Intels nonK CPU and faster Memory

[Npl]

Hi,

I ordered some 2133Mhz DDR2 Ram in anticipation of building a new PC later this year (waiting for haswell, 4TB WD HDD and maybe kepler refresh) since the RAM prices are moving upwards.

Since I like playing with new tech I would like to have a CPU with TSX instructions, which means im gonna get a nonK CPU (Intel and its perverted SKU policy... ). Now I dont care for overclocking, but is it possible to run the memory at its rated speed with this CPU?

 

[itsmydamnation]

You can still oc non k , ivb will do around 4.3 ghz before running out of multipliers +bclock increase, but very few workloads show better perf with more memory bandwidth then 1600/1866 better off lowering latency as much as possible unless you can clock your memory really high.

 

[Npl]

I was thinking more of just clocking up the memory bus independently, I know core multipliers are locked... I dont know if the memory bus can still be clocked independently.

I dont want to oc the core at all, but I want fast memory since the IGP can use it. and the IGP will be used someday since I pass down the hardware for people with rather casual uses.

 

[itsmydamnation]

The multi isn't locked, its limited, there is a difference. Memory clock is a function of bclock * memory multiplier, it is configurable, just like the bclock and the cpu frequency multiplier.

Ivb 3770 non K max multi is 39, max safe bclock is ~105 which is 4095mhz

When set at 39 it will single core turbo upto 41 4305mhz

This is all off the top of my head as its been a few months since i played with a non-k ivb.

I cant remember what the memory multi's are because frankly i don't care about them :smile:.

Cheers

 

[Deleted member 13524]

AFAIK, memory o/c in 1155 depends on the board and not the CPU.
For example, the memory multiplier is locked to either 1333 or 1600MHz in H77 and has no lock in Z77 boards (theoretically, it could drive DDR3 up to 3200MHz).
The Z77 can either work with the memory multiplier supplied by the vendor or it can override it with no problems (except for voltage/thermal instabilities, of course).

I would suggest to stay away from messing with the bclock, as it can permanently mess with all I/Os like mass storage devices, USB, external pci-express devices, etc.


In a Z77 (or at least most Z77 with updated BIOS), all non-K CPUs can be "overclocked" up to having all cores working at the maximum turbo step. A CPU at 3.2GHz with a max single-core turbo of 9x (thus 3.2GHz + 9*100 bclock = 4.1GHz) can be "overclocked" to have all its cores at up to 4.1GHz.

The iGPU can also be overclocked by quite a bit (~30%?), which should be more productive (for 3D gaming) than overclocking the CPU cores, especially if it's coupled with faster memory. Look for Intel Extreme Tuning Utility for this.

In the end, what you actually need is a well-featured Z77 board. Look for the ones from ASRock, they have excellent price/performance+features ratios.


TL;DR version: A H77 board (and previous Hxx models) won't support your 2133MHz memory. A Z77 board will support it. Pxx boards don't support iGPUs at all AFAIK.

 

[Malo]

I can vouch for the ASRock Extreme 4 Z77. Very well priced solid board with excellent features. Gone are the days where I spend $250+ on a premium motherboard.

Get a shit ton of RAM and use their XFastRAM utility for controlling your page file, temp files, browser cache etc all in RAM drive without having to fiddle with settings, utilities etc. Only thing it doesn't support out-of-the-box is Chrome cache.

 

[Npl]

Thanks, so its gonna be a nonK then for sure.

 

[DuckThor Evil]

Are the overclocking methods with Haswell similar to those of Sandy and Ivy Bridges?

 

[Deleted member 13524]

Are the overclocking methods with Haswell similar to those of Sandy and Ivy Bridges?

Supposedly, yes, though the socket isn't the same.
There will be K and non-K CPUs.
K CPUs should be the same (unlocked multiplier), I don't know if non-K models will have access to the fastest single-core turbo multipliers for all cores, though.

Also, I don't know if the base CPU will be detached from the I/O control clock, since that's what cockblocked the whole low-cost overclocking scheme in the LGA1155 socket.