| Dand said: Hello BlueFalcon, could you explain to me what is the problem with 1.65v for rams? It is not the first time i see someone to say that is a bad thing. Thanks. |
It relates to tolerances of the memory controller inside the CPU and also that the Vtt and DDR3 voltage should not be more than 0.5V apart. For that reason, 1.5V is what's recommended for Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge architecture. In simple terms, 1.65V would put more stress on the CPU's integrated memory controller which can possibly damage the CPU long-term. Since there is no price premium for 1.35V and 1.5V RAM, there is no reason at all to get 1.65V. Not only that but lower voltage RAM uses less power and it generally means much higher-binned chips. The Samsung RAM I linked for example is high-end 30nm RAM chips but it sells on a budget, which is why it's a gem. The high-end memory makers will take those same modules, repackage them at 1.6V DDR3 2400mhz and sell them for $130+ for 8GB.
As I said, try to look for deals and start buying parts when you see great deals. For example, if you want "prettier" RAM than the Samsung I linked, there are plenty of good deals around:
$35 = G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2133 (PC3 17000) Desktop Memory Model F3-17000CL11D-8GBXL
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231468
This operates at 1.5 or 1.6V.
disolitude made a recommendation for a budget gaming build. If you are going for a budget gaming CPU, get a Core i3 instead. It would still be faster in games than Phenom II X4 965 and use way less power.
http://techreport.com/review/23750/amd-fx-8350-processor-reviewed/5
Later when you have the $, you can sell it and get a Core i5-3570K. Alternatively as I said there are ways to save $ like getting a 2500K for $199 instead of i5-3570K for $215. If you are really not comfortable with learning how to overclock later, you can save $ upfront and get a $180 Core i5-3450 for $180:
http://us.ncix.com/products/?sku=70543&vpn=BX80637I53450&manufacture=Intel&promoid=1306
See you can save some $ grabbing a GTX660 for around $200-210 but if you already plan to buy Far Cry 3, then HD7950 is a no brainer since not only is it faster than GTX660 but it comes with that game for free. At that point the price difference between the 2 cards is small but their performance is pretty far apart, especially given the potential of HD7950 once you learn how PC parts work (and I can help you overclock it). Mods in Skyrim can use more than 2500-2800MB and that's another reason why a 3GB card helps as it's one of the games you want to play.
Don't hesitate to send in the rebates as they do come through as long as you fill out the paper work and do it on time. If you missed some of the PSUs that I linked on sale, here is a Corsair 650W for about $70. It's still better than the Ultra you linked:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139020
or a 630W Rosewill with $10 off coupon that turns it into a $50 PSU.
Or here is a deal on a Liteon IHAS124 24X DVD Writer SATA Black OEM for $10 at NCIXus.com
http://us.ncix.com/products/?sku=45244&promoid=1146
