I need help picking from several ram choices

[keakar]

here are the ram choices that im trying to decide which one to buy, 1600 is the most my board will support


G.SKILL Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-1600C9D-8GAB CL9 1.5v

G.SKILL Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-1600C8D-8GAB CL8 1.5v

G.SKILL Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR CL9 1.5v


G.SKILL Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Voltage Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR1 CL9 1.35v

G.SKILL Sniper Low Voltage Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR2 CL9 1.25v



Any RAM I use needs to be low profile (no fins) because of CPU cooler clearance issues.

Im pretty sure I couldnt go wrong picking any of them and they all cost $80-$85

I have no idea which one would be the better choice there and im not going to be overclocking anything and I suspect the biggest differences in this ram is only about overclocking so none of that is important to me.

I just want good reliable fast ram right out the box without tinkering with any voltages to make it better.

I know this is a lot to process but please help me out here with a recommendation of whats the best choice for a plug and play only application.

thank you

EDIT: more info

motherboard is - GIGABYTE GA-H87-D3H LGA 1150 Intel H87 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
CPU is - Intel Core i5-4430 Haswell 3.0GHz LGA 1150 84W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics BX80646I54430

 

[lilhasselhoffer]

My vote is for the RipjawX series. It's based upon the rather large heat spreader and the low voltage.

Pretty much all of it is interchangeable beyond the voltage and heat spreader. As you haven't specified a cooler for the CPU, or even the board, we can't give you much more than that.

Please do note that you may still have to go into the BIOS and alter voltages and frequencies when you first boot the computer. Not all RAM is correctly identified from onboard lookup tables.

 

[flmatter]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231719 GSkill sniper
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820144723 Geil EVO Corsa

If it were me I would go with these single sticks and my only debate with your above kits were if I had a windowed side case to see in to choose which ram to go with. Crucial, Geil and Mushkin also have good offerings in the price range you quoted above. I have crucial ballistix sport in my machine and they work awesome and I am very happy.


To answer your question you can not go wrong with the GSkill ones you listed I do not know enough about Adata to make or sway your decision that direction

 

[MxPhenom 216]

My vote is the Low Voltage Ripjaws X

 

[keakar]

As you haven't specified a cooler for the CPU, or even the board, we can't give you much more than that.

Please do note that you may still have to go into the BIOS and alter voltages and frequencies when you first boot the computer. Not all RAM is correctly identified from onboard lookup tables.

ok I added the board and cpu info

and yes I understand I may need to set the ram in the bios but I just wanted to be clear im not going to be using any settings other then stock listings.

I just don't want to get a recommendation based on how well the ram overclocks since I wont be doing any of that.

 

[MxPhenom 216]

ok I added the board and cpu info

and yes I understand I may need to set the ram in the bios but I just wanted to be clear im not going to be using any settings other then stock listings.

Just enable intel XMP Profile.

 

[keakar]

Just enable intel XMP Profile.

I think what he meant was that sometimes some ram may not read or be detected correctly so its good to double check the voltage settings for it in bios just to be sure

 

[eidairaman1]

if your cpu cooler hangs over the ramslots you might want to take up the Gskill Sniper or Adata set

 

[MxPhenom 216]

I think what he meant was that sometimes some ram may not read or be detected correctly so its good to double check the voltage settings for it in bios just to be sure

I know this, but you are only getting 1600mhz memory. Just enabling XMP Profile in the BIOS should all that needs to be done. Its typically if you have memory higher then 1600mhzx, and try to enable XMP profile that sometimes a few other settings need to be changed for it to work correctly.

 

[keakar]

if your cpu cooler hangs over the ramslots you might want to take up the Gskill Sniper or Adata set

oh geez, good catch there, I forgot about checking for that

I just checked my old board and the cooler fan guard is just barely touching the first ram heat sink and its very flat low profile seen here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231226 I could just use the two farthest most slots if I needed to but I think I should look for something without fins.

I don't know if they use a standard pattern for placement on the boards but if they do then the new board will need low profile heat sinks as well

I know this, but you are only getting 1600mhz memory. Just enabling XMP Profile in the BIOS should all that needs to be done. Its typically if you have memory higher then 1600mhzx, and try to enable XMP profile that sometimes a few other settings need to be changed for it to work correctly.

I don't even know what the xmp profile does, I just assumed it was an auto detect settings thing.

I haven't been up to date with the latest tech and features so im way behind the learning curve on all this stuff. the last time I kept up with things the quad cores had just been invented and DDR2 ram was the hot new thing lol.

what does ram with the lower voltage mean, if anything? is it a sign of better design or quality?

 

[eidairaman1]

Lower voltage means better efficiency-quality of part

 

[keakar]

Lower voltage means better efficiency-quality of part

ok, I had no idea.

I thought it was just frequency and CL that mattered when looking at ram

now I know the lower the voltage the better quality of it, thanks

so the best ram choice should be the lowest voltage one, correct? or is voltage something that should be looked at but not something you want to put too much importance on like with CL?

I guess im asking if I should be looking at voltages like the CL numbers and just try and avoid the higher voltage choices?


I was only thinking about the 16GB Adata because it was $40 more then the 2x4GB kits but i'm only going to buy 8GB now and upgrade to another 8GB later on if I ever need it.

so since I plan to do this, will I have to have all the ram running with the same voltages? in other words, can I have 1.25v in 2 slots and 1.35v or 1.5v in the other two?

if they all have to match would it be best to avoid the 1.25 and go with the more readily available and likely more easy to find 1.35v in the future?


I have narrowed it down to two choices, the Sniper has two versions 1.35v and 1.25v of CL( and the Ares is CL8 1.5v and all three are $85

G.SKILL Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-1600C8D-8GAB CL8 1.5v

G.SKILL Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Voltage Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR1 CL9 1.35v

G.SKILL Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Voltage Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR2 CL9 1.25v

I figured I would exclude the regular 1.5v sniper at CL9 because the Ares had a lower CL at that same voltage.

is getting the lower CL of the Ares more important then having the lower voltages of the sniper or is it the other way around?

 

[MxPhenom 216]

Cl8 1.5v Ares would be what i would get.

 

[keakar]

Cl8 1.5v Ares would be what i would get.

I was thinking that might be the best choice but wanted your opinions before deciding

 

[keakar]

ok, I ordered the CL8 1.5v Ares set

thanks to everyone who contributed here