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Can I use 12GB (3x4GB) DDR 3 in a Asus P8Z68V-Pro?

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richklein

Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2002
Hi,

I just purchased Patriot Viper II ‘Sector 7’ Edition 12GB (3 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2000 (PC3 16000) Desktop Memory Model PV7312G2000ELK 12GB of ram for a P8Z68-V Pro mobo with a 2600K processor.

I ask as my last build was a p6X58D Asus mobo & it needed 3 sticks of DDR3 (I think). I also had 12GB (I use a bunch of VM's at the same time).

Anyway, I was curious if I could use the ram I just picked up from Newegg, or if I need to stick with either 2 sticks, or 4 sticks?

The manual mentions the optimal placement is 1, 2, or 4 - it doesnt mention 3 sticks. Did I buy the wrong memory?

Thanks,
Rich
 
12 gig kit is for x58 mobos that run triple channel. They have 6 slots. If you run that in z68 mobo 2 sticks will be in dual channel and one will be in single channel. I recommend you return that and get a dual channel kit. or just run 2 sticks.
 
Can you? Yes.
Should you? Not really.

You'll have half the bandwidth with three sticks that you would have with 2 or 4.
It'll work though.
 
Can I run two of the three sticks & have the bandwidth using the triple channel?

I ask since i can take 6gb out of my x58 chipset to use for a few days in the x68 chipset.
 
Not really any noticeable difference in triple and dual channel, so I would say just take two out of your X58 and run both systems in dual channel instead on one in triple an one in single.
 
Ok, so I have 6x2gb in the x58, I will take 3x2gb and use it in the x68. Or should I just use 2 of the 3 sticks?

Will 2x2gb in the x68 run as fast as the proper ram?

I am a little confused.
 
I would run 4 sticks in X58 and 2 sticks in Z68 if you need more RAM in X58, or 3 sticks in X58 and 2 sticks in Z68 if you don't need 8GB in X58.

Either way use 2 sticks in Z68.
 
X58 runs in single, dual, and triple channel.
Z68 runs in single or dual.

For X58, you want three or six sticks of RAM.
For Z68, you want two or four sticks of RAM.

However, running two in X58 isn't HORRIBLE, it just isn't optimal.

What you should do:
Take two sticks and put it in the Z68 machine.

If you don't ever use more then 6GB of RAM in the X58 machine, take out one more stick and run three. If you NEED the 8GB, leave all four in there.
 
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