Memory for my new rig..

[Trypt]

Hello.. My rig is in the sig, but the mobo/cpu will be replaced with the Gigabyte UD3 (990FX) and 8150 cpu combo which I got for a good price.

I already bought a new PSU, and upgraded my vid card from the ati 3870 to the EVGA 470GTX.

Originally I thought the vid card would do the trick, but for some reason it's just not doing what I thought it would, in fact, I get about the same FPS in games like Crysis, FarCry 2, Skyrim etc, then I did with my 3870. So obviously the CPU is a serious bottleneck since the 470GTX is supposed to be just under the 5870. I had no idea a CPU could be such a bottleneck on games. wow.

In any case, I noticed that 2x4GB kits are around $50 now, amazing price, so I need a real recommendation on what to do. The Gigabyte board can handle 2000MHz, but I will buy 1866 ram (or 1600, whatever you guys think best). Either way, it will be overclocked, but just slightly, so if I get 1600, I want it to run at 1866, but that being said, with the prices so low, why not just get the 1866 right?

I've been looking at Corsair and Mushkin mostly, but any suggestions would be great. I know even Kingston, Patriot, GSkill make good ram, and also there are all kinds of bundle deals with AMD ram, whatever that is. And why is nobody buying OCZ ram anymore? I was always an OCZ guy, should I stay away from them for this rig?

Thank you. Links would be great, my price range is under $70 for the pair of 4GB sticks, and the timings should be at or under 9-9-9-2? (27? 29? 25?)

I have no need for 16GB or more, 8GB will suffice by far

 

[Knufire]

I'd grab these Samsung sticks:
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147096
http://www.overclockers.com/samsung-ddr3-1600-ram

These sticks are QUITE underrated, tons of OCing headroom.

 

[Trypt]

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231460

how about these? same price, 1866 and lower timings.. g skill sniper.. i love samsung, but how is that better than this one which is already at the OC level and has lower timings?

 

[Trypt]

never mind, i read the reviews, the samsung ram is incredible..

 

[Woomack]

So far best sticks for AMD that I was testing ( from these newer series and still available ) are Crucial Ballistix Elite/Tactical Tracer like these:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148555
or these:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148500
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148501

Main reason why I'm recommending this memory is that's the only IC that is making 1600 7-7-7 or 1866 8-8-8 using quite low voltage so 1.55-1.65V.
They also have thermal sensors and Tactical Tracer series are low profile with red/green or blue/orange leds.

Some of my Crucial Elite 1600 tests. I made it on Celeron but one kit was also working in my brother's pc for about half year on FX8120/CHV ( @1866 8-8-8-24 1.60V ).

You can probably find other kits that are making higher clocks but not tighter timings under DDR3-2000.

 

[Trypt]

Yes, they are nice, but from what I've read, that Samsung memory is crazy good. I mean, at 1.5 volts, people have gotten it to run at 9-9-9-24 and 2400MHz, which is tighter timings and a almost GHz overclock, and completely stable, and it's still under the voltage of most memory, and can take more. I read all the review links you gave then read more. Impressive, I think there is no other way to go, and since I'm an overclocker and love bios, why not right! Even if they are rated at 1600 (or 1333 or whatever it is).

 

[Woomack]

I wish to see 2400 9-9-9-24 1.5V and stable on any samsungs ...