RAM overclocking tips?

[Vasllo]

I've got a 16GB kit of 4x4GB DDR3 Corsair Vengeance 1600MT/s CAS9 RAM (not all from the same kit, but all the same thing). I would like to OC it to 1866MT/s since I think my memory is bottlenecking me a bit, in GTA V neither my CPU nor my GPU go to 100% and the FPS drops in some areas, the only culprit I can see would be the RAM. The thing is, it doesn't hold at stock settings, so I would like some tips about VDIMM, VCCIO and VCCSA, how much voltage is safe?

[Jurrunio]

Why not 2133?

 

Vdimm: highly die dependent, some models stops getting better at about 1.7V (mine is one of them) while others prefer over 2V. You have to test (and I sadly dont know potential of each die since I came into memory OC in DDR4 time)

 

VCCSA and VCCIO: 1.3V max for both, but they dont scale linearly with voltage. In other words, higher might not be better for performance.

[.Apex.]

35 minutes ago, Vasllo said:

I've got a 16GB kit of 4x4GB DDR3 Corsair Vengeance 1600MT/s CAS9 RAM (not all from the same kit, but all the same thing). I would like to OC it to 1866MT/s since

Set the frequency to 1866mhz, and set the timings to 9-9-9-24, if it doesn't work, try increasing the voltage to 1.6V, and then after that you can increase the frequency little by little and running MemTest64 for at least 30-60 minutes to make sure it's stable, even though keep in mind problems might appear later

 

35 minutes ago, Vasllo said:

VDIMM, VCCIO and VCCSA, how much voltage is safe? 

You don't need to touch VCCIO and VCCSA, but as for VDIMM, you can max it out at 1.7V - 1.75V safely, but it's unnecessary if you're only doing 1866mhz, you can try 1.65V for 2133mhz at the same timings i suggested above

 

It's a lot of trial and error, there's no specific overclock settings for all RAM sticks, but I only suggested a starting point, which may not work at all but I bet at least 1866mhz will work

[Vasllo]

On 8/11/2019 at 3:41 PM, Jurrunio said:

Why not 2133?

 

Vdimm: highly die dependent, some models stops getting better at about 1.7V (mine is one of them) while others prefer over 2V. You have to test (and I sadly dont know potential of each die since I came into memory OC in DDR4 time)

 

VCCSA and VCCIO: 1.3V max for both, but they dont scale linearly with voltage. In other words, higher might not be better for performance.

Probably because it wouldn't hold, usually people can OC one speed step with stock settings, mine's just stubborn (could it be that the sticks came from different kits, although same specs?). Jesus christ, I had heard to not go beyond 1.65V for DDR3, I wouldn't even dare to go for 2V. And VCCSA and VCCIO I just couldn't find solid max safe voltages online, so thanks for that, but are you sure those aren't too high? Because stock is 0.925V and 1.050V for VCCSA and VCCIO, respectively.

On 8/11/2019 at 4:01 PM, _Syn_ said:

Set the frequency to 1866mhz, and set the timings to 9-9-9-24, if it doesn't work, try increasing the voltage to 1.6V, and then after that you can increase the frequency little by little and running MemTest64 for at least 30-60 minutes to make sure it's stable, even though keep in mind problems might appear later

 

You don't need to touch VCCIO and VCCSA, but as for VDIMM, you can max it out at 1.7V - 1.75V safely, but it's unnecessary if you're only doing 1866mhz, you can try 1.65V for 2133mhz at the same timings i suggested above

 

It's a lot of trial and error, there's no specific overclock settings for all RAM sticks, but I only suggested a starting point, which may not work at all but I bet at least 1866mhz will work

Well, I know it doesn't work, so I'll start with 1.6V. I really thought I needed to increase VCCIO and VCCSA to get a good OC, are you sure I shouldn't touch them, cuz my IMC might be the stubborn one, right? lol

And thanks for the safe range for VDIMM, wanted that. I'll try 2133MHz if I can get 1866MHz stable. Thanks a lot for the tips, I'm used to trial and error and sudden issues, my CPU OC taught me that, it degraded a couple of times when at 4.5GHz in just 6 months, but after I went for 4.4GHz and -0.04V, it's been stable for a year.

 

Thanks a lot for the help guys, I don't know much about memory OC so I needed a starting point with those voltages. And what about other timings? Any secondary or terciary timings I should worry about that is worth my time? Because I've seen a lot of timing tweaking with the Ryzen RAM Calculator, so would like how much that would help.

 

And to OC I go, wish me luck guys, I'll be back with the feedback today or tomorrow.

[Jurrunio]

9 minutes ago, Vasllo said:

And VCCSA and VCCIO I just couldn't find solid max safe voltages online, so thanks for that, but are you sure those aren't too high? Because stock is 0.925V and 1.050V for VCCSA and VCCIO, respectively.

That's so I've heard before. On my CPU it stops getting better (or maybe my sticks just arent that good to push the IMC to the max) at 1.2V

[Vasllo]

Well, I'm back. And the feedback is: My memory was having none of it

Tried everything, even as high as VDIMM 1.75V, VCCSA 1.2V and VCCIO 1.3V (and a lot of combinations before getting to these extreme settings) to try 1866MHz 9-9-9-24 and 1600MHz 7-9-7-21 and nothing worked, without enough voltage the system would just freeze at boot and with high voltages, would just keep power cycling. So yeah, my PC is full of my shit, I guess it's doing it's best and I won't mess with it no more, it's been through enough. Thanks for the information though, guys, really appreciate it.

[.Apex.]

7 hours ago, Vasllo said:

Well, I'm back. And the feedback is: My memory was having none of it

Tried everything, even as high as VDIMM 1.75V, VCCSA 1.2V and VCCIO 1.3V (and a lot of combinations before getting to these extreme settings) to try 1866MHz 9-9-9-24 and 1600MHz 7-9-7-21 and nothing worked, without enough voltage the system would just freeze at boot and with high voltages, would just keep power cycling. So yeah, my PC is full of my shit, I guess it's doing it's best and I won't mess with it no more, it's been through enough. Thanks for the information though, guys, really appreciate it.

Seems like the 2600K has trouble hitting 1866mhz, I have no doubt that the RAM can hit 1866mhz CL9 below max safe voltage

And 1.3V for VCCIO is very high, I wouldn't recommend going anything above that or you might kill it, I guess you're stuck with what you have for now
you're welcome though

[Vasllo]

Was messing a bit more with my RAM since I couldn't leave it alone. Tried 1866MHz 10-10-10-27, posted, but was flashing the screen on Windows, so upped VDDIM to 1.6V, stopped flashing the screen, but froze when loading apps, so I upped VDIMM to 1.65V and VCCIO to 1.15V. Will leave a stress test running through the night, but seems stable for normal usage, at the very least.

 

Update: Nvm, I'll stay stock, this fucker just can't. It started spitting errors and fucked up my Windows in Prime95 memory controller and memory stress test, and after I loosen up the timings to 10-11-10-30, it still spit one error and that was enough to know it wouldn't work, so I'll keep the 1600MHz CAS9. Well, it was an interesting journey.