How important is RAM cooling?

T

Tudz

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
Jun 15, 2008
Messages
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G'day all,

I'm putting together a new system. The plan is basically...

i7 930
X58A-UD3R
Corsair 12GB (6x2gb) PC-12800 9-9-9-24
Powercolor ATI HD5750
1TB WD Cavier Black
Corsair TX750
Antec Nine-Hundred-Two

I want to overclock it as much as is safe to run 24/7, so I'm thinking about cooling. It'll be used for number crunching, which is pretty heavy on RAM usage (I'd buy 24gb of faster ram if it wasn't so damn expensive/unavailable here in Australia).

Would it be better to get a Noctua D14 for the CPU and leave the ram uncooled (or maybe zip tie an 80mm fan in the general direction of the ram), or go for something like a Megahalems with a single fan and get a ram cooler to cool the 6 ram sticks (GSkill Turbulence or OCZ XTC cooler)?
 
If you have enough airflow through the case, extra RAM cooling isn't really necessary, even when overclocking.

Just to be safe though, and to make sure the NB, RAM, and surrounding stuff does get enough cooling, I have an 80mm fan pointed in the general direction.
 
Ram gets hot when you raise its voltage while it is stressed and might get unstable. I find an 80 mm fan blowing fresh air into the ram from the side of the case a good way to cool it down.
 
peanutskeeter said:
Yeah, a little extra airflow towards your ram never hurts. Corsair makes these clips that contain small fans in it. It comes packaged with some models of the Corsair RAM but you can buy it aftermarket as well. I would check into that. I have 1 and can notice a fair difference with temperatures on the RAM.
Check it out---> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...4001&cm_re=corsair_ram-_-35-704-001-_-Product
Click to expand...

Yeah I was thinking something like that, but I dont think it'll fit next with a Noctua D14.
 
RAM cooling is very important. I absolutely love the Antec 300 cases for this reason. You can mount a couple of fan in the foward cages and they cool everything with a filtered supply. I cool harddrives, RAM....as well as IOH, so much so that I run ram at 7 7 7 20 and 1x.
 
Im running the cheapest crucial ddr3 rated for 1333 at something like 1600, no heatsinks, no fans, overclocked voltage. I think the airflow in my case might be "good", but I think if you get decent chips you might just have some leeway before you need cooling.
 
So do you think its safer to go for a smaller CPU heatsink to allow clearance over the ram, or go for the D14 to get the best CPU cooling and just try and direct another fan in the general direction of the ram?
 
Since you got the i7 930, I'm guessing that you're gonna overclock your CPU.. I think extra airflow always helps. However, you got 6 sticks of RAM there.. RAM cooling is even more important in your case because you're filling all the slots.
 
Also, isn't it harder to reach higher OC's with all RAM slots filled? I remember this was an issue when overclocking on 775 boards.
 
aberchonbie said:
Also, isn't it harder to reach higher OC's with all RAM slots filled? I remember this was an issue when overclocking on 775 boards.
Click to expand...

Yeah I am aware of that problem, its just the prices of ram out here aren't all that good, so I'm getting a 6x2gb kit now and will probably swap them out for 6x4gb in maybe 10 to 12 months for a total of 24gb, rather than paying the premium for a 3x4gb kit and having mismatched ram when I go to upgrade to 24gb.

The 6x2gb kit is rated for 1600MHz, so I'm hoping I can reach at least that speed.
 
Tudz said:
Does ram even come with thermal sensors to know?
Click to expand...
Was more a light hearted response than anything else.

See if you can find any heat/thermal ratings for the Ram you have and a proper way of testing said ratings.

If you meet or exceed those numbers a ram cooler or additional fans as you have planned will do the trick.

You can always try the Case open + Box fan method. :D
 
not important at all... if you have any sort of heat sink on it at all even a quarter its fine.
 
I found with DDR3 that unless you're 1800mhz+ or running 1.7v+ then standard heatsinks in case with good airflow is more than enough cooling. That said i'm running my DDR3 @ 1.7v with standard heatsink for over a year now, they get warm i suppose, felt hotter on others not overclocked.
 
Rossi~ said:
I found with DDR3 that unless you're 1800mhz+ or running 1.7v+ then standard heatsinks in case with good airflow is more than enough cooling. That said i'm running my DDR3 @ 1.7v with standard heatsink for over a year now, they get warm i suppose, felt hotter on others not overclocked.
Click to expand...

When you say felt hotter, are you just physically touching them to tell?
 
Tudz said:
When you say felt hotter, are you just physically touching them to tell?
Click to expand...

Yep!
And also have an old Akasa "All in one" fan controller laying about that i poke the sensors on things when i overclock just to compare readings with what's being registered, used it on my current RAM and get up to 50c load @ stock and up to 60c load overclocked @ 1.7v
 
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