RAM Frequency and CPU Memory Controller

otinane

Member
Oct 13, 2016
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I'm wondering, if there are any benefits at all, for your system as whole, by purchasing RAM modules, which operate at a higher frequency than your CPU's integrated memory controller can handle.

I often see motherboards specifications of how much RAM can handle (that's not relevant), but also the frequency of the RAM modules, which often is higher than what CPU can handle.

It's only for tweaking purposes (lower frequency at the level of CPU's memory controller -> tighter timings on RAM modules) or i' m missing something deeper?
 

BonzaiDuck

Lifer
Jun 30, 2004
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What "new hardware" are you worried about with this?

The board manufacturers build to specifications that allow for these "OC" modules to be used.

When you use them and set them to XMP specification, both the RAM voltage and IMC voltage are affected, but usually the IMC voltage doesn't need adjustment and can be left on "auto", or the small adjustments leave the IMC well within Intel's specification -- which provides an upper-limit guideline. Similarly, the RAM voltage itself is within Intel spec ranges. The only thing that changes in my sense of it is frequency.

Heat and voltage are the enemies of hardware, but I don't see how increases in frequencies are much of a risk. The configuration will either work -- or it won't work -- at frequencies higher than considered "stock."

Even six years ago, when I built the first of my Sandy Bridge "K" systems (second one still in my signature), we didn't bother with the DDR3-1333 specification, but bought 1600 or 1866 RAM.

A hardware specification is as much a matter of giving customers complete reliability as it is a matter of calculation to make warranty-returns small or non-existent, since a firm like Intel or Micron or Gigabyte must fold the expected cost into its financial plan. When you build a system to be overclocked, or choose RAM such as those available, "complete reliability" is your own business.

For instance, suppose Humpty-Trumpty builds a new tower. His architects and engineers must be sure of every dimension, every structural load, every stress point, or Humpty might have a great fall. They would use software and hardware to solve these problems, just as they would to plan the task-scheduling for minimum cost and time when they go from "breaking ground" to the champagne-bottle ceremony. If the processor propagates errors (as one Pentium-Pro model did once), Humpty will sue Intel. And that problem was actually the design of the processor -- not the speed and voltage at which it runs.

Likely, Humpty and the architects never did any "overclocking" or stress-tests. They don't care if it runs faster than Intel says it should. They may never even have done their own taxes, if they think they're "brilliant" for deducting carry-over losses that any retired owner of a rental property would know about for doing his own -- but that's P&N stuff.

We're different. Build a hotrod for the Fontana drag-strip or the Indie 500, it's not likely to be "street-legal." At least, if you can assure yourself that the processor functions accurately under your overclock applications, you're still "street-legal."

I don't think Intel considers the processor "out of warranty" if you run it at stock speed and voltage with RAM at higher than Intel "CPU" spec speed. You're certainly covered by the board and RAM manufacturers. You haven't lost your 3-year warranty with Intel. You can run the processor at stock spec, with the motherboard and especially the RAM at manufacturer's "stock" XMP spec, even if it is an "OC" beyond the Intel base specification.
 

Dasa2

Senior member
Nov 22, 2014
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there is HX426C15FBK2/16 a 2666 15-17-17 kit with a jedec profile for 2133 12-14-14 https://www.kingston.com/dataSheets/HX426C15FBK2_16.pdf
making it one of the fastest kits available for a stock clocked skylake system

karbylake allows up to 2400 and to my knowledge there is no kits like the above for it unless you tweak them manually for which a higher speed kit has a greater chance of reaching tighter timings at a low frequency

to go over the cpu supported limits in frequency you need a more expensive mb that allows overclocking z170\z270
 

Elixer

Lifer
May 7, 2002
10,371
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Most of the time, people would not notice the difference in frequency (or timings) unless they are obsessed with benchmarking, or, are dealing with very high memory utilization programs.
 

