Check out how well your PC and RAM are working to feel like all the hard work was worth it! You can skip this step, but testing your computer and RAM after updating them is incredibly rewarding. It’s one of the best parts of doing things like overclocking your RAM!
- Overclocking RAM: When, Why & How
- Is Overclocking RAM Safe?
- The Basics of RAM Overclocking
- Using The DRAM Calculator To Find The Ideal Parameters
- Is Overclocking RAM Safe?
- How to overclock 3200MHz RAM to 3600MHz
- Calculating your optimal RAM timings.
- Overclock your RAM using BIOS
- Your PC doesn’t boot into Windows?
- Making sure your overclock is stable
- Useful Tools
- Overclocking (XMP)
- Manual overclocking
- Memory timing tweaking
- Make Sure the Overclock is Stable
- Benchmark Your RAM to Verify Your Performance
- [Official] AMD Ryzen DDR4 24/7 Memory Stability Thread
- mongoled
- craxton
- [Official] AMD Ryzen DDR4 24/7 Memory Stability Thread
Overclocking RAM: When, Why & How
Find out why overclocking your RAM can improve your PC’s performance, when you need it and how to overclock your RAM!
Overclock refers to a process in which the operating speed of the processor and other components is set to exceed the speed specified by the manufacturer. This is to achieve better performance, especially when it comes to processes such as playing games and editing videos.
Perhaps you have a computer that seems to be running below your expectations, and it’s a constant struggle to get things done without lag or stutter. In that case, overclocking might be what you need.
Your computer’s RAM stores the data used by its CPU. Note that, as with any bottleneck, longer CPU wait times for the processor to obtain the required information from RAM mean lower operational performance. However, faster RAM allows the processor to obtain data faster and improve computer performance. RAM performance depends mainly on the operating frequency and latency attributes, which are often referred to as “time.”
Higher frequency RAM enables fast data transfer. However, in terms of time, lower time is actually better than higher time. This is because each time corresponds to a specific wait time, or the time between two operations: the shorter the time between operations, the better.
Frequency and timing are two things you should check to determine the overall performance of your RAM while overclocking it. In short, your RAM should be high frequency but low clock speed.
Is Overclocking RAM Safe?
Overclocking RAM is not dangerous or as scary as overclocking your CPU, graphics card, etc. Whenever you overclock the latter group’s components (for example, CPU), you always worry if the cooling technology / component is able to keep up with speed processing.
However, in some cases, increasing the speed of your RAM can directly improve CPU performance. Therefore, overclocking your RAM is safe as long as you don’t increase the voltage. To be on the safer side, the recommended limit for RAM is 1.5V.
If your PC doesn’t boot into safe mode, don’t panic! Your computer probably does not have this feature and you will have to manually clear CMOS. The way you do this varies from computer to computer, and you’ll need to refer to the user manual (or search the internet) for the exact steps you need to take.
The Basics of RAM Overclocking
There are a few things you should know when getting into RAM overclocking routines so that you have a basic idea of the parameters you will be modifying and what the base values should be.
First off, know that overclocking your RAM is a bit more complex than overclocking your CPU and graphics card, BUT it’s also much safer because you don’t have to worry so much about overheating and rising temperatures. RAM produces much less heat compared to CPU and GPU units.
Second, know that for DDR4 RAM and the like, the standard speed of around 2400MHz at which the memory module is supposed to run is actually not the speed it runs at. The actual speed is half as much as the stipulated amount is twice the data rate.
Third, going back to the concept of complexity, there are over two dozen different parameters that need to be adjusted to improve RAM latency (which directly affects memory module performance). The CAS Latency clock cycles are here to help.
Fourth, if you’re someone who doesn’t want to go to the bottom of manual RAM overclocking, many manufacturers have created extreme memory profiles like Intel XMP that can be incorporated into the system BIOS to implement moderate overclocking that is safe and recommended by the manufacturer . However, if you want to get into it yourself, you’ll have a lot more customization options, and you’ll also be able to push the RAM module beyond the XMP settings.
Using The DRAM Calculator To Find The Ideal Parameters
AMD Ryzen users are in luck because 1usmus has created a DRAM calculator that tells you exactly what the ideal values will be for your overclocking activity. The app isn’t the coolest to use as it takes a decent amount of fun to get the best set of values, but we’ll break it down to make it easier.
- Download and install the Ryzen DRAM Calculator. Follow the instructions on the screen with administrator privileges until this is complete. Now run the application.
