Adjusting basic/value RAM speed from 1600MHZ to 1833MHZ
Adjusting basic/value RAM speed from 1600MHZ to 1833MHZ
Hi everyone.
I've been trying to figure out something that's been on my mind lately. I recently purchased a second stick of identical RAM to take advantage of dual-channel memory. It's a Crucial 8GB DDR3-1600 UDIMM CT102464BA160B CL11.
My system is an AMD A8-7650K with an R7 series APU, and I've learned that increasing the RAM frequency can help improve iGPU performance. The motherboard I'm using supports up to 2133 MHz, but my goal is to push the RAM up from 1600 MHz to around 1833 MHz.
My question is: is it possible to overclock this RAM? I'm looking for value RAM—just a standard chip with memory blocks, no extra heatsinks or fancy features. I've heard that reputable brands usually allow at least a slight boost. Since I'm on a budget and can't afford premium options like Ballistix at higher speeds, I'm wondering if this would be feasible.
Anyone have experience with this? Thanks in advance for your advice.
It might be possible to push it further.
It really depends on the luck involved in how much you can boost it.
Here’s what I’ve tried with my memory overclocking so far:
I upgraded some budget RAM from 1333 to 1445Mhz at 1.57V (increasing the clock), and a few important Ballistix Elite models from 1600 to 1790 at the same voltage (boosting the clock too). I also experimented with a Ballistix Tactical model, pushing it from 1833 to 2000 at the standard voltage (multiplying memory speed by that factor), though it wouldn’t exceed the stock 1600 speed.
I haven’t noticed any overheating in my memory. It seems those so-called "heat spreaders" are mostly just marketing hype.
It might be possible to push it further.
It really depends on the luck involved in how much you can boost it.
Here’s what I’ve tried with my memory overclocking so far:
I upgraded some budget RAM from 1333 to 1445Mhz at 1.57V (increasing the clock), and a few important Ballistix Elite models from 1600 to 1790 at the same voltage (boosting the multiplier), plus some Ballistix Tactical that stayed at stock speed of 1600.
I haven’t noticed any overheating in my memory. It seems those so-called "heat spreaders" are mostly just marketing hype.
Initially. Thank you very much for your prompt response!
That was exactly what I was hoping to hear—so much appreciated!
At this point, it seems the best move is to try it out.
The second component should be delivered by the weekend, and I’ll adjust accordingly.
Hopefully I can reach my target of 1833mhz.
I’ll share the results once I have them for the community.
Again, really thank you for taking the time to share your experiences. It gave me the confidence to proceed!
Cheers!
Jo
OMG!
I received my second 8Gb RAM stick.
I ran a benchmark on Total War: Rome 2 with Medium settings.
SETUP 1:
1Gb stick at 1600Mhz, iGPU set to 1024Mb
===26.0 FPS (average)===
SETUP 2:
2 Gb sticks at 1600Mhz, iGPU in "Dual Graphics" mode (not 2nd GPU) to simulate a higher capacity for upgrade purposes
===44.8 FPS (average)===
SETUP 3:
The only adjustment from SETUP 2 was increasing the RAM speed from 1600Mhz to 1833Mhz
===49.4 FPS (average)===
Now I have another concern...
In MSI BIOS, there was an option to boost the RAM up to 2400Mhz, but I heard that for this CPU (AMD A8-7650K), it only supports up to 2133Mhz.
Is that accurate? Or should I just push it to the limit?
Also, on one side it's Value RAM with no special heatspreader (which was overrated before), but would I risk overheating if I reached 2400Mhz?
Keep in mind I haven’t changed the CL timings at all—they’re quite high. Should I consider altering them?
My current specs are:
FSB
😀
RAM - 3:28
CL - 13
tRCD - 11
tRP - 11
tRAS - 28
tRC - 45
Any suggestions for CL timings suitable for 1833Mhz or even 2133Mhz/2400Mhz? I did "Link" my RAM in BIOS, but I’m not sure if that matters since both sticks had identical settings.
Just sharing the outcomes of my tests, as many people ask questions but rarely share their results.
Thanks to @lodders for your reply!
Cheers
Jo
It really changes things in a great way! You've already boosted the speed, but it's unlikely you'll be able to improve the timing further.