GA-890FXA-UD5 planned to use with an AMD 1055T

[weckl]

I was wondering which motherboard is suitable for a Phenom II 1055T. Probably I can acquire a Gigabyte 890FXA-UD5 (Revision 2.1) soon for a bargain price soon and I think that can be a good alternative to my current motherboard (MA790FX-DQ6) which has served me so well during this time. My question is...as I will also need to change RAM...which one do you recommend me to achieve foremost the best stability possible...There is a great offer in a website in Spain of this Kingston DDR3 modules:
http://www.alternate.es/html/promotionCountdown/detail.html
Will this memory modules work fine ? I've seen in the PDF memory compatible made by Gigabyte that the 890FXA-UD5 supports at least DDR3 up to 2000 mhz. Anyone has achieved that speed with this motherboard ?
Thanks in advance.

[absic]

Hi there,

The GA-890FXA-UD5 is a nice motherboard and if you want a further insight into it check here: http://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php/topic,3619.0.html where I have posted a review.

With regard to your choice of memory, the Kingston should work but by default will downclock to 1333MHz at 1.5V and to achieve the rated speed of 1600MHz you will have to manually adjust the RAM frequency to X8.0 and also set the voltage to 1.65V. However, if you have not read this item on the forum: http://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php/topic,2515.0.html you might like to do so before making any purchases.

Although the X6 processor are better at handling higher RAM speeds it is better if you only use two RAM Modules if you want to go above 1333MHz.

[weckl]

Thanks for your fast reply! So for your experience with this motherboard (890fxa-UD5) would please recommend me an appropiate DDR3 memories with a good ratio of stability / speed ? The ones of the link I posted have a very good price but if you know a kit of DDR3 that can work better I can afford spending a little more if that means more speed and more stability. Your review of the 890FXA-UD5 is simply amazing. Thanks !

[absic]

I would think that the Kingston RAM will be OK but, as I said, you will have to manually enter the correct settings in BIOS to get them to work at rated speeds. That said, any RAM that you buy that runs faster than 1333MHz will have to have the settings manually set in BIOS as the default values are to JDEC standard (1333MHz at 1.5V).

Personally I prefer to use Corsair RAM and have found, the Vengeance range to be very good.

[weckl]

Thanks a lot for the advice !!!

[weckl]

Do you think this pair of Corsair Vengeance can be a good option ?
http://www.pccomponentes.com/corsair_vengeance_xmp_pc3_12800_ddr3_1600_8gb_2x4gb_cl9.html

I tried to look for the G Skill Flare as are the only ones recommended by Gigabyte PDF memory guide to run them at 2000 mhz  but I was not able to find them.
http://www.gskill.com/products.php?index=306

Maybe also another good option can be these ones:

http://www.pccomponentes.com/g_skill_pis_ddr3_2133_pc3_17066_4gb_2x2gb_cl7.html

or maybe the G skill Sniper :

http://www.pccomponentes.com/g_skill_sniper_ddr3_1866_pc3_14900_8gb_2x4gb_cl9.html

Also found the Corsair Vengeance you have recommend me. Are these ones ?

http://www.alternate.es/html/product/Modulos_de_memoria_DDR3-2000/Corsair/DIMM_4_GB_DDR3-2000_Kit/544157/?

Although the majority of them are not included in the Gigabyte memory list will they work ok ?

Thanks !

I guess the differe

[absic]

The first Modules you have linked to should work OK and are the same model I have used on several builds.

Although they do not appear on the QVL I would also expect the faster Vengeance RAM to work OK. However, I personally wouldn't use them with your CPU or any of the Phenom ii range because of the increased risk of potentially damaging the Memory Controller. I would also have the same concerns over the faster G-Skill modules you have linked to.