- On the startup screen, you will be able to see the details of the Ryzen memory you are using. You can check any manufacturer’s documentation to identify and confirm its type. Your operational values will become visible
- At the bottom of the window you will find a purple button that says “R-XMP”. Click on it.
- Enter your Ryzen memory type and version you are using, then click the green button at the bottom of the window that says “Calculate SAFELY”. This will give you a sense of safe values for adjusting the parameters. These safe parameters will always work fine after overclocking, but they won’t be the maximum you can overclock a memory module to.
- If you want to move these values further, press the orange button at the bottom that reads “Calculate FAST”. These values will further overclock your RAM, but may not always be stable. Stress testing will be important in determining which values work for your system.
- There is also an option to “Calculate EXTREME” values at the bottom in the form of a red button, but remember that these values do not necessarily have to be stable, such as the “Calculate QUICKLY.
- Once you get the values for any setting (we suggest taking screenshots of the R-XMP, SAFE, and FAST values), send these screenshots to yourself so you can open them on a separate device when you enter your system’s BIOS to make adjustments.
Note that when you calculate these values, your DRAM calculator allows you to compare them with your XMP profile and standard baseline values to see how far you have pushed them. This is a good indicator to get an idea of how overclocking ranges work and how far you can safely move.
I made a note of that, thank you for your confirmation. But double-check the Aida64 at 40 and 36.9 procODT 9-4 as you can see just above @ 1.35v, it should work at 3800 which means it will probably work for you as well.
Is Overclocking RAM Safe?
Overclocking the RAM is safe as long as the voltage is not increased. Overclocking RAM without tinkering with voltages won’t hurt your hardware; but it may crash your computer.
Overclocking RAM is a lot less stressful than overclocking your GPU or CPU. Unlike overclocked RAM, overclocking your CPU requires knowing if your computer’s cooling will be able to handle an overclocked CPU.
The overclocked GPU or CPU is also noticeably louder than its standard counterpart, which can be annoying for some people.
RAM doesn’t produce much heat at all, even when overclocked, so you don’t have to worry about overheating. Even if it’s unstable overclocking, it will likely only cause an error during stability testing. In that case, all that happens is a rollback to RAM speed.
Note: If you are trying to overclock the RAM in your laptop, you need to make sure you can clear the CMOS so that you can reset the BIOS to its default settings in case something goes wrong.
How to overclock 3200MHz RAM to 3600MHz
- Calculate the optimal clock speed of your RAM
- Through BIOS settings
Calculating your optimal RAM timings.
Before overclocking 3200 MHz of RAM, you need to calculate the optimal clock speed for your RAM. If you have an AMD Ryzen system, it’s easy to do as you just need to use an application called “Ryzen DRAM Calculator.” Even if you are using an Intel system, the Ryzen DRAM Calculator is still a useful tool that you can use even if it’s not completely accurate.
To use it, simply open Ryzen DRAM Calculator and enter the version of Ryzen you are using, and if you are only using an Intel key on Ryzen 2 Gen. Then type in the type of memory being used. Press the “R-XMP” button at the bottom of the app to view your XMP profile.
Re-enter your Ryzen version and memory type. Then just calculate your times by pressing “Calculate SAFE”. The “Compare times” option allows you to compare the XMP settings with the calculated times.
The “SECURE” settings are almost guaranteed, while the “FAST” settings usually work, but may not be as stable as the “SECURE” settings.
To make your life easier, write down all the necessary settings before you begin. This eliminates the need to constantly enter and exit the calculator application.
Overclock your RAM using BIOS
Shut down the computer and boot into the BIOS (or UEFI) screen. Typically, you have to repeatedly press a specific key, such as the “DEL” key, while booting the computer to access the BIOS.
Look for the memory section and load your XMP profile, then select the appropriate frequency. If you don’t want to change the time, you can just change the frequency.
Look for the section on the BIOS screen for timing checks. Use the settings and numbers you get from the RYZEN DRAM calculator and start entering them carefully. For Intel users, it is enough to enter the basic times and leave the rest of the settings in automatic mode.
Then find the voltage control section in the BIOS and enter the recommended DRAM voltage. Don’t throw anything crazy; anything below 1,450V should be safe!
Save the settings and exit the BIOS. Your computer should restart and start Windows. This means you can go to the next step, but if not…
Your PC doesn’t boot into Windows?
