What Mhz / Voltage RAM for 6700k ?

[midiout]

Building my first computer since 2010 and I have everything in my build exactly how I want it, BUT I'm confused about what speed RAM I should be buying.

Overclocking is kind of new to me so I'm wondering if higher 'speed' RAM (ddr4 2400-3000) will default to 2133 until I bring it up? This way I can buy something better than 2133 and just unlock it once I've studied how to overclock RAM stably, because I've heard it can be hard to achieve sometimes. I've read multiple reviews and benchmarks showing higher Mhz yields notably better performance in some areas that I'm interested in, so I don't want to screw myself out of that option by getting 2133. Any information would be helpful.

I'm also unsure if the compatibility with RAM's voltage, some are 1.2v some are 1.3v and others 1.35v. I was under the impression that the CPU determined the voltage that RAM received. So would that mean I have to have my CPU at 1.35v in order for the RAM to function?

And then there's multi-channel. For years I just assumed every kit with more than one stick was multi-channel but apparently that's not the case. I was thought that anything but 2-4 channels just isn't as good performance wise, and that single channel RAM just wasn't as good? I was specifically looking for a dual channel 2x8GB kits and then I couldn't find any of them on my future motherboards QVL.

I'm very confused about it all.

Here's the build so far. The RAM is just a placeholder until I understand this better.
http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/q4N6CJ
(The storage and video card are from my current PC.)

 

[Tradesman1]

2x8GB is fine, would suggest 2400-2666 or 2800 and yes the Z170 runs dual with either 2 or 4 sticks, best to use 2 over 4 if possible as 2 sticks will be less stress on the MC

 

[midiout]

2x8GB is fine, would suggest 2400-2666 or 2800 and yes the Z170 runs dual with either 2 or 4 sticks, best to use 2 over 4 if possible as 2 sticks will be less stress on the MC

Is there a reason for you saying to use 2400-2800 over 3000 ? Is there any problem going from 1.2v to 1.35v ? If I dont change it to 1.35v in my bios will it still function properly?

 

[Tradesman1]

No 3000 is fine, can often take a slight OC of the CPU to run at 3000 - anywhere from 1.2 to 1.35 is perfectly safe, and yes things should run fine 😉

 

[midiout]

No 3000 is fine, can often take a slight OC of the CPU to run at 3000 - anywhere from 1.2 to 1.35 is perfectly safe, and yes things should run fine 😉

How big of a deal is dual channel? Most of the 3000 packages I'm seeing on Newegg don't come up when you filter dual channel only.

For example this doesn't show: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233852

I'm having a real hard time finding 2x8GB that's also dual channel and also on my motherboards QVL. (http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA1151/Z170-A/Z170-A_DRAM_QVL_20151218.pdf)

 

[Supahos]

All 2 stick kits are dual channel don't need to filter for it. Gskill now makes 2800 and 3000 mhz kits with cl 13 for not a ton more than stock speeds those should be awesome

 

[Tradesman1]

DRAM itself (the stticks) doesn't care about single, dual, tri or quad channel - each stick is an individual 64bit device - the mobo and MC (memory controller) are the determining factor as far as if you run dual, tri or quad channel. If you take a four stick package you can run it in quad, or stick 3 sticks in a 1366 mobo and run those in tri - can split the 4 sticks and run 2 each imn dual channel mobos or stick all 4 in a single dual channel mobo - and all will run in dual.

 

[midiout]

DRAM itself (the stticks) doesn't care about single, dual, tri or quad channel - each stick is an individual 64bit device - the mobo and MC (memory controller) are the determining factor as far as if you run dual, tri or quad channel. If you take a four stick package you can run it in quad, or stick 3 sticks in a 1366 mobo and run those in tri - can split the 4 sticks and run 2 each imn dual channel mobos or stick all 4 in a single dual channel mobo - and all will run in dual.

Thanks for all your responses, it's cleared things up quite a bit. Funnily enough the placeholder RAM I had in my build example ended up being the one I'm going to be going with (CORSAIR Vengeance LPX (2 x 8GB) 288-Pin DDR4 2666). Thanks again!

 

[Tradesman1]

No worries, let us know how it goes 😉