Does RAM have to be compatible with the CPU as well as the motherboard?

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Some mobo manufacture's have lists of supported DRAM including manufacturers and specific DRAM models. These are usually, however, just the specific ones they tested in-house. It's a safe bet that if it is on the list it will work just fine. Not being on the list doesn't mean it won't work. It just means they didn't test that specific DRAM. There being so many DRAM makers and models now it's not reasonable to expect them to test them all.

You might want to search for mobo manufacturer name, DRAM model and the word "problem" to see if others have had problems with your specific combination.
 
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QVLs are pretty worthless, unless interested in running the DRAM at the mobos default, see here:

http://www.gskill.us/forum/showthread.php?t=10566

and it doesn't really matter what the mobo can handle, it's the MC (memory controller) that matters, which is in the CPU, the days of the mobo being the deciding factor went by the wayside with the like of the 775 socket when the MC was in the NB chipset.
 
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My CPU runs at 3.5GHz, and the RAM is 1600MHz, so I won't have a problem with the RAM being a higher frequency, right?
 
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My question is not whether it will work with the mobo (I'm 99% sure it will), but my question is whether the RAM must be compatible with the CPU?
 
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Rule of thumb, if the Ram is compatible with the motherboard, then the CPU is compatible with the Ram.
 
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As mentioned, that's a dated (very dated 'rule of thumb'), look at the Z87 mobos, most are capable of DRAM through 2800-3000, and there are appr 20 Haswell CPUs available. OF those 20 only 2 can be counted on to effectively run 2400 DRAM and up (K models) another 3-4 or so can effectively run 2133 sticks. The rest (the far majority) typically top out at 1866 or 1600
 
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So you're suggesting that a higher frequency Ram cannot have its frequency lowered in the bios to make it compatible?
 
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Sure, but that isn't compatible, lets be real here, you're going to pay a $100 premium for 2400/2666 DRAM that you can only run at at 1600???????? which appears to be what you are advocating, sorry I don't know of anyone that knowingly want to just throw money away, and unfortunately, many do by taking advise like your so-called 'rule of thumb'. There are threads here everyday from people complaining that their DRAM won't run to spec and 9 times out of ten it's the CPU won't support it, also from working the GSkill forums, was told by them that about 85% of all DRAM returned for RMA had nothing wrong with it, it was from folks buying DRAM their CPU couldn't handle, and also my favorite, from people mixing sets of DRAM, which also appears here all the time, many 'experts' telling people they will be perfectly fine simply mixing and adding sticks, (which of course can be and often is problematic)
 
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I agree that you should never mix and match ram, but the question that was ask is if his ram will be compatible with the CPU. I gave the answer in a simple way to understand. If you want to get into the semantics and all the exceptions to the rules then yes, there will be situations where you can make a ram incompatible with the CPU. My point of view comes from the capabilities of the motherboard. If a person has a mobo that supports 1600 and cannot OC to 2400 then you cannot utilize 2400. A few of years back I saw someone trying upgrade to cpu with 3.2ghz into a micro atx and only got a post beep. When lowered it to a 3.0ghz cpu it worked. So although you may think it is "outdated", it is still valid. Personally, I'm not a fan of convoluted answers to yes or no questions, if it they want more details there is nothing wrong with follow up questions.
 
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Well they say knowledge is King, and that's why people come here...which is why we try and let people know what's real, K model CPUs are a waste on non-OCable mobos, DRAM that's too fast for the CPU to handle is also a waste, better to let them know so they can either save the money for elsewhere or or get the component they need so everything will work to full potential, rather than get stuck with say a high end CPU, high end DRAM and mobo that can't really utilize either
 
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Knowledge is only effective if it is presented in a manner which is clear and concise to the recipient. If the information is above the person's technical level, its just as if someone were to explain it in a foreign language.
😉
 
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Which is why I try and explain, rather than resorting to out of date rules of thumb and myths as many who post 'help' here fall back on...and I've found when people don't understand they ask further questions, which helps not only them, but others as well. Many also contact many of us via PM for even more in depth answers and to avoid the non-helpful 'help'. I've been here about 10 months and feel I have fairly decent track record of helping others, and I do try provide responses to what I believe the users technical level, though it's often based on a guess of that knowledge based on how their questions are phrased 😉
 
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All i'm saying is if a yes or no question cannot be answered as such and if there requires multiple follow ups to a paragraph worth of information, then the explanation has probably brought more confusion than solution. Just like asking if someone was to ask if 1600mhz ram is good enough, for some reason the response cannot be just yes. There needs to be an explanation and technical referencing followed by opinions on cost analysis, why would they need that much, alternatives to it etc. It seems that a simple answer is a lost art form and people need to resort to unnecessarily long drawn out explanations just to make a name for themselves.
 