If your PC won’t boot to Windows, your motherboard has failed its power-on test (or POST for short). You have to wait a while for the computer to enter Safe Mode and revert to the last working settings. When this happens, try increasing the memory voltage by 0.025V before reaching the maximum recommended voltage.
If you are using Ryzen, try increasing the SOC voltage slightly in Ryzen settings. Ryzen systems, especially the earlier ones, are a bit sensitive when it comes to memory overclocking.
If your PC doesn’t boot into safe mode, don’t panic! Your computer probably does not have this feature and you will have to manually clear CMOS. The way you do this varies from computer to computer, and you’ll need to refer to the user manual (or search the internet) for the exact steps you need to take.
Making sure your overclock is stable
When you go back to Windows, you need to check and make sure overclocking is stable. The Ryzen DRAM calculator has a function called “MEMbench” that does this. Use “Custom” mode and set the job range to 400%, then select “Maximum RAM” to test the RAM for errors.
Re-enter your Ryzen version and memory type. Then just calculate your times by pressing “Calculate SAFE”. The “Compare times” option allows you to compare the XMP settings with the calculated times.
Useful Tools
- CPU-Z
CPU-Z is a handy overclocking tool that is easy to download for free. Once opened, if you go to the memory stick, you can note the DRAM frequency and times. You can also use the SDP tab to view the timing tables, which are the XMP settings used by the BIOS. - Memtest86+
For stress testing, the Memtest86 + system is still widely used as it has extensive configuration options for testing. - XMP (Extreme Memory Profiles)
XMP are preset and Intel approved overclocking settings that can be enabled through your motherboard firmware or utility. With XMP, firmware can automatically configure DRAM voltage and latency.
If something doesn’t go well while overclocking, don’t worry as you can always reset. If your PC boots up and is usable but unstable, you can go back into the BIOS and change the voltage or reverse times back to what it was. If your PC is having trouble restarting and restarting didn’t work, you can always clear CMOS on your motherboard. You may need to check the MOBO manual if you haven’t done this before, but it will reset the BIOS back to its factory settings, meaning you can start over.
Overclocking (XMP)
Thanks to memory, you have several overclocking options, 1. Auto, 2. XMP and 3. Manual. In this guide, we’ll show you how to use these options, but most of all, step-by-step how to manually overclock using XMP.
- Open CPU-Z and note the DRAM frequency and timing, then save the timing tables from the SDP tab as these are the XMP settings used by the BIOS. (RAM speed is double the DRAM frequency)
- Now you want to enter your BIOS. Once in the bios go to the Ai tweaker or motherboard equivalent and set it to XMP (you should see a drop down menu).
- Match the advertised RAM specifications to the selected XMP profile.
- At this point, hold off on any other changes to the BIOS. Save, reboot and perform stress test.
If the results are stable then success!
Thanks to memory, you have several overclocking options, 1. Auto, 2. XMP and 3. Manual. In this guide, we’ll show you how to use these options, but most of all, step-by-step how to manually overclock using XMP.
Manual overclocking
This is the most time-consuming option, but it can also bring you the most benefit if you know what you are doing.
As with the XMP settings, find the memory fix menu in UEFI / BIOS and start slowly increasing the frequency, step by step. Usually the lower the better. Then start Windows and run some tests. If they all exit without crashes or errors, increase the frequency again. If you run into a crash, you can reduce your overclock and consider the job complete or raise the voltage to see if it improves stability.
Warning: Do not raise the DDR4 memory voltage above 1.5V as this may damage the RAM in the long run. You also want to keep your memory temperature below 50 degrees C (122 degrees F) at all times to avoid crashes and instability.
If you’re using an AMD processor, it’s also important to consider the Infinity Fabric clock and its synchronization with memory. Read more in the section below.
Be sure to act slowly and perform your tests with proper care. If you raise the frequency too high in one go, you won’t know which frequency is unstable and which is not, forcing you to go back down to find your point of stability.
Keep an eye on the performance data in your benchmarks as well. Raising the frequency can sometimes cause the RAM clock speed to automatically relax, which can affect its latency and thus performance. Sometimes it’s better to have a lower frequency with tighter timing.
Once you find a frequency that you are satisfied with, perform additional long-term benchmarks and stability tests to confirm that even with repeated load, the memory will not crash the system. If so, lower the frequency or raise the voltage as needed and run another round of heavy stability tests.
