Alienware 17 and RAM upgrade options...

Hello brothers and sisters,

So from what I've gathered so far regarding the RAM on these beasts:

1. must be low voltage 1.35v
2. Can fit up to 32 gigs

Here are my questions:

Whats the most MHz the mother board will handle? I see 1600Mhz and 1866Mhz up to 2133Mhz. Which one would be ideal? (I've linked the 1866 below)

Cas latency also seems to be all over the map. I understand that lower latency means faster ram... The Corsair Vengance seems to have the lower Cas Latency, so I assume its faster...

So out of these, which am I best off with upgrade wise:

Newegg.com - HyperX 16GB (2 x 8G) 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1866 Laptop Memory Model KHX18LS11P1K2/16
Newegg.com - CORSAIR Vengeance Performance 16GB (2 x 8G) 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1866 (PC3 15000) Laptop Memory Model CMSX16GX3M2B1866C10

 

well, if you buy RAM that's rated faster like 1866MHz it won't run at 1866MHz it'll get downgraded to whatever the board can support and in this case 1600MHz so buying higher speed RAM is just a waste.

 

If it does get downclocked, then these are the two options, performance RAM wise:

Newegg.com - CORSAIR Vengeance Performance 16GB (2 x 8G) 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Laptop Memory Model CMSX16GX3M2B1600C9

HyperX 16GB (2 x 8G) 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Laptop Memory Model KHX16LS9P1K2/16 - Newegg.com

The Kingston being more expensive of the two. Which one would be best?

 

i'd go corsair but then it would be for the branding

 

That's not true. These laptops support up to 2133MHz memory, and can run at 2133MHz, if you adjust the BIOS. But, this also depends on what CPU you have. Some CPU's only support up to 1600MHz. You can also overclock RAM, but I don't recommend doing so as there's no point in doing so, except maybe for benching.

@Turmoil: You ask a lot of questions that have already been answered many times, lol. The links to the memory you posted will work - I'm using the Kingston HyperX memory right now, and it works just fine.

 

ah ok, probably was true for the c2q cpus but not now.

 

Thanks J.Dre, will the 4800MQ downclock the RAM or is it ok to go with the 2133? (I don't think I've asked the RAM question before, but its possible, its been a busy month with work and such)

 

It says ( here) it supports up to 1600MHz, but I'm sure 1866MHz will work fine.

 

Fantastic! Thanks!

 

i'd be curious to see if it'll run at 1866MHz...keep us posted!

 

I think it will down clock it to 1600 since that's the most it will handle, and spending $160 on same MHz RAM for a minor improvement... I dunno.

 

In the bios if you enable the overclocking option, there's a memory section. It allows you to choose the memory speed, so I think 1866Mhz would work.

My choice of 1866Mhz ram:

Newegg.com - G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 16GB (2 x 8G) 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1866 (PC3 14900) Laptop Memory Model F3-1866C10D-16GRSL

 

I'm not sure about the m17, but I know the precision line supports 1866 memory, and even can be ordered with it if you choose, so it is technically possible, at least from a CPU compatibility standpoint.

 

Most it will handle? No. Most that intel says it can handle. Yes. You can push ram faster then what is listed. Most of the mobile CPU's say 1600MHZ's I'm not sure there are any that say they can support above. But obviously they can.

 

I was reading over on the AW 18 section about how at 2133Mhz, its causing some issues with the on-board graphics card or something like that. I think the safest bet would be at 1866Mhz. I might actually do that and pick these up: Newegg.com - CORSAIR Vengeance Performance 16GB (2 x 8G) 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1866 (PC3 15000) Laptop Memory Model CMSX16GX3M2B1866C10

Lower latency, same price as the HyperX

 

let us know how it goes

 

The deciding factor will be if the current 2x8gigs are under the keyboard or by the battery... if its former, I'm leaving it as is... to lazy to open her up. I'll know by Monday

 

Most likely under the keyboard. DIMM1/2 are under the keyboard and 3/4 are under the underside. Shouldn't take long to check the underside though.

 

Don't have an AW, but I can push 2400 MHz ram on my 4900MQ. Although at that speed the system is actually LESS efficient than at 2133 or 1866, most likely due to the huge overhead on the memory controller.

And yes like has been mentioned already, beyond 1866 improvements will only show up in benchmarks, and 5% at that too. Really no point going beyond 1866 for daily usage unless you're doing HEAVY video encoding, then there is some MARGINAL benefit (as in, you'll shave off a couple minutes lol).

Also I have a set of HyperX 1866 I would like to get rid of if you're interested.

 

Usually, if there are 4 memory slots and only 2 are populated from the factory, companies put the 2 in the harder to access slots so that the user or a tech can add memory to the other slots more easily.

 

^this is what I was always told as well. Personally, I think it's a terribly stupid idea, because unless you plan on playing mix-n-match, you're gonna have to take out the ram that's in the system already, so it's just more hassle to remove the unneeded ram. For this reason if I get a choice, I always specify to install the ram in the most easily accessible slots.

 

I just installed the corsair vengeance 2133 on my Alienware 17 and it wont go faster than 1866 even in the bios setting it at 2133. I seems to run better having no issues so far but on cpuz it shows the memory clocked at 1866. At least for me the memory cost me the same price as the 1866 version of the corsair vengeance with a discount i was given, so it was no loss for me.

 

1866MHz gives you a 7.9 on WEI, and really does nothing in terms of performance over 1600MHz for gaming. I'd say there's no point in pushing your memory beyond 1866MHz, except maybe for a negligible boost in benchmark scores.

 

i always thought the WEI was useless.

 

It pretty much is now. I only mentioned it because it's an erroneous way to confirm your AW supports 1866MHz memory.

It's always nice to have everything at 7.9, though.

 

Well, I got the beast and it did come with 4x4, so I just took it apart and pulled all ram off and installed 2x8gig Corsair Vengance and man, its a beast. Finally had time to install all software so I'll run some benchies tonight and see how she does under pressure.

 

I should note that I have my BIOS set to 'auto' memory wise, and when I pull up CPUz, its showing the ram running at less than 1k mhz... I'm guessing its because they aren't under full load, but should I set them in the bios to run at the 1866?

 

Silly CPUz reads them at half speed. Multiply it by 2.

 

haha yeah, I forgot about that, figured it out on my way home from work

 

CPU-Z would read around: 665-667 for 1333mhz ram
799-801mhz for 1600mhz ram
932-934mhz for 1866mhz ram.

If yours is reading around 933mhz, you have 1866mhz working. :thumbsup:

 

You all realize that the ram will downgrade to the speed of the lowest pair, right? I dont see a point in upgrading just a single pair. if you need the higher speed, upgrade all 4, otherwise whats the point besides adding room?

 

Will these 2133MHz also work on AW 17 ?

http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Vengeance-Performance-2133MHz-CMSX16GX3M2B2133C11/dp/B00H33JU3K

 

I'm looking into upgrading the ram in my alienware system and was looking at these two

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231771

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231772

besides the cas latency being any different is there anything else I need to note

 

Yes, good choice.

You almost overpaid for RAM that won't work. One is DDR3, the other is DDR3L. You need DDR3L.

I don't recommend Ripjaws for mobile memory. It's overpriced.

 

I always got on well with hynix ram so i would personally go with the impact 8gb 2133mhz modules if i did not have my lovely current sticks.

 

What would you recommend for a quad channel kit then.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Kingston-HyperX-Impact-1600MHz-HX316LS9IB/dp/B00KQCOTCM

This brand is excellent.