Motherboard question

[MountainKing]

If my motherboard is rated to support 1600MHz DDR3 RAM, will 1866 RAM work at reduced speed or will it not be recognised?
Thanks

 

[daveybrat]

Shouldn't be a problem at all. It'll just work at the reduced speed.

 

[MountainKing]

Ok Thanks man. I'll be more specific before commiting myself
Will this board MSI H97 PCMATE (H97-EXPRESS CHIPSET)support this memory? Kingston 8G HyperX 8GB DIMM 1866 MHz DDR3 Desktop Memory HX318C10F/8 CL10

I do not see it in supported memory in website..
http://www.msi.com/support/mb/H97_PC_Mate.html#support-mem

Thanks

 

[Diogenes2]

Not being on the supported memory list, means it has not been tested by MSI..

It is rare that any generic memory will not work on any generic board ..

That memory looks to have very good reviews across a lot of sellers, so there is a very good chance it will work for you..

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Not being on the supported memory list, means it has not been tested by MSI..

It is rare that any generic memory will not work on any generic board ..

That memory looks to have very good reviews across a lot of sellers, so there is a very good chance it will work for you..

There's always a risk, but usually -- no problemo. Both the mobo-maker and the memory-maker have configurator links as well as QVL lists.

Further, even though you can't OC with an "H" board, I can't imagine why you wouldn't be able to use the XMP profiles of the RAM. I'd never thought much about it before, but the distinction would be the settings for the processor, versus those for the RAM. Maybe I'm wrong.

But the RAM will contain the SPD spec data for clocking at lower-than-full-spec speeds. I had to do this with a laptop when only DDR2-800 was available. It simply configures and runs fine at 667 speed.

Here's another thought. Can't you change the latencies or timings on such a motherboard? I'd think -- if you could -- you could run those suckers at 1600 and tighten the timings. That still gives something closer in performance to full spec on them Kingstons. But again -- I could be wrong about that . . . too . . .

 

[MountainKing]

Haha. Take the risk and buy on ebay or get safe and buy memory approved by the manufacturer? Then again, if the memory will work, I would not mind having that RAM. Looks sexy

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Haha. Take the risk and buy on ebay or get safe and buy memory approved by the manufacturer? Then again, if the memory will work, I would not mind having that RAM. Looks sexy

Curious. What about the latency settings in BIOS? Can THOSE be adjusted on that motherboard?!

 

[MountainKing]

I have yet to buy the board. It is my second attempt to build a rig after the fail of the x5660. Hehe.

 

[piasabird]

Probably depends on the motherboard.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Probably depends on the motherboard.

. . . .and its BIOS especially. I refurbed a laptop I acquired. Gateway E-475M "executive type" laptop model, issued around 2007. There is no . . freakin' . . way . . . in the BIOS to adjust latencies. So you put DDR2-800 SO-DIMMs in the slot, the board uses the relevant SPD data for DDR2-667, and they run at the latter speed. Period. The end.

I've had MANY boards -- some mATX purchased new for $90, other mid-range and high-end boards. They ALL allowed manual latency settings. I just don't know for sure if this is true for non-Z socket-115x boards. All my socket 1155 boards use either Z68 or Z77 chipsets.