Edit, so I've made my choice - query is now re mixing brands (see latest post below)
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So, my s1156 machine is getting one last spruce up to see it another year or two. Two questions on RAM:
1)Does anyone know if/how to run XMP settings on 1156 without overclocking the CPU?
And then 2) which set of RAM to get?
And then the details for anyone who is interested:
The i7-870 has arrived, as has the PCIe card to give a few more SataIII ports.
The last tweak will be the RAM. (And before anyone says it, yes I know, GPU, can't afford it, and it isn't what limits me in my usage). This is for photoshop batch editing, 3D CAD, and multitrack sound recording editing so it's workflow that I'm trying to improve. My current CPU and RAM semi-regularly hit 100%. The graphics card is old, but just about copes for the time being - and it is whisper quiet which helps no end. Even if photoshop doesn't use it for GPU assisted crunching.
The max RAM my mobo will take is 16GB (4x4), and up to 2200Mhz (oc)
I can get hold of:
4x4GB 1600 9-9-9-24 1.5V Corsair LP vengeance 1.5V
4x4GB 1600 9-9-9-24 Gskill 1.35V
2x(2x4GB) 1866 9-10-9-27 Corsair LP Vengeance 1.5V
2x(2x4GB) 2133 11-11-11-27 Corsair LP Vengeance 1.5V
I know my motherboard is happy at 1.5V for the RAM, not sure if it will be ok dropping to 1.35V - anyone any experience of that? Googling gives some people saying they had issues, but not sure as to the reliability of the site they post on.
To activate the XMP settings to go above 1333MHz the BIOS raises the Bclk of the CPU, so for my current 1600Mhz RAM the i3-540 is currently at 3.2GHz. I think it may have upped the voltages to do this - something I need to unpick when I have time. (Asus auto-settings...)
Should I get the 2133 for the RAM speed and if needs be drop the speed and tighten the timings or just get a slower RAM and be done with it? The cost spread is about £30 between the different sets, so not a huge amount of difference. I don't mind overclocking the CPU if required - so long as it doesn't get too hot/noisy.
The difference between 1333 and 1600 on my machine was noticeable, though both of those were at 9-9-9-24, not sure how the latency step-up would affect things going to higher frequencies. How tight would 2133 11-11-11-27 typically get if run at 1866 or 1600? I'm wondering if I should just get that, see what happens in terms of how fast I can get it to run with the CPU, and if necessary drop the RAM multiplier and tighten the timings to get back to 1600-9-9-9-24 (if feasible) or would I be better off just taking the 1866 or 1600 sets and saving the money?