RAM and new build questions

[bevo]

I'm thinking about maybe doing a new build or just updating a few things. I think my 1.2 gb cards are starting to run into some VRAM problems running triples and that got me thinking.

Here's my system as of now.
17 950
sli gtx 570s
12 gig 1600 mhz RAM
120 GB SSD
1 TB HDD
1000 watt PSU
asus rampage formula IV or III can't remember MOBO



Here is something though that is confusing me when I try to put together parts for a build.
When looking for the MOBO I see that they support RAM speeds up to 1600 and then a bunch of others up to 2800. Everything though after 1600 says it has to be OC. I have found 2800 mhz and 2400mhz RAM though, so how does that work? Will it run at 2400 mhz since the actual RAM shows that in the specs, or is it 1600 mhz and you have to OC it. I just don't understand the RAM and MOBO ratings when it comes to the speed of RAM. I didn't run into this in my last build. 1600 was pretty much the fastest you could buy and the boards supproted 1600 with no OC.

Here's a list of what I'm thinking about getting
i7 3770k
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116501


MOBO (not sure about this one just usign it for an example, I need to research them a little more) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131830 This is one that shows up to 2800 mhz OC

Now here is some RAM that says it's 2400 MHZ http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233352
Is that going to be 2400 out of the box or will I need to do soemthing to get it there. I know most of the time RAM is not recognized right anyway. My mobo thought my current RAM was 1066 and I had to get it to 1600. Just wondering though how this 2400 and the mobo 2400 OC thing works.

Not sure on GPU. Whichever 670 has the highest stock clocks and 4gb will work.
I'm honestly not sure on any of it. I started thinking of this a week or so ago and kind of got stuck on this RAM thing. Once I get that figured out I'll move on to the next thing.

 

[II-zOoLoGy-II]

.... Wasn't it like a week ago you were telling me you had plenty?

You have to oc the RAM, entirely dependent on what your CPU supports, but you won't notice any increase in gaming performance; maybe 1-2 fps. At a certain point they will need their own cooler.

3770 supports up to 1600 anything over is an over clock and can yield the CPU and/or RAM unstable. (Memory controller in the CPU has to work harder when over clocked).

 

[bevo]

.... Wasn't it like a week ago you were telling me you had plenty?

You have to oc the RAM, entirely dependent on what your CPU supports, but you won't notice any increase in gaming performance; maybe 1-2 fps. At a certain point they will need their own cooler.

3770 supports up to 1600 anything over is an over clock and can yield the CPU and/or RAM unstable. (Memory controller in the CPU has to work harder when over clocked).

I probably did. Far cry 3 kind of knocked that idea all to hell. I can't run any AA with it or it drops to like 15 FPS. It runs fine maxed on one screen but triples not so much. BF3 and any other game I've ran triples with ran pretty well. I also have a friend wanting to buy a 570 and he will probably take mine if I sell them. I figure 300$ for both my cards and I buy a 4gb 670 and would be good for awhile then add another and wait until maxwell comes out to upgrade again.

So what would the 2400 RAM be recognized at 1600?
Is it 2400 because it easily overclocks to that or something?
I guess I just don't understand why the RAM is listed as 2400 if you have to OC to get it there.

 

[II-zOoLoGy-II]

2400 will be recognized as 1600 by the motherboard and the memory controller of the CPU. To increase this you need to over clock by increasing the frequency and voltage supplied to the sticks (all accomplished in bios). The RAM is rated at 2400 because that is the highest stable frequency the manufacturer tested it at.

I don't recommend it; especially for gaming.

Going from sli 570's to a single 670 you're going to see decrease in performance. Instead of a memory bottleneck, like the 570's had, you're going to have a processing bottleneck (same thing I have with a single 7950 currently). Truly you need a high end GPU for each screen.

AMD is better for triples and multi-gpu.

 

[bevo]

Thanks Zoo. Closing the thread.