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Yes, you are right we should suggest people just throw money away on something that can't use as advertised, then they come back complaining their high end DRAM doesn't run to spec, or RMA it and find nothing is wrong with it (and are without it for a week or two), can't get a refund and are stuck with overpriced DRAM - yeah, that's what people want all right :)
 
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Wow.. way off base. I'm suggesting just answer a yes or no question with a 1 sentence answer rather than giving a dissertation on the components and functionality that leads to more information than requested. Contrary to popular belief, not many people will hang on to your every word.. most of the time they'll just glaze over it. What the people want is a simple answer 😉
 
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Well I'm glad you know so much more about Everything then anyone else. And I have no doubt that tossing out worthless advice that costs people money for things that won't work as advertised will just pile up Best Solution picks for you. But in the meantime, I and others that are knowledgable and explain ourselves in factual and rational way will just plug along behind you...smiling
 
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Not sure how you reached that conclusion considering you were the one who brought up the exaggerated idea about the expensive ram. I merely brought up the fact there is a work around around to your logic and you decided to blow it way out of proportion. Who knows, maybe someone was able to buy that type of ram at a garage sale for dirt cheap then your line of reasoning is moot. If you feel that long winded explanations is the best way to answer questions to a yes or no question to get someone to click the best answer then that is your perogative. But at least take the time to actually read the content because all you're doing is pulling ideas out of thin air and making baseless accusations.
 
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Actually I started by saying there's no sense in buying DRAM that the CPU can't handle, then went on to explain that it's the CPU and it's MC that determines what you can use....it was You that decided to jump in and say if the mobo can handle it then it's fine, which is so ridiculously outdated, it's laughable....Your so called, era 2007 or so, "rule of thumb"
 
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So basically you're preaching that if one was to open up the mobo's manual and look at the product specs portion where it lists the supported CPUs and Rams that's an outdated way to do things and you consider that "laughable". You know, I think I got you figured out. Based on some of the other posts you replied to it seems you like to discredit and question other responders just so you can show off what you know and tell people you know more than them. I merely gave a 1 sentence reply and something inside you decided it was somehow offensive which led you to call me a "know it all"? I guess you're used to being the only response that matters that you get all riled up if someone else tries to help. I think it's pretty sad that you need to resort to "ignore him and listen to me" tactics in a forum that's supposed to promote helping others out.
 
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Think you summed it up nicely in your last few words "forum that's supposed to promote helping others out", which is the purpose of the forums, and can narrow it down even further 'help". How does it 'help' anyone when you are giving incorrect, outdated, erroneous information and trying to pass it off as being a rule as to how to do something? And to remind you, others were here in this thread before you actually helping, then you cam in and responded specifically that if the mobo can handle the DRAM then the CPU can, which is simply false....unless of course you might want to buy high end DRAM and then may have to throttle it down - wasting money - how does that help a user? The user could well get better other components with the savings if they bought DRAM that was in line with the capabilities of the CPU.
 
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Throttling down the DRAM is merely a solution to the problem YOU posed. Let's say a 1600 DDR3 is selling cheap at a flea market, garage sale, or blow out sale in amazon or newegg and cost less than a 1333 DDR3, you're line of reasoning discourages them from buying the cheaper ram.
How you believe that relying on a motherboard's spec is erroneous is beyond me. If the CPU and DRAM are compatible, then what good is it if the motherboard doesn't support either? If the mobo's spec says it can handle this type of CPU and this type of DRAM and you fulfill those requirements will the system work? Telling people that you don't need to know the mobo's specs is irrational. In your logic its okay to have an i7 4770k with a 1866 DDR3 and put it in a micro ATX with an H87 chipset. The CPU can handle the ram after all so I must be wrong and that set up will run perfectly.

 
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You can rationalize all you want, and make up scenarios all you want, paying premium prices for high freq DRAM makes no sense if your CPU can't handle it....now you reaching at straws, you might note that I and numerous others that know systems generally always ask people - why a K CPU in a non-OC mobo - like your example here a H87...which has nothing to do with your premise 'rule of thumb' that is a mobo can handle it then the CPU can - as I stated, yes it can run, but's it makes no sense to buy and pay a premium if the CPU can't run it at it's spec
 
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