***Asus Rampage III Extreme Owners Thread***

[CryptiK]

Thanks yeah got through 8 loops of LinX max mem at 1.323v before it failed. Put it up one notch and had a little fun with it. I think full stability will be somewhere around 1.34v for 4.5GHz. It will almost load windows at 4.72GHz at the same voltage, but backed it off to 4.66 GHz for the SPI32M run, could probably go up a bit more. Amazing power in a hexcore at that speed.

I have had dramas with this board and ram/cpu interactions leading to cold boots/instability etc. CPU's test fine on other boards, as does the ram. It's a PITA when that happens. My 990X and Corsair Dom 2000C8 GT Hypers play nice thankfully! Hated my W3570 and 920 though.

[zoson]

zoson, i have a set of 12GB 2000MHZ Patriot ram i just got
you will have to run your ram @ 2000MHZ and uncore @ 2x.
soon as i get home i will start testing my 2000mhz 12gb kit.

Why would it make a difference? I know this kit is stable at 1600 with 7-8-7-24-88-1T timings!
I think it is impossible to get 4ghz UCLK on my chip with 1.35v QPI I don't want to damage my chip.

[skuldarin]

Why would it make a difference? I know this kit is stable at 1600 with 7-8-7-24-88-1T timings!
I think it is impossible to get 4ghz UCLK on my chip with 1.35v QPI I don't want to damage my chip.

you should be able to do 1.41v for your QPI voltage (seeing as according to others who have measured, it get's to about 1.39-1.4 by the time the voltage hits the components it's controling). seeing as you're running 12 gigs of memory, you may very well still need the voltage in QPI for it to be stable. try 1.38-1.39 for QPI and stick between 1.5-1.75x ratio for your uncore to start with. the higher you go, the higher the strain but the better the performance. also try to keep QPI link around 6200-7200 range. any more than that and you may not post on startup... atleast stable that is.


at the moment i'm gonna have to agree about the whole hardware matching with this board. at the same time, i'm going to go with the much larger crowd that points at the board to be the issue as it's a prooven statement when said hardware works just fine at whatever settings on other decent boards but come to this specific one...

i'll deal with 1866 being my cap for the time being and just wait for the 2011 boards to come out this fall. i think i might get away with using my G.Skill ECO's then if nothing changes with DDR levels. 1600-1800mhz at CL5-6 timings sounds pretty darn nice if you ask me. specially on 4 channels of memory.

[zoson]

you should be able to do 1.41v for your QPI voltage (seeing as according to others who have measured, it get's to about 1.39-1.4 by the time the voltage hits the components it's controling). seeing as you're running 12 gigs of memory, you may very well still need the voltage in QPI for it to be stable. try 1.38-1.39 for QPI and stick between 1.5-1.75x ratio for your uncore to start with. the higher you go, the higher the strain but the better the performance. also try to keep QPI link around 6200-7200 range. any more than that and you may not post on startup... atleast stable that is.

Many people have said that more than 1.35v QPI can damange your IMC on 32nm parts. I want this chip to last me 4-5 years...

[skuldarin]

i've been running 1.38-1.39 range on my 980x for months on 2 different chips, it's within range even from intel's specs. intel says 1.4 at the chip is the line but REALLY... it's more about heat. as long as your temps stay respectable, it really doesn't and hasn't mattered. i've see people run 1.6-1.7 range and still be fine. it's when you run that high and then do clock speeds so high you need to use LN2 to cool your system, that's when it degrades 32nm's. though come 2011 chips that are 22nm this fall, i would carry your worry then... but really 1.4-1.41v is your safety limitation, not 1.35.

[Mydog]

Zoson
If it degrades just kill the chip and get an RMA. I can tell you how to kill it without hurting other hardware I've already done that by accident.
There's even a thread about it here on XS.

