A55 or A75 with 1866mhz support?

[Lanlan]

Hello, noob here. I'm looking to build a pc based around the A8-3870k. I know the GPU benefits from faster RAM, and if I did my research correctly, the A8 APUs only support up to 1866mhz RAM.
I'm trying to find a motherboard with guaranteed support for this RAM. The details page on almost all of them say they support it (on Newegg) but reading through the reviews, I see that a lot of people either only use 1600mhz RAM or their 1866mhz ram isn't recognized as 1866mhz. Anyone know of a board that will 100% support 1866mhz RAM?

 

[RGone]

Welcome to the forums



I'm looking to build a pc based around the A8-3870k. I know the GPU benefits from faster RAM, and if I did my research correctly, the A8 APUs only support up to 1866mhz RAM. = That appears to be correct.


I'm trying to find a motherboard with guaranteed support for this RAM. = Not sure what guaranteed support is to be interpreted to mean.

The details page on almost all of them say they support it (on Newegg) but reading through the reviews, I see that a lot of people either only use 1600mhz RAM = There is nothing that forces them to use DDR1866 ram.

or their 1866mhz ram isn't recognized as 1866mhz. = That is entirely possible. The reason can be due to SPD programmed into the memory itself or how the motherboard interprets the SPD. Neither of which means the ram speed cannot be manually adjusted to DDR1866 speed. I have not read any of the reviews you refer to at the Egg, since I do not intend to run an APU system at this time. However whenever I have done any reading of Egg reviews, I always have to remember that the reviews can be written by users of any skill level and reading the review must be done very closely to try and determine if that reviewer had skills enough to justify putting much stock in what his review specifies as pros and cons.

Anyone know of a board that will 100% support 1866mhz RAM? = Since a search in g00gle finds most desktop A75, FM1. socket motherboards support DDR 1866, I am going to have to assume that you mean what motherboard will AUTO-detect the DDR 1866 memory as that speed? I don't know and such will take a lot of study. I expect this to vary also by whether the ram is on the motherboards makers 'vendor list' as having been at least minimally tested.

I would still feel that a specific motherboard, running memory specified by the manufacturer, can be manually adjusted to run at DDR 1866. In reading some of the posts for users specifically testing AMD APU setups, they have reached DDR 2000 and beyond when tweaking and testing their boards and ram.

Out of the multitude of motherboards, I would pick the one that most closely fits my specific needs and then google that motherboard model and add the DDR 1866 to the search and likely see what an actual user maybe experiencing overall. Now those types of user experiences, do bear a good bit of weight when I am seaching for my next piece of hardware.

 

[Lanlan]

Thanks for the very thorough reply. And by guaranteed support I mean a board that someone can attest to having 1866mhz RAM working on it.

Your answer makes me wonder though, how important is using manufacturer-specified RAM? I've seen the supported memory sections on manufacturer's sites, but does that mean ONLY listed RAM will work? I was under the impression that RAM brand and things like that didn't matter. I don't have really any experience with higher end PCs though in that respect, I've messed with RAM in older home PCs and never had problems, that's about it.

 

[RGone]

@ "Lanlan", I used to believe that ram was ram. Then over the last few years, things 'seem' to have changed some. Changed such that I now would certainly look at the ram that is on the motherboard companies ram list. That can serve one hugely important role. If I do n0t have ram from the mobo makers list, they could in theory just telll me to get such ram or take my problem to the ram manufacturer. Humh? If the ram is on the mobo makers list then not only the ram company but the mobo manufacturer can be on the hotseat for a ram issue.

I was doing a little follow-up g00gling as I generally do when trying get up to and stay up to speed. I found when g00gling A75 and DDR 1866 a user saying do not get a particular Adata DDR 2000 as it barely functioned at any speed in his A75 motherboard. So there seems an instance when a specific ram was not deemed usable in an A75 motherboard regardless of the fact the user was only running the ram at DDR 1600. So the variables are ginormous in many areas.

 

[Lanlan]

@RGone Thanks again. This place seems pretty cool. You'll probably be getting a ton of questions from me when I finally get this thing built, as I plan on overclocking it. Never overclocked before so expect noobiness

 

[RGone]

From what I could find there are n0 multiple motherboard tests done in 2012. Most were done the last part of 2011. I am really talking about tests of more than one A75 mobo done together for easier comparison.


6 > A75 motherboards tested.

LOOK at the very last image on the page I have linked you into the testing on. Image is entitled Maximum DRAM Data Rate. It shows the exact brand and model of ram that was used in ALL the motherboards and the voltage used on the ram. Three of the motherboards tested were using four (4) sticks of ram and pushed that specific ram to speeds from DDR 1980 to DDR 2090.

A lot to absorb in such a six board shootout. Then to is the fact that the testing was from last year and now the newer AMD APUs that end in K have the multiplier unlocked for easier overclocking.