QVL - How strict is it?

[bluesforsalvado]

Hello,

I am looking at getting the ASRock Extreme4 MOBO
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157293

In the MOBO manual, the QVL (Qualified Vendor List) includes this memory but not this one

I've been told by several people that the Corsair Dominator is a very stable RAM and is great at working across several platforms. (it's probably better for an overclocked system too due to the heat sinks.)

What are your thoughts on this? Should I go with the QVL or take the chance?


Thanks!

FYI System I'm thinking about building.

 

[bmwbaxter]

Buying outside of the QVL is fine 99.9% of the time. It was more of an issue with older boards, but with everything I have used since s1156 days have never had an issue.

The only thing I think you might have an issue with is the ram may default to 1333mhz. You may have to set speed and timings yourself in the bios/uefi.

Also, ram IMO is the least critical to performance part of a system. So buy some cheap 1600mhz sticks and you will be set.

P.S. Corsair and Patriot both make good ram kits. You can't really go wrong.

 

[hokiealumnus]

Wow Corsair is seriously proud of those sticks! I don't know if that heatsink is actual platinum or what, but I'd at least consider other brands. With the same capacity, speed and better timings you can get a Mushkin kit for almost $60 less. Heck, you can get a Corsair Vengance kit with identical speed, timings and voltage (identical to the Dominators) for the same price as the Mushkin kit. G.Skill has one as well.

To answer your question, as bmwbaxter said, chances are very good that you can go outside the QVL list and be just fine.

 

[bmwbaxter]

@hokie

Looks like the heatspreaders light up. Guess that's worth $60 to corsair

 

[Bobnova]

From what I've seen the corsair platinum stuff is no better than the non-platinum. Worse in some cases when you include OCing.

 

[bluesforsalvado]

Wow Corsair is seriously proud of those sticks! I don't know if that heatsink is actual platinum or what, but I'd at least consider other brands. With the same capacity, speed and better timings you can get a Mushkin kit for almost $60 less. Heck, you can get a Corsair Vengance kit with identical speed, timings and voltage (identical to the Dominators) for the same price as the Mushkin kit. G.Skill has one as well.

The difference in price is less of a vendor situation and more of a 2x8GB vs a 4x4GB..

I would like to keep the 2x8GB in case I want to expand to 32GB later.

 

[hokiealumnus]

The Dominator kit you linked is 4x4G. I agree you should go with 2x8G.

Just look through this page and you'll see there are many 2x8G kits for quite a bit less than the Dominators with similar or better timings.

 

[bluesforsalvado]

ack, sorry about that. I meant to link this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233286

 

[hokiealumnus]

I edited my post, but so you see it:

Just look through this page and you'll see there are many 2x8G kits for quite a bit less than the Dominators with similar or better timings. FWIW.

 

[bluesforsalvado]

cool, I was kind of set on the 9-9-9-24, but these look pretty good from GSKILL

nothing but great reviews (but there are only 10 of them =/ )

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231560

 

[EarthDog]

Newegg reviews are dubious at best to be honest. Not something I would base a decision off of really.

That said, go for it. Ram matters very little to the vast majority of users as far as speed and timings. Outside of benchmarking and very specific activities (which does not include gaming), DDR3 1600Mhz CL9 ram will do just fine with no performance loss vs say 1866MHz ram.

 

[hokiealumnus]

I've never been disappointed in G.Skill and have used them since I started overclocking in the DDR2 days. Here's a set of blue RipjawsX with the 9-9-9 latencies at DDR3-1600 and here's one with 9-10-9 at DDR3-1866. Pick your poison, both will be fine. If blue is what you're going for, of course.