, my dual-slot GTS 450 covers up my one and only PCIe x1 slot. This is my current board http://www.foxconnchannel.com/Upload/Mainboard/201004151056270381_H55M-S_left.jpg as you can see the PCI Express slot which my graphics card sits in is right above the PCIe x1 slot, so a dual-slot card, like mine, covers up the PCIe x1 slot. I can't find any SATA III controller cards for the older PCI interface either, only PCIe x1. It's a major fault with the board's design I have to say, and as a result of this I will be staying away from mATX boards in the future and try to get ATX if possible. Believe me I was pretty annoyed when I found out that my graphics card covered up the one and only PCIe x1! 



			
				wolfeking said:
			
		

> replacing teh motherboard will inviladate your warranty, costing you another 100+ to fix.


I would just reinstall Windows 7, my product key hasn't been used at all for a while now so it should activate over the internet fine. I would have to reinstall anyway because I would enable AHCI in the BIOS for the SATA, and you have to reinstall the OS if you enable AHCI. My copy of Windows 7 (Ultimate SP1 x64) was bought and downloaded from Microsoft TechNet by the way. 



			
				FuryRosewood said:
			
		

> only if you are using a SSD with a sata III controller setup


I am using a 128Gig Crucial M4 SSD, I believe this is a SATA III SSD? I have it on SATA II here right now and although it's not slow, it would be nice to make it faster.

My signature is a little out of date, I have changed various components in both my PCs since I wrote that signature.


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## FuryRosewood

the M4 is indeed a sata iii drive, your gtg there.


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## spirit

Yeah I looked on dabs and I found I can buy a new ASUS P7P55D-E LX motherboard for £95 and a Corsair Vengeance or G.Skill RipjawsZ 16GB RAM upgrade (1600MHz DDR3) for £70, so I think that's the route I'll take.


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## wolfeking

What I was saying is that your windows key won't be valid if you have OEM windows. Its only valid on your original motherboard. Only a direct replacement (same part numbers) will keep your windows activated legally.


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## spirit

wolfeking said:


> What I was saying is that your windows key won't be valid if you have OEM windows. Its only valid on your original motherboard. Only a direct replacement (same part numbers) will keep your windows activated legally.


Yeah I knew about this so I knew I'd have to reinstall 7.


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## wolfeking

reinstalling won't legally help. M$ keeps records of the type of Mobo that was first used with your license. If you have a new motherboard, you have to buy a new license. There is no easy way around it.


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## spirit

I have a question regarding 12GB RAM - if I had 2x 4GB sticks and 2x 2GB would I still get dual-channel performance (inserted correctly in the motherboard) or do I only get dual-channel performance if all the sticks are identical?


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## wolfeking

you will still get dual channel performance. Both banks of DIMMs do not have to be identical, but both DIMMs have to be identical.


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## spirit

OK thanks because it looks like I can upgrade to 12GB for just about £35 or so


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