[zoson]

Alrighty, I'll try up to 1.4125v QPI and see where it lands me tonight.
The only issue is if I kill this chip... I have no PC for the time that it takes for the RMA. I sold all my spare CPU's. Tough times.

[Mydog]

I've asked this before but I can't find the answer, I'm now on bios 1005 but is the 1203 or 0003 the best for 24/7 OC

[zoson]

I've asked this before but I can't find the answer, I'm now on bios 1005 but is the 1203 or 0003 the best for 24/7 OC

0003 seems great, I'm using it for 24/7 with no hassles.
1207 is better than both 1005 or 1203 by a lot.

[tomovk]

i've been running 1.38-1.39 range on my 980x for months on 2 different chips, it's within range even from intel's specs. intel says 1.4 at the chip is the line but REALLY... it's more about heat. as long as your temps stay respectable, it really doesn't and hasn't mattered. i've see people run 1.6-1.7 range and still be fine. it's when you run that high and then do clock speeds so high you need to use LN2 to cool your system, that's when it degrades 32nm's. though come 2011 chips that are 22nm this fall, i would carry your worry then... but really 1.4-1.41v is your safety limitation, not 1.35.

are you talking about vcore or qpi? i would like to know what do you think about 24/7 vcore on 980x/990x

[zoson]

are you talking about vcore or qpi? i would like to know what do you think about 24/7 vcore on 980x/990x

The rules are the same as any 32nm gulftown... You can go to 1.45v for daily operation as long as you're keeping your temps under control.

[tomovk]

The rules are the same as any 32nm gulftown... You can go to 1.45v for daily operation as long as you're keeping your temps under control.

1.45v? In bios, or cpu-z reading under load? Wow! Thats more like it, im tired of hearing stuff like 1.35v or 1.375v, i mean i get that if you are running at full load a lot, but my computer is purely for gaming, and temps like prime95 produces, i have never ever seen on normal use. What temps are ok? Would a 4.6ghz at 1.40v under load be safe for 24/7?

[Mydog]

1.45v? In bios, or cpu-z reading under load? Wow! Thats more like it, im tired of hearing stuff like 1.35v or 1.375v, i mean i get that if you are running at full load a lot, but my computer is purely for gaming, and temps like prime95 produces, i have never ever seen on normal use. What temps are ok? Would a 4.6ghz at 1.40v under load be safe for 24/7?

This maybe answer your question:

24/7 settings:


@Zoson
I finally got my G.Skills working
Needed a bit more vcore and qpi tho.

[spoolindsm127]

1.45v? In bios, or cpu-z reading under load? Wow! Thats more like it, im tired of hearing stuff like 1.35v or 1.375v, i mean i get that if you are running at full load a lot, but my computer is purely for gaming, and temps like prime95 produces, i have never ever seen on normal use. What temps are ok? Would a 4.6ghz at 1.40v under load be safe for 24/7?

There are intel specs and limits. Then there are limits users choose to push hardware too.

There's no universal answer for what you're asking. Simply because of the fact that every setup is different. You have to test on your own and see what kind of temps you see. Then decide what you feel comfortable with.

I have a high heat leakage i7-920. Doesn't need much voltage to stabilize but runs hot as BALLS. Intel says 75c and 1.375v vcore is safe. I see 75c at only 1.25v. But I feel comfortable pushing temps into high 90s, that's when vcore is around 1.4v. But that's just me.

And quite honestly I feel like i7 cpus are quite strong to begin with. So short periods of abuse I feel does not degrade the chip at all. And like you said since real world use doesn't put nearly as much stress on the chip I feel it's okay. Think about what you feel comfortable with.

[Johnny_Utah]

Hey guys,

Thanks in advance for the help. I am running 3x580's @901 core currently on this board. I am switching over from the older Antec tpq 1200 to a new Corsair AX1200. My question is: I am pretty sure I will need the power from at least ONE of the 4 pin molex connectors on the board. I have my 3 cards in the first 3 x16 slots starting from my CPU down, with the last occupied by my sound card. I ordered some extra molex connectors from Corsair.