Memory timing tweaking
However, you can additionally adjust the times yourself. Once you have a frequency that you are happy with, you can get the added benefit of tightening up your timing. Typically, this can be done in UEFI / BIOS in the same section as frequency tuning, but remember that timing adjustments are much more complex than frequency adjustments, and it’s worth reading a more detailed source before trying.
If you need a quick cheat sheet for your AMD system, the 1usmus DRAM calculator can be a great place to start, offering memory timing recommendations that will allow you to jump to the best possible performance right out of the gate.
Overall, cheaper RAM can’t be overclocked too much, but more expensive RAM is basically built for overclocking. If your PC and RAM are high-end, overclocking to 3600MHz is definitely worth it.
Make Sure the Overclock is Stable
Back in Windows, the fun doesn’t stop yet. You’ll want to check that overclocking is stable. The calculator has a tab called “MEMbench” that you can use for this purpose. Set the mode to “custom” and the job range to 400%. Click “Maximum RAM” at the bottom to allocate all remaining RAM. This will test the RAM for errors four times.
Click “Run” when you are ready to start and wait a few minutes. In my case, it took less than ten minutes to test 32 GB RAM in 400% of the job range.
If there are no errors, you can try moving the clocks further or test the “FAST” settings. This is all memory tweaking; trial and error only, spam spamming and waiting for MEMbench to finish. Some people find this kind of routine soothing.
Once you’ve used up your Numpad and are happy with your results, you’ll want to do a nighttime test to see if your overclocking is absolutely stable. Set your assignment scope to something insanely high (100,000% should be enough) and come back to it when you wake up. If there are no bugs, you can enjoy your overclocking. The worst thing that will happen if you skip this nighttime step is that you may get a blue screen or a random crash at some point (which happens from time to time at any RAM speed unless you have ECC memory).
Benchmark Your RAM to Verify Your Performance
If you’re particularly competitive and want to see your RAM stack up against the competition, you can download UserBenchmark to compare your entire PC including RAM. This will give you an overview of how well your system is performing. You can also use a game-specific benchmark like Unigine Superposition, although you’ll likely have to do a lot of testing as the margin of error is quite high with such testing.
My results have been particularly impressive; I purchased a 32GB Micron E-die kit (known to be cheap and good at overclocking) worth 3200 @ CL16, for $ 130. UserBenchmark gave it a speed score of 90% compared to average RAM, but even tightening the clock speed to 3200 @ CL14 gives it a result of 113%, which is a 23% increase in performance.
This puts the 130 micron E-dieci kit on par with the 3200 @ CL14 kits which sell for over $ 250, which is quite a cost saving. These were just my results, and your mileage will vary depending on how well you overclock your memory and how your CPU is handling it.
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Anthony Heddings is a permanent cloud engineer at LifeSavvy Media, technical writer, developer, and Amazon AWS expert. He has written hundreds of articles for How-To Geek and CloudSavvy IT that have been read millions of times.
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To take advantage of this, you’ll want to save a screenshot (there’s a button in the lower left corner) and send it to a separate device so you can view it in the BIOS.
[Official] AMD Ryzen DDR4 24/7 Memory Stability Thread
Anyone have 4 DIMMS with 5000 series @ 3800MHz / 1900 FCLK? Right now, I’m stable at the 3733/1866 Cas14, just like my old 3900x. I am trying to get Cas 14 on 3800/1900. Tried to adjust some timings but had no luck with a 3800/1900 1.50 volt boot on Cas 14. I have a memory cooler and.
as a fallback option for very easy to run @ 1.36v timings (probably 1.35 works too)
Low tRFC does not always have to use high vDIMM
EDIT:
tRRD_L 7 not working for you ?
