SOLVED Asus Z87-A Mobo and Kingston KHX16C9B1RK2/8X HyperX Blu Red

On advice of a knowledgeable on-line friend, bought an Asus Z87-A LGA 1150 mobo and Kingston KHX16C9B1RK2/8X HyperX Blu Red memory for my build. Was poking-around in the mobo's docs, on-line, etc. and found that memory is not on the QVL for the mobo. Oops? (New to this. Never occurred to me there'd be such a thing for memory.)

Found these threads, elsewhere:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-1923599/kingston-hyper-blu-xmp.html
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-1804845/asus-z87-2x4g-kingston-hyperx-blu.html

which suggest it'll work fine, if I configure the BIOS settings correctly. And I note that, on the board's QVL, nine of the fifteen Kingston memory products are listed at 1.65V, so it probably (?) will. Which leads me to...

1. Will it... do you think?

2. What is "correctly?" The format for values for XMP settings I see in screenshots on-line article don't appear to jibe with the the RAM's docs. Maybe that's because that doc only discussed XMP for memory on the QVL and I have to do something (more) manually? The RAM's docs say "XMP Profile #1: D3-1600 CL9-9-9 @1.65V," but I see XMP values such as "9-9-9-24" bandied about.

Or should I just send it back, before I open it and make it "used," and choose something else?

TIA,
Jim

The QVL listed simply means they tested it. If it is not on the list, that doesn't always mean it will not work. In fact MOST of the time it will work. Ram is ram is ram for the most part.

1. It will work most likely.
2. XMP is a 'profile' for your ram. Set XMP in your bios and it changes the timings to match.

EarthDog said:

The QVL listed simply means they tested it. If it is not on the list, that doesn't always mean it will not work. In fact MOST of the time it will work. Ram is ram is ram for the most part.

Click to expand...

That's what I'd assumed, but then I got to readin' on the interwebz, and... ya know...

EarthDog said:

1. It will work most likely.

Click to expand...

Okay.

EarthDog said:

2. XMP is a 'profile' for your ram. Set XMP in your bios and it changes the timings to match.

Click to expand...

Well, yeah, I kinda figured that. The "profile" part, that is. It's the operational part about which I'm wondering. So when you select XMP in the BIOS, it automatically sets the RAM's parameters for... er... maximum smoke?

Jim

XMP IS a profile. When you first boot it will likely sit at 9-9-9-24 1.5v 1333Mhz, you then set the bios to use the XMP profile to which it will then set it to the stock timings and speed for the memory.

EarthDog said:

XMP IS a profile. When you first boot it will likely sit at 9-9-9-24 1.5v 1333Mhz,

Click to expand...

Here are the specs for the memory

XMP
Each module kit supports Intel® XMP(Extreme Memory Profiles). Total kit capacity is 8GB. Each module kit has been tested to run at DDR3-1600 at a low latency timing of 9-9-9 at 1.65V. The SPDs are programmed to JEDEC standard latency DDR3-1600 timing of 11-11-11 at 1.5V. Each 240-pin DIMM uses gold contact fingers and requires +1.5V. The JEDEC standard electrical and mechanical specifications are as follows

XMP TIMING PARAMETERS
. JEDEC: DDR3-1600 CL11-11-11 @1.5V
. XMP Profile #1: D3-1600 CL9-9-9 @1.65V

Click to expand...

So wouldn't it default to 11-11-11 1.5v 1600?

EarthDog said:

you then set the bios to use the XMP profile to which it will then set it to the stock timings and speed for the memory.

Click to expand...

That's the part I was wondering about. So, when you set XMP, it automagically detects the optimum timing for the chip(s), and sets that?

My concern was, those chips not being on the QVL, that neither the default nor the XMP would work correctly.

Thanks,
Jim

Yes, it would default to whatever the default timings are for your sticks. My values were simply an example. When you enable XMP #1 it will go to 9-9-9-24 1.65v 1600MHz.

The XMP profile is on the ram sticks, not the bios.

You are overthinking it, friend. Drop the sticks in and boot. See where they are. Enable the XMP profile, reboot, and see where they are. Done.

Thanks, ED! That's what I'll do, then.

And, yeah: I do tend to overthink things... on occasion

Jim

Closure...

It worked just as you suggested it would, ED. thanks,

Jim