Should I run power to both molex inputs?

When talking with a very helpful gent at Corsair, he said he had already heard stories of the 24 pin burning out on these boards when people were running 2 or 3 cards without the extra power...any truth to this?

[tomovk]

Hey guys,

Thanks in advance for the help. I am running 3x580's @901 core currently on this board. I am switching over from the older Antec tpq 1200 to a new Corsair AX1200. My question is: I am pretty sure I will need the power from at least ONE of the 4 pin molex connectors on the board. I have my 3 cards in the first 3 x16 slots starting from my CPU down, with the last occupied by my sound card. I ordered some extra molex connectors from Corsair.

Should I run power to both molex inputs?

When talking with a very helpful gent at Corsair, he said he had already heard stories of the 24 pin burning out on these boards when people were running 2 or 3 cards without the extra power...any truth to this?

I have 3 x gtx 480s, and i have both molex connected, i cant see any harm in connecting them all. never tried it with 1 molex only.

[fmsam]

Just a guess, but I would think the upper molex is linked to the upper slots and the lower one to the bottom slots.
With 3 580s I would connect both, I have always run with both connected just to be sure no problem here, from what I read if these additional supplies are not used, in some cases, depending on hardware, the mainboard 24pin connector terminal that supplies the pcie slots can be overloaded and worst case actually burn through excess heat.

[Johnny_Utah]

I have 3 x gtx 480s, and i have both molex connected, i cant see any harm in connecting them all. never tried it with 1 molex only.

Just a guess, but I would think the upper molex is linked to the upper slots and the lower one to the bottom slots.
With 3 580s I would connect both, I have always run with both connected just to be sure no problem here, from what I read if these additional supplies are not used, in some cases, depending on hardware, the mainboard 24pin connector terminal that supplies the pcie slots can be overloaded and worst case actually burn through excess heat.

Thanks for the replies! I will connect both then. I also now will be able to connect both of the 8pin CPU connectors now with this Corsair also. The TPQ1200 didn't have the necessary additional 8pin. Only problem with both molex is cable management (won't be as pretty

[Mydog]

Since when did the TPQ1200W not have an additional 8pin, mine certainly has one?

[Johnny_Utah]

Apologies, I meant to specify CABLE. I have tried and tried to contact Antec for an additional 8pin to no avail. For some very ODD reason, mine was not included in the packaging and I did not notice until rather later in the build.

[Mydog]

This is strange cause mine is hardwired to the PSU, both 8pin are.

[Johnny_Utah]

I'm beginning to think I might have gotten a defect if that's possible. I am going to contact them in regards to this, since they SHOULD be hardwired as you said!

Mydog, are you using the molex connectors also?

[Mydog]

I'm beginning to think I might have gotten a defect if that's possible. I am going to contact them in regards to this, since they SHOULD be hardwired as you said!

Mydog, are you using the molex connectors also?

Yes I am both of them, quadfire setup here.

[Andreezy]

Why would it make a difference? I know this kit is stable at 1600 with 7-8-7-24-88-1T timings!
I think it is impossible to get 4ghz UCLK on my chip with 1.35v QPI I don't want to damage my chip.

you are right, it shouldnt matter if you are stable.
but who knows now im even more confused.
i installed the set of 12GB 2000MHZ and set uncore to reg x1.5 to start testing and LinX gave me 82Gflops, i didnt save that run and tested again and
the Gflops are up ~80gflops average, i saved a screen capture.
both 12gb kit 1600mhz and 2000mhz performed almost 100% identical in
3DMark Vantage in score.

[tomovk]

What do you think about using loadline calibration on this board? If i need 1.4v for 4.6ghz, is it better for the cpu if i set 50% LLC, and the idle voltage is higher, dropping on load, or set 100% LLC, and have lower voltage in idle, so it climbs to 1.39v on load?