1. #1

    Triple Channel Ram and MoBo

    I'm looking to upgrade my RAM and get a z77 so I can overclock my CPU. Can anyone recommend some good ram (triple channel & least 8gb) and mobo from NewEgg
    Last edited by LCDArcade; 2013-01-18 at 06:00 AM.

  2. #2
    You don't run Triple channel on Z77.
    What kind of CPU do you currently have?
    Intel i5-3570K @ 4.7GHz | MSI Z77 Mpower | Noctua NH-D14 | Corsair Vengeance LP White 1.35V 8GB 1600MHz
    Gigabyte GTX 670 OC Windforce 3X @ 1372/7604MHz | Corsair Force GT 120GB | Silverstone Fortress FT02 | Corsair VX450

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by n0cturnal View Post
    You don't run Triple channel on Z77.
    What kind of CPU do you currently have?
    Oh, I didn't know that. My CPU is a i5-3570k

  4. #4
    Moderator chazus's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Las Vegas
    Posts
    17,222
    Quote Originally Posted by GamerLCD View Post
    I'm looking to upgrade my RAM and get a z77 so I can overclock my CPU. Can anyone recommend some good ram and mobo from NewEgg
    If you are using Triple Channel now, that means you are using an older i7-9xx CPU and X58 board. The i7-9xx is 1366 socket, and NOT compatible with a Z77 board. So don't expect to just upgrade your board. You are looking at a new board, CPU, and possibly ram (if you want dual channel) if you want to overclock.

  5. #5
    PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

    Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($124.99 @ Newegg)
    Memory: Mushkin Blackline 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($45.99 @ Newegg)
    Total: $170.98
    (Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
    (Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-01-18 01:04 EST-0500)

    Should be good for you with a 3570k.
    Intel i5-3570K @ 4.7GHz | MSI Z77 Mpower | Noctua NH-D14 | Corsair Vengeance LP White 1.35V 8GB 1600MHz
    Gigabyte GTX 670 OC Windforce 3X @ 1372/7604MHz | Corsair Force GT 120GB | Silverstone Fortress FT02 | Corsair VX450

  6. #6
    Moderator chazus's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Las Vegas
    Posts
    17,222
    Quote Originally Posted by GamerLCD View Post
    Oh, I didn't know that. My CPU is a i5-3570k
    Or.. that. >.<

  7. #7
    The ram I have in my current mobo is single channel haha.

  8. #8
    Moderator chazus's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Las Vegas
    Posts
    17,222
    What motherboard and ram do you have right now as well, out of curiousity?

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by GamerLCD View Post
    The ram I have in my current mobo is single channel haha.
    2 semi identical/identical sticks of ram run in a slot 1/3 or 2/4 will run dual channel. The motherboard determines dual channel not the sticks. So say you have 1 4Gb corasair vengeance 1600 running in 1 slot that sets it as single channel. Buy the same 4Gb stick and placing it in slot 3 will make it run in dual channel. Dual channel, triple channel, quad channel sets of ram are just marketing. In regard to a 1366 board triple channel you have your 6 slots so triple channel setup you could buy a triple channel kit which is just 3 same sticks of ram marketed as triple channel or you could buy 3 seperate individual sticks and still get the triple channle effect. The only real benefit possibly from buying a dual/triple kit is maybe a few bucks cheaper than individuals and the possibility they all came from the same batch so the quality matches up.
    CPU:i5 4670k@4.3Ghz GPU:Gigabyte GTX760 WF3 Mobo:Asrock Z87E-ITX RAM:8Gb GSkill Ares@1600MhzCase:Atomic Orange Bit Fenix Prodigy Cooling: Corsair H100i HDD:1Tb WD Cav Black SSD: Samsung 830 128Gb PSU:Seasonic M2II620 KB:Razer Black Widow Mouse:Razer Naga 2014

  10. #10
    Moderator chazus's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Las Vegas
    Posts
    17,222
    Quote Originally Posted by demonskies View Post
    Dual channel, triple channel, quad channel sets of ram are just marketing..
    It is definitely not 'just marketing'. It increased the memory transfer rate, that was at the time beneficial for systems using that.

    Triple Channel 1066 = 24GB/s
    Dual Channel 1066 = 16GB/s
    Even Dual Ch 1333 = 20GB/s

    Of course.. now, with faster ram these days...

    Dual Channel 1600 = 24GB/s so it's about the same as the old triple. Of course, Quad Channel stuff was even faster still, but only useful in some applications. Of course, you're probably using those applications to warrant such hardware.

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by chazus View Post
    It is definitely not 'just marketing'. It increased the memory transfer rate, that was at the time beneficial for systems using that.

    Triple Channel 1066 = 24GB/s
    Dual Channel 1066 = 16GB/s
    Even Dual Ch 1333 = 20GB/s

    Of course.. now, with faster ram these days...