BonzaiDuck

Lifer
Jun 30, 2004
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there is HX426C15FBK2/16 a 2666 15-17-17 kit with a jedec profile for 2133 12-14-14 https://www.kingston.com/dataSheets/HX426C15FBK2_16.pdf
making it one of the fastest kits available for a stock clocked skylake system

karbylake allows up to 2400 and to my knowledge there is no kits like the above for it unless you tweak them manually for which a higher speed kit has a greater chance of reaching tighter timings at a low frequency

to go over the cpu supported limits in frequency you need a more expensive mb that allows overclocking z170\z270

Oh. Absolutely. I'd think that's a given. But if the board manufacturer promotes "specifications" with speeds that include "(OC)," I'm not so sure it matters. If you're not overclocking the processor, the only thing about it out of spec is the memory frequency, but these are XMP profiles. I'd go by what the board manufacturer says. Stick with the XMP profiles, and there shouldn't be any worry about the processor. That's been a "given" for a long time, especially since Intel defines a spec range for VCCIO, VDIMM and VCORE. So? YOu need to add 5 or 10mV to VCCIO to make it work with the XMP settings? VDIMM follows the intel spec at 1.35V? I don't even think you'd have to concern yourself about it, unless the motherboard is limited to specific RAM settings or a limit below what you'd see on other boards.

My experience with the CPU at stock settings, you could simply leave VCCIO on "auto." It might be within 10 or 20mV of the minimum Intel spec. We're talking about a range between maybe 1.000V and 1.200V, and I'd never seen "auto" produce a reading greater than maybe 1.010V or something near that.

But with past-gen processors, I'd bought some really . . . really . . . . cheap $90 motherboards with RAM speed annotated as "OC." Even with the IMC on the processor now, but voltage regulation back on the motherboard, you wouldn't think a second thought about running a higher-than-2133 XMP profile.
 

Dasa2

Senior member
Nov 22, 2014
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Most of the time, people would not notice the difference in frequency (or timings) unless they are obsessed with benchmarking, or, are dealing with very high memory utilization programs.
the in game performance difference from 2133c15 to a high speed kit can be similar to the ipc gain between sandybridge and karbylake over the last 6 years
 

otinane

Member
Oct 13, 2016
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Thank you all for your useful inputs. But i would like to make it simpler.

Assume that i buy an AMD Zen CPU with 8 cores / 16 threads, and that chip supports DDR4 up to 2133MHz. I also get a mainstream motherboard which we assume to support up to DDR4 2600MHz RAM.

If i buy and use 2600MHz instead 2133MHz will i see any benefits to my system? I mean does the extra frequency helps in some way, or it stays there, in case you decide to start tweaking the system?
 

UsandThem

Elite Member
May 4, 2000
16,068
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Thank you all for your useful inputs. But i would like to make it simpler.

Assume that i buy an AMD Zen CPU with 8 cores / 16 threads, and that chip supports DDR4 up to 2133MHz. I also get a mainstream motherboard which we assume to support up to DDR4 2600MHz RAM.

If i buy and use 2600MHz instead 2133MHz will i see any benefits to my system? I mean does the extra frequency helps in some way, or it stays there, in case you decide to start tweaking the system?

Nobody knows until Ryzen is actually released and reviewed. Until then it is all just speculation or a 'maybe'.
 
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BonzaiDuck

Lifer
Jun 30, 2004
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Nobody knows until Ryzen is actually released and reviewed. Until then it is all just speculation or a 'maybe'.

. . . . and I myself can only speak reliably respecting Intel processors, and especially those I know well enough. But if the processor spec is SPECIFIED the way you see it with Intel -- a base DDR4 speed -- and if the BOARD is rated for an OC speed, you should be good-to-go compatibility-wise. Whether you'll actually "see" a performance difference between 2133 and 2666, that's equally debatable either way, or at least it is to me. Something would show in the benchmarks, I would think.