Member Avatar for valzi

This is my motherboard. This is my CPU.

I'm looking at these two RAM kits at the moment:

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666)

G.SKILL Value Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600)

The Ripjaws does not have a matching PC3 number. According to , my motherboard can do 10600 but there is no mention of 10666, which seems like an odd number to me.

The G.SKILL value series kit lists some motherboard chipsets it works with, but does not list my AMD 870 chipset. It looks compatible otherwise though, as far as I can tell. It lists these AMD chipsets as compatible: AMD 890 Series, AMD 790 Series.

I found these by going through this list and choosing the top-rated memory kits that seemed compatible with my system.

Is either of them compatible? What 8gb kit would you recommend instead? I want stable, compatible memory and will NOT overclock it.

  • 4 Contributors
  • 14 Replies
  • 475 Views
  • 4 Days Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by valzi

Dani AI

Generated

Short answer: both G.Skill kits you quoted are marketed as DDR3-1333 (the PC3-10600 / PC3-10666 labels are just different ways of naming the same bandwidth), so neither is inherently ruled out by speed alone. However, AMD 8xx-era boards sometimes trip over certain 4 GB DIMM internal layouts, SPD/XMP-only profiles, or nonstandard voltages. The safest choice is a matched 2x4 GB, unbuffered/non-ECC kit that exposes a JEDEC 1333MHz (1.5 V) SPD by default and is either on the board maker's tested list or on the memory vendor's compatibility tool.

Practical checklist (most helpful steps not fully covered in the thread):

  • Check the GA-870A-UD3 manual/QVL for tested part numbers (absence on the list does not mean guaranteed failure).
  • Verify the kit’s default SPD: JEDEC 1333MHz, 1.5 V and typical timings (DDR3-1333 commonly uses CL9-9-9-24). Avoid modules that only reach 1333 via an XMP profile or require 1.65 V.
  • Buy a matched 2x4 GB kit (not two loose single modules) and from a seller with a reasonable return/RMA policy.
  • Update the motherboard BIOS before testing — many compatibility fixes land there.
  • If a kit does not POST, test one stick in the board’s primary slot (follow the manual for population order), clear CMOS, then swap sticks. If needed, manually set JEDEC timings/voltage in BIOS rather than relying on XMP.

Notes tied to the thread: was right to push manufacturer compatibility checks, and ’s point about brand/board pairings is practical—some modules are simply more forgiving on some boards. If the goal is a stable, non-overclocked system, prioritize a JEDEC-default 1333 kit from a major vendor and update BIOS first; that combination resolves the vast majority of AMD-870-era memory issues.

Recommended Answers

All 14 Replies

Member Avatar for crunchie

This is the memory compatibility list.
Have a look through to see if the memory you have selected is on the list :).

Member Avatar for valzi

That list says this at the top "Memory modules listed below are for reference only. Due to massive memory models on the market, we can only verify some of them." Also, it's outdated. Thanks for the attempt though.

Member Avatar for saxmaster49

Unfortunately only the 10600 is technically compatible, the difference is simply the quality of the memory. 10666 is higher quality than 10600. 10666 is a true 677 mhz where 10600 is not.

From your other post, it did look like the sticks were bad and you just got unlucky. What type of ram was it, out of curiosity?

Member Avatar for valzi

Unfortunately only the 10600 is technically compatible, the difference is simply the quality of the memory. 10666 is higher quality than 10600. 10666 is a true 677 mhz where 10600 is not.

So you're saying this RAM is compatible? Does it seem like a good set for this board?

From your other post, it did look like the sticks were bad and you just got unlucky. What type of ram was it, out of curiosity?

This is the ram that went bad.

Member Avatar for saxmaster49

Ah crap, now I see whats up. That first ram is not bad, its not compatible with amd, (might be bad now though)

The ram I said was compatible actually is not, but other 10600 will be.

The key thing is that the ram must be compatible with the amd chipset 870

ram like thishttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148420 would be compatible

or like thishttp://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145315&Tpk=CMX8GX3M2A1333C9

thats actually about it on newegg.

Member Avatar for valzi

How can you tell? I can't tell how you found out those two were compatible with the 870 chipset.

Member Avatar for saxmaster49

you actually have to check the manufacturer website. Crucial and Corsair are two of the best for searching for compatible ram, crucial lets you pick your motherboard out of a list and corsair uses a drill down.

When you are checking, use model numbers, dont go by image, they can be different.

If you go to g.skills website, you will see that the 870 chipset is not listed on the ram you picked.

Edited by saxmaster49 because: n/a
Member Avatar for valzi

yuck! okay i'll do some of that. the cheaper one you found has no reviews and the other one is on the expensive side, so i'll search some more.

Member Avatar for saxmaster49

have fun.

Member Avatar for crunchie

It doesn't matter that the RAM frequencies match the cpu's/motherboard. Some RAM brands do not play nice with certain brand mobo's/cpu's.

Member Avatar for benmar

try to buy ram corsair.......

Member Avatar for valzi

saxmaster: i just noticed the corsair ram you mentioned doesn't come up when i use corsair's configurator. how did you decide it was compatible?

Member Avatar for saxmaster49

On its tech specs it says it is designed for all ddr3 dual channel boards. Ie not specific to intel and compatible with all chipsets.

Member Avatar for valzi

Ah, thanks again.

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.