HT1270 Will a Mid 2011 15" 17 core macbook pro run on 2 8GB 1666mhz memory? Told quad core MB Pro runs on 16GB at 1066 or 1666???

Question

I have a what is said mid 2011 macbook pro quad core i7 with 4GB at 1333 Mhz, and read this is upgradeable to 8GB but also it will accept and run great on 2X8GB-16GB at either 1066 or 1666MHz-Can anyone shed light? I'm hoping fpor fastest I can get-I use as interface for recording and for photo work now and then. I usually put a 7200rpm HDD in but this came w/a 750GB/5400 and I wonder if the FSB/RAM speed and upgrading the RAM max will make up?
I'm thinking rather than always use ext 7200rpm hdd top record buy 2nd hdd at 7200 and use external open enclosure I can pop in and out use only for recording-I am starting back to school and have MS2011 Ofc but want to add Win 7 no virtual hdd's please, second question-can I add this w/o wiping all clean to reformat? Is this required to add partition for Win 7 or are these newer models designed to simply ADD-ON such MS software?
DO I EVEN NEED WIN 7 OR IS THIS A LUXURY? I would think my WORD, EXCEL, POWERPOINT is all I'll need for college classes requiring MS/Windows-am I correrct? I can eliminate problem #2.
MAINLY I WANT TP UPGRADE RAM-I FOUND CORSAIR MADE FOR THIS MODEL, 2X8GBAT 1666MHZ, AND A WEB PAGE THAT SAID THEY HAD A FLAWLESS UPGRADE AND IT RA EVEN FASTER AND SMOOTHER-This is the best Mac I've owned and I've had 100, including 27" iMac I sold-too much for my needs-I'm a prtable person-HELP!!! I get YES answers from my IT professional and others tell me only *GB at 1333, so WHICH?  Thanks, madthomii.

Answer 1

Hey,
Perhaps this is relevant ..........
(1) I have a very late 17" macbook Pro.  (It is actually the somewhat rare 2.5 quad model.)  One of the very last ones made.
(2) It comes with 1333 ram
(3) I swapped in 1600 ram
(4) IT IS ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN, THAT, THE MACHINE RUNS MUCH, MUCH, MUCH, MUCH, MUCH FASTER when you have 1600 speed ram.
(Indeed, it runs 1600 / 1333 = 1.20x faster on all memory operations - it's just that simple and obvious.)
I did many tests back-and-fore swapping the slow and fast ram, and it is very, very obvious, the speed difference.  Most operations on computers are just memory bound - everything from startup to rendering and the like is quicker - obviously and clearly quicker - with faster ram.
(5) I have had utterly no problems running the faster ram. It reports and runs the ram utterly normally, no problem.
(6) These machines cost thousands, and ram cost a few dollars - there seems very little reason you wouldn't do this.
(7) I do have one of the very last 17" mbp.  (It was "old new stock" - I bought it unused in March 2013.)  So, it's possible that OLDER 17" mbp will not run 1600 speed RAM.  But, I mean it costs like $100 to try, on a fantastic machine worth $1000s, so it's a huge win at low cost if it works.
I hope this helps future readers!!!  Cheers