How important is QVL?

MOS8580

n00b
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Jun 18, 2015
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So I'm trying to plan out an X99 build and I'm tempted to go Designare EX to use DDR4-3600 speed RAM, but I check out the QVL and notice they really only have G.Skill there, and only one part. The bonus is that it looks like it's validated for all 8 slots which will work out great since I'm going for a CAD / Virtualization / Gaming combo machine (not at the same time but at 64 GB of memory I'm pretty sure I'll at least try!)

Thing is that the specified part, F4-3600C15Q2, seems to be unobtanium. So this suggests to me either this board can't really do 3600 except with very rare golden-sample memory or that since chips able to run at 3600 might also run at higher speeds, they might opt to sell them under a faster, more expensive, rating (perhaps with a higher CAS latency).

Am I overthinking this? Would I be ok grabbing something faster anyway even if it's not on the list?
 
So this suggests to me either this board can't really do 3600 except with very rare golden-sample memory

To me it means when they qualified the board (many months ago) that is one of the samples they had available to test.
 
I don't think it's important at all as long as your vendor has a fair return policy. Just buy quality ram and usually you are fine.
 
From my experience on Z170, QVL matters on Gigabyte in order to run multiple DIMMs at XMP if they are 2800MHz or faster. I tested 3 kits before finally settling on my current one on the QVL. X99 may be different though...
 
From my experience on Z170, QVL matters on Gigabyte in order to run multiple DIMMs at XMP if they are 2800MHz or faster. I tested 3 kits before finally settling on my current one on the QVL. X99 may be different though...

I had QVL ram NOT work on an Asus skylake mobo and had non-QVL ram work fine.
 
Since QVL has been a thing, I have never once used RAM that was on the QVL.

The only time I had problems was when I used 8x 8GB DDR3-1600 PowMEM sticks that I got off of eBay for my x79 setup (ASROCK X79 Extreme 6 motherboard). There was something about the default timings that it didn't like. After setting the timings and voltage manually, they worked just fine.

And PowMEM had no information about those sticks on their site AND when I emailed them asking about them I never received a reply. So I am of the opinion that they may have been some pre-production sticks that were never meant to be out in the wild.
 
I think QVL is a waste of everyone's time. Remember that QVL was done with a release candidate of the motherboard AND bios. The one you have purchased could easily have a newer bios and/or revised motherboard design. This makes the QVL invalid. Rarely do I see QVLs updated past original release.
 
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