[weckl]

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3519#ov

The PDF file (QVL) include the following list and only one G Skill module (G skill Flare which I have not been able to find anywhere)  is recommended to achieve pure 2000 Mhz (the speed the motherboard is capable of) and also includes other speeds:

DDR3 2200 (downgrade to DDR3 1866)
DDR3 2133 (downgrade to DDR3 1866)
DDR3 2000 (gskill Flare)
DDR3 2000 (downgrade to DDR3 1866)
DDR3 1866 (kingston KHX1866C9D3T1k3)
DDR3 1800 (Geil)
DDR3 1600 (several brands: A-DATA, Corsair...)

And the longer list is the one that follows and are DDR3 1300 Mhz.

So if I have understood well even  the Qualified Vendors List for the Gigabyte 890FXA -UD5 (the ones above 1333 Mhz) are a real danger itself for the memory controller too?


Do you think I will have less possibilities of that to happen (broke the memory controller) having a Phenom ii X6 1055T CPU with E0 step version ?

If both answers are Yes then I guess will be safer and consequently more cheaper to get a 1333 pure module and be happy with it... Cause in fact the difference of speed between 1333 Mhz to 2000 Mhz is really that  significant ?
And also....will you buy a GA-890FXA-UD5 second hand knowing that during almost a year or more memories have beeen running above 1333 Mhz ? I guess maybe is why the seller wants to sell this motherboard....he has been running memories above 1333 mhz then consequently has found errors while running windows, games, etc...but maybe that board if I buy it now will be a bomb clock about to explode on me if I try to overclock it above 1333 Mhz. What do you think?

Thanks a lot for you patience and amazing support.

[absic]

Hi again,

I would go for the Vengeance RAM at 1600MHz as this should be OK with your CPU.

Although the motherboard has been used there shouldn't be a problem if the original user was overclocking his RAM as the Memory Controller is built into the CPU not the motherboard.

I have done a lot of testing on the GA-890FXA-UD5, including some pretty aggressive overclocking. I have swapped CPU's, removed and reconfigured the system more times than I care to count. My son is now using this board with an O/C'd 1090T and 8GB of RAM running at 1600MHz without a problem so, unless the previous owner of the motherboard was really heavy handed it should still be OK.

[weckl]

Perfectly explained. Thank you very much !

[weckl]

I have another question related DDR3 memory when installed in Gigabyte's GA-890FXA-UD5. Do you think 8 Gb are enough for essentially gaming and do some video editing ? I am about to buy Corsair Vengeance modules (a kit of 8 Gb) and would like to know if doing so I will be able to upgrade in the future easily. What is better ? Buying 2 modules of 4 Gb and overclock them to 1600 mhz or buy 4 modules of 2 Gb each? If for example I plan to upgrade to 16 Gb of RAM buying the 8 Gb kit...will be able to overclock all the 4 slots at 1600 mhz or I will have to set them to 1333 mhz ? Thanks again !!

[absic]

It is always better to buy your memory as a single kit so I would go for a 16GB kit now rather than an 8 GB kit and another in a few months time.

With the 1055T you should be able to run the RAM at 1600MHz but don't get too hung up on this, as running the same RAM at 1333MHz, with tighter timings will probably give you the same results.

[weckl]

I think I'll go for the 8 Gb kit...a blue version of the Corsair Vengeance that match the color of the motherboard :-) 16 gb kit too expensive for me right now... Tomorrow I begin ensambling all together..maybe I will the possibility to include a water cooling system. Do you know if using a water cooling system (Danger Den) I can achieve good overclocking for the AMD 1055T ? Or on the contrary...using a good air cooled fan with silver thermal paste will be enough...?
The only thing that makes me think about installing a water cooling system is the maintenance cost...on the other side....I read in forums that people have reached very stable performance with the phenom 1055T at very impressive speeds.
Thanks Absic !!

[absic]

With regard to the water cooling versus air cooling option you might like to read through this thread: http://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php/topic,1784.0.html as I have achieved some very nice and stable Overclocks using the Noctua NH-D14