# i3 530 with 1666 RAM?



## ithehappy (Feb 13, 2011)

Hi guys, I was asked by a friend that if he can run a 1666 MHz RAM on a i3 530 system? I googled i3 530 and found this,
Intel® Core? i3-530 Processor (4M Cache, 2.93 GHz)with SPEC Code(s)SLBLR, SLBX7

It's saying Memory module, DDR3 1066/1333. So does that mean 1333 is the limit?

and outta curiosity I searched my i7 950 and found this,
Intel® Core? i7-950 Processor (8M Cache, 3.06 GHz, 4.80 GT/s Intel® QPI)with SPEC Code(s)SLBEN
It's saying DDR3-800/1066. So does it mean I can't run more than 1066? I am using 1666!!
Thanks in advance.


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## The_Man (Feb 13, 2011)

AFAIK an i3 530 will support speeds of up to 1333Mhz only.You can put a 1666Mhz stick into it but it will only run@1333Mhz not @1666Mhz.Your i7 will support only1066Mhz sticks default.But you can tweak the setting in the bios and it will support even a 1600Mhz stick.


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## ithehappy (Feb 13, 2011)

Thanks for your reply, but how is that possible? i7 950 doesn't support more than 1066 and while i3 530 supports 1333? It sounds absolutely horrible to me. BTW- How will I tweak in BIOS to get the 1666 MHz effective?


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## The_Man (Feb 13, 2011)

Read this first
Power failure. will come back later and post all details

Here you go: Maximum PC | Ultimate Core i7 Overclocking Guide -- We Push Nehalem to its Limits
The 1st link I posted wont be very useful for you.People with old PCs can use it.You follow the second link.

Which motherboard do you have?


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## ithehappy (Feb 13, 2011)

Thanks The_Man. I will read that article later as I have to go now. But I am really goin' outta idea, even i7 2600K and i7 980X supports 1333 and 1066 respectively. If the two best Processor in the world doesn't support more than 1333 then what's the meaning of 1666/1800/2000 MHz RAM? Just Overlclocking? Something doesn't sound right to me!!
*ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=47932
*ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=52214

I have Sabertooth (see my siggy)


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## The_Man (Feb 13, 2011)

The i7 950 was launched in 2009.I think Intel was unsure about the performance of the then unstable DDR 3 RAM.That might be why they set the default speed to 1066 and allowed the users to OC it even to 2000Mhz at their own risk.
Sabertooth x58?


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## ithehappy (Feb 13, 2011)

Yea, X58


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## The_Man (Feb 13, 2011)

oh boy you have a very good mobo.You can OC your i7 950 like a breeze.Are you interested in overclocking?You will get considerable performance boost if you do so.


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## ithehappy (Feb 13, 2011)

I am not that much interested in OC'ing but still I did some, and it was up to 3.7 GHz, but now all I have to do is RAM OC'ing.
So for my friend, I should tell him that he can't use more than 1333 MHz, right?


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## The_Man (Feb 13, 2011)

Yep 
But also tell him that there's no harm in using a 1666Mhz stick.The only problem is that it will run @1333Mhz only.


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