    Dual Channel 1600 = 24GB/s so it's about the same as the old triple. Of course, Quad Channel stuff was even faster still, but only useful in some applications. Of course, you're probably using those applications to warrant such hardware.
    um yeah i would expect a triple channel board having 3 sticks producing 24 over 2 sticks producing 16 would make sense not sure what you are trying to say here. I was pointing out you can buy 3 sticks of ram and put it in a triple channel board and it will be triple channel or hell you can buy a triple channel kit and throw 2 sticks in a dual channel board and it will run in dual and give the last stick to your friend.
    Last edited by demonskies; 2013-01-18 at 07:09 AM.
    CPU:i5 4670k@4.3Ghz GPU:Gigabyte GTX760 WF3 Mobo:Asrock Z87E-ITX RAM:8Gb GSkill Ares@1600MhzCase:Atomic Orange Bit Fenix Prodigy Cooling: Corsair H100i HDD:1Tb WD Cav Black SSD: Samsung 830 128Gb PSU:Seasonic M2II620 KB:Razer Black Widow Mouse:Razer Naga 2014

  12. #12
    Moderator chazus's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Las Vegas
    Posts
    17,222
    Quote Originally Posted by demonskies View Post
    um yeah i would expect a triple channel kit having 3 sticks producing 24 over 2 sticks producing 16 would make sense not sure what you are trying to say here
    I'm saying it's not just marketing. It's actual increase in performance.

  13. #13
    yes its a difference in performance provided by the board not the ram i can buy a triple channel kit corsair vengeance 1600mhz 3x4Gb or 2 dual channel kits 2x4Gb and place 3 of either the "triple channel kit" or 3 sticks of the dual channel kit and they will perform at the same speed in that tripl channel board. Or I could take 2 of the triple sticks place them in a dual board and they would perform the same as a dual channel kit in a dual channel board. I am not arguing a speed difference between a triple channel board and a dual channel board.
    CPU:i5 4670k@4.3Ghz GPU:Gigabyte GTX760 WF3 Mobo:Asrock Z87E-ITX RAM:8Gb GSkill Ares@1600MhzCase:Atomic Orange Bit Fenix Prodigy Cooling: Corsair H100i HDD:1Tb WD Cav Black SSD: Samsung 830 128Gb PSU:Seasonic M2II620 KB:Razer Black Widow Mouse:Razer Naga 2014

  14. #14
    I'm looking to upgrade my RAM and get a z77 so I can overclock my CPU. Can anyone recommend some good ram (triple channel & least 8gb) and mobo from NewEgg
    If you are running single channel on that you should just buy another single stick. Ivy bridge doesn't support 3ch DDR3.


    I'm saying it's not just marketing. It's actual increase in performance.
    The benefits from the 192bit channel are so small in most cases you would almost never notice a difference. The improvements on Sandy/Ivy bridges memory controllers more than make up for any loss in throughput anyway.

  15. #15
    Moderator chazus's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Las Vegas
    Posts
    17,222
    Quote Originally Posted by demonskies View Post
    3 of either the "triple channel kit" or 3 sticks of the dual channel kit and they will perform at the same speed
    Well, yes and no. In theory, they ought to act the same. However a "Dual" or "Triple" kit, as opposed to two or three of the same model sticks, are often paired very precisely to be put in Dual or Triple channel systems. They don't just grab 3 stricks from the bin and toss it in a box and call it "Triple Channel". Usually kits tend to come from the same manufacture set, so will have literally the exact same architecture. Even the same model made from the same machine a few hours later might have slight differences on a microscopic electrical level. Buying simply two sticks of the same type does not mean they are identical. Kits effectively do.
    The benefits from the 192bit channel are so small in most cases you would almost never notice a difference.
    Again, yes and no. For 98% of users, there is just about no difference. However the only people who would buy a setup like that (unless they were like 'LOL i7', would be people who actually get a notable benefit.

  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by chazus View Post
    Well, yes and no. In theory, they ought to act the same. However a "Dual" or "Triple" kit, as opposed to two or three of the same model sticks, are often paired very precisely to be put in Dual or Triple channel systems. They don't just grab 3 stricks from the bin and toss it in a box and call it "Triple Channel". Usually kits tend to come from the same manufacture set, so will have literally the exact same architecture. Even the same model made from the same machine a few hours later might have slight differences on a microscopic electrical level. Buying simply two sticks of the same type does not mean they are identical. Kits effectively do.

    Again, yes and no. For 98% of users, there is just about no difference. However the only people who would buy a setup like that (unless they were like 'LOL i7', would be people who actually get a notable benefit.
    Which I stated earlier about the same batches, Im pretty sure you were just confused with what I was saying and thinking I was arguing speeds between the 2 typed of boards. lol
    CPU:i5 4670k@4.3Ghz GPU:Gigabyte GTX760 WF3 Mobo:Asrock Z87E-ITX RAM:8Gb GSkill Ares@1600MhzCase:Atomic Orange Bit Fenix Prodigy Cooling: Corsair H100i HDD:1Tb WD Cav Black SSD: Samsung 830 128Gb PSU:Seasonic M2II620 KB:Razer Black Widow Mouse:Razer Naga 2014

  17. #17
    Again, yes and no. For 98% of users, there is just about no difference. However the only people who would buy a setup like that (unless they were like 'LOL i7', would be people who actually get a notable benefit
    I agree. The benefit in pure throughput is certainly there above a dual channel setup, but like you said the average ('LOL i7') user wont notice that bandwidth potential. Hell depending on your application usage you might not notice a 64bit -> 128bit upgrade

  18. #18
    Moderator chazus's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Las Vegas
    Posts
    17,222
    Amusingly, there are actually a few situations where dual channel actually outperforms triple channel, due to how interleaving is managed.

    Anyway, wayyyy off topic. The stuff n0c suggested is fine. Personally, I think you could go a bit cheaper if you wanted to, but those are perfectly good parts.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •