Looking at the certified RAM for Asus P7P55D Deluxe and its not making any sense!

Leeky

Leeky

Posts: 3,357   +116
I really don't get it. I've spent the best part of an hour now checking part numbers on RAM to match correct ones to this motherboard.

Its clearly listed as dual channel, not triple channel, yet the only RAM I can find in the parts list is triple channel RAM! I've now checked ebuyer.com and OCUK as well.

Link to P7P55D board here: http://uk.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=yZD4yFdLw1l3gZ35&templete=2

I've attached the memory compatibility PDF to this post.

Two RAM's that are on the list, but are triple channel:

1. OCZ http://www.ebuyer.com/product/158576
2. Crucial http://www.ebuyer.com/product/152640

I can't find a single dual channel package across both sites that is ON that memory compatability listing.

I just can't make any sense of this. Surely if you put triple channel RAM in a dual channel supported motherboard you'd end up with single channel RAM, and therefore they're not actually compatible.

I'm clearly missing something, but I thought dual channel RAM was for 2/4/8 slot combinations (and run in pairs), and triple channel (to run in 3's) in 3/6 slot combinations.

What would happen if you used triple channel RAM in a dual channel RAM motherboard?
 

Attachments

  • P7P55D Deluxe 2.8G 2.93G_QVL.pdf
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Hi leeky,
a couple things, Ram itself is not dual,triple, or any designation. The architecture of the MB/mem controller is. the kits are just sold in pairs and triplicates on the idea that they have been manufactured together, tested and guaranteed to work nice together. Secondly The QVL especially has a 50/50 chance of not being up to date with all of the tested compatible modules. The dual channel version of the ram listed only as triple channel 'kits' will work with the MB and vice versa.


In other words, use 1 or 2 kits of this in the board

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/173108
 
Sounds good to me.

Thanks for clearing that up.

To confirm (for my sanity), what would happen in terms of channels if I purchase 3x2G sticks?
 
do you mean occupy three of the 4 slots or use two of them? either way your machine will run fine, although you may lose the dual channel function, or have to resort to one of the 'hybrid' dual channel functions. most likely if you install 3 modules, it will map two modules as dual channel and map the third as single channel. That's how most modern MB's operate, and I believe your Asus does as well. If you get the dual channel kit for 4GB, its as much as 95% of the population needs if that's what you mean.
 
I was thinking of 3x2gb triple channel kit as 6gb is about as much as I'd need. I'm just not sure if performance would suffer as a result of it thats all.

I currently find I'm pushing 4gb when running my virtual OS' (and other processes) in W7 - Hence the questions really.
 
If you can swing it, better to get two 2x4Gb kits and not mess with the third module being mapped as single channel especially if you are doing things memory intensive enough to be be bumping up against 4GB's being used...
just my 2 cents :)
 
Thanks Red.

I could always get 4gb now, and then more later on.

Thanks for the benefit of your expertise again mate! :D
 
anytime :)
or you could be an OCD enthusiast boob like me and get more than you will use because you don't like the empty Dimm's :rolleyes::wave:
 
Pmsl. :D

I don't like empty DIMM slots, but I equally dislike an empty pocket. ;) lol. I'm not going to rush into a decision, but I'm sorely tempted to build a new system, and sell on one of my quad core Dell's. Not being able to run 64bit guest OS' on my Vostro Q8200 is really beginning to grain on me, and with now being down to one LCD due to a power switch fault I'm in the mood to switch things. lol.

By the way, losing 1680x1050 pixels of desktop real estate is just slightly annoying!!!!! :( I'm always running 5-6 things at once (unless I'm gaming) and I never realised how convienent it was until now.
 
As red alluded to, the modules listed in the QVL for tri and dual channel RAM are the same modules -just packaged differently to meet the needs of the different chipsets. So long as the density, part number, and in Corsair's case the version number (Corsair source their IC's from many, many vendors- each vendor IC has it's own version 1.x, 2.x etc.).
Asus QVL's are notorious for not being updated during a board chipset's lifetime.
So...
Corsair's CMX4GX3M2A1600C8 4Gb kit is made up of the same modules used in the TR3X6G1600C8 6Gb kit

If you're looking for an 8Gb kit then this (for example) is two matched 4Gb kits (4x2Gb) of essentially the same RAM that has slightly more relaxed timings for stability ( four modules draw more voltage than two which can lead to stability issues with some boards using stock voltage with their MCH)
 
Thanks DBZ. :D

Its all beginning to make sense now - They're the same sticks, but dual channel is in pairs, and tri in 3's.

That 8GB kit is pretty good as well. I'd be very tempted to consider that, at that price as I'm saving £30 ish or more on getting the lot at once.

We'll see, right now I'm pricing it all up, and then I'll probably put a post up and see what everyone thinks before I spend my money.

You'll no doubt all notice anything that seeps through the cracks when I get my list together. But I'm deffo going the i5 750 and GTX 460 route. Though I do wonder if the i5 760 would be better (its the same price as the i5 750 at OCUK).

Essentially I want my PC ready for Crysis2 launch, so I can play it on decent settings - As I found my HD4670 really struggled towards the end of Crysis with so much action happening at once.

P.S. I've completed it now too. :D
 
The Core i5 760 is the 750's replacement (same stepping, but one multiplier higher)

(BTW the CPU world link is a very handy reference guide)

Crysis: Nice game for graphics. Story is pretty basic, and it's still essentially a linear corridor shooter. Would have been better had "Psycho" (prat) been voice acted by scouser (Arsenal FTW !)
 
LOL!

Or an Italian mobster. Pmsl.

I'll have a good look on there later then. I'm debating just spending a few pennies more and going straight for a i7 instead. I'd like something that can be overclocked relatively easily as well. I've not really been interested in it until now, but I'd like a water cooling setup (just because. lol) so I might as well take advantage of liquid cooling and get some more grunt for my troubles.
 
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