Can you double check if it makes any difference in performance without stability testing
SiSandra inter-core band 14 nm Ryzen global # 2 👨🎓
Personal records
RAM> Viper Steel @ 3466C14 (64.2ns) and Alt | Hynix-MFR 3333CL14 (72.5ns) and Alt
GPU> Gigabyte 970 G1 @ 1595 | 1900 (Hynix) | RX 580 Red Devil GS @ 1620 | 2200 (micron)
CPU> TR 1950X [email protection] and 4.3 @ 1.365v [105Mhz FSB] (3.23Beta) | 1700X [email protection] (1.73 GHz IMC CL14 (64.2 ns)) | 5600X (48.5ns 2100FCLK」
#Page: 5600X + ThermalRight ARO | ASRock B550 PG ITX / AX | Viper Steel (PVS416G400C9K]
# Main: 5600X Dual CCD + Scythe Fuma 2 | ASUS B550 ProArt wizard | Ballistix MAX [BLM2K8G40C18U4B] | EVGA GTX 650 | Samsung 850 Evo | CoolerMaster MM710
mongoled
Registered
here’s what Sandra says
“Unexpected Result: Outlier (outside the 99.7% confidence interval)”
I also noticed that there are very few entries in the Sandra Processor Multi-Core Efficiency database for 5600x processors
SeaSonic X750 Gold | MSI X570 MEG Unify | Ryzen 5 5600X 2048SUS – TechN AM4 1/2 “ID | 32 GB Viper Steel 4400 @ 3800/1900 MHz – 13-14-14-14-28-42-224-16-1T-56-0-0 @ 1, 65v | WD SN850 1TB | GV-N960WF2OC-4GD @ 1590/4130 mhz – Swiftech Storm | Swiftech D5 MCP655 | EK-XRES 250 | Alphacool NexXxoS UT60 280 – 4 x Arctic P12 | Thermochill PA120.3 – 1 x NF-A12x15 – 2 x Arctic P12
craxton
Registered
I’m glad you made it
Weird you need CAD_BUS X-20-24-24 instead of X-20-20-20, but good to know
It’s also good to know that 4-4-18 works for you.
I made a note of it, thank you for your confirmation
But double check Aida64 with 40 and 36.9 percent ODT
9-4 as seen just above @ 1.35v should work at 3800
This means it will likely work for you as well.
But this is something to be tested another time.
Most importantly, WHEA free and RTT + CAD_BUS settings are correct
It is rarely “replicable” by the variance of existing dimmas.
Yeh, glad it works.
But keep it
[Official] AMD Ryzen DDR4 24/7 Memory Stability Thread
Anyone have 4 DIMMS with 5000 series @ 3800MHz / 1900 FCLK? Right now, I’m stable at the 3733/1866 Cas14, just like my old 3900x. I am trying to get Cas 14 on 3800/1900. Tried to adjust some timings but had no luck with a 3800/1900 1.50 volt boot on Cas 14. I have a memory cooler and.
as a fallback option for very easy to run @ 1.36v timings (probably 1.35 works too)
Low tRFC does not always have to use high vDIMM
EDIT:
tRRD_L 7 not working for you ?
Can you double check if it makes any difference in performance without stability testing
It’s not a problem, I only use x-20-24-24 bc, that’s what the disc wanted, so that’s what I set up in the bios
stop him from switching or doing anything weird passed, so I’m leaving them alone for now.
lagging tRRD L 7 increases and decreases, but lowers it to 52.1 from 52.3, but is not consistent
this is for 0-1% CPU usage and minimal running tasks to keep Windows happy enough
i decreased vdimm to 1.46, tried soc 1.16 / 17 but showed instability with lag and read speeds
it hesitates up and down so picked it up and saved the profile to a flash drive in case i messed around
therefore you need to reset the bios which sometimes deletes all the profiles saved on the board
i have tested the procODT since 40, but I will give it a shot and report my findings.
copy speeds from tRRD_L 7 continue to go up and down from 574xx to 568xx I still assume this is normal.
if i use the times i currently have and i use 3800, 39xx or anything below 4000 mhz my memory score
it drops SIGNIFICANTLY and the lag is at best 60ns.
i didn’t check the 3800MHz times you mentioned though, so maybe they are a bit better at 3800
when doing the same as 4000, while keeping the soc below 1.2 for degradation and the vdimm below 1.45 for soaking.
i will notice my room was (EXTRA) cold last night while using HCI and I left the side panel off for all the tests I have done so far.
with 100% full tilt for all 9 120mm fans as well as all 3 2070S ftw3 ultra fans.
however, I threw it all away and restarted y-cruncher 3 times back and had no problems
The CPU didn’t speed up though due to how I limited the PBO values with ryzen master to prevent throttling, but everything else was fine.
it will now test the procODT settings and see if the latency is still decreasing or showing signs of instability
i also changed the tRFC to 288-214-132 which i think is as tight to the tRFC as i can get without causing any more problems
and adding tension.
B550 Edge Gaming Wi-Fi, 5800x, 2070s FTW3 ultra +, 4×8 3200c14 (3800/1900 c14-14), 2TB 8200sx PRO, 500GB 970evo,
2x500gb wdblue 2.5 (old and new, older is the best!) Link, 2x1TB wdblue hdd, liteon CA3 128gb ssd (don’t buy this) (inside)
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