Attempting to boost RAM speed to 3200
Attempting to boost RAM speed to 3200
The title clearly explains what I just accomplished—building a new PC to replace my old one after the PSU failed. I'm really confused by the new BIOS, as they are completely different from my Z board setup. I have no idea how to interpret them, and the XMP profile keeps causing crashes before booting. I attempted a BIOS update but got nothing. I also have a Ryzen 5 1600X at stock speed, a Biostar X370GT5, and 8GB Corsair Vengeance LPX 3200 MHz RAM. Here are screenshots of the problematic BIOS: http://imgur.com/a/A2cRj Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Bonus points for tips on getting the R5 to run at 3.8 GHz.
Since I lack familiarity with your specific board, I cannot confirm whether it’s typical or not. However, you might want to disable Cool and Quiet to see if it unlocks a stable voltage setting. Keep in mind this could make the CPU fan run continuously at full speed, so proceed with caution.
A solid overclock: the Ryzen processor generally reaches around 4 GHz. Aim for 3.7GHz initially and experiment upward, hoping to achieve stable performance without overheating. Monitor the voltage applied to the CPU, as AMD advises against exceeding 1.35V continuously, since prolonged use above this may reduce its lifespan. Better cooling options will improve your overclock results.
I have already downloaded that bios update as mentioned in my request, but it still doesn't work. The agesa update is displayed on the site, yet it remains inactive. For the rest, I checked the timing settings from corsair for my RAM (18 16 16 34) and it still won’t boot. My old motherboard could have a voltage setting of 1.35; adjusting it slightly might help if there’s a small discrepancy. I’m not sure about the correct timings or where to find the right information.
OH please let me blunt... Biostar has not released the BIOS update that has the new AGESA update in it. Even when they do it is supposed to cover up to cover up to 4400 MHz ram. Now this is still considered overclocking, which is anything past 2666 MHz, so there is no guarantee that you will reach the 3200 MHz you are looking for. As for the link you provided, this is an old AGESA update that helped BUT not the the one I am referring to. By JUly if not before you should have a new update that will cover this new update. As for the RAM voltage, set the BIOS setting for voltage to manual and not Offset. This will give you a standard reading BUT will not allow the CPU or memory to lower its voltage due to load causing them both to be less energy efficient. As for the timings and not booting Please read this article and note that it was posted on May 29th 2017 and it says that the new update for Ryzen concerning the new AGESA update has not been released at this time. Again Wait till it is released and then we can help you come close to your goal. Thank you.
That's my responsibility—I was juggling multiple tasks and skimmed the link because I didn’t have time to fully read it, missing that section. Regarding the offsets, the available choices are auto, Manual, or xmp auto, followed by values like +0.012, +0.024, +0.036 on DDR voltage or +0.036, +0.070, and +0.105 under DDR VPP. I’m unsure what these represent. On my old Intel board, I would simply input the desired voltage directly—like entering 1.35 for 1.35 volts. What does +0.105 stand for? Is it equivalent to adding 1.05 volts? Or does it increase the value from 1.199 to 1.105? Timing options on my board are also confusing; I had four choices but now see five under DRAM timings. I’m just trying to figure out these new settings before starting, in case they cause issues with my PC.
Here’s a revised version of your text with the same length and structure:
This is what you’re observing for +.012V or the opposite - .012V. It’s the most challenging to understand because it adds that voltage to the "Base" level. For instance, if the Base voltage is 1.5000V and you apply +.012V, the result becomes 1.512V, while using the Negative offset gives 1.488V. This explains how offsets function. The main challenge lies in determining the correct "Base Voltage" to know what amount to add. The CPU is straightforward—you can set the offset to 0.0000V and use CPU-Z for a reading, though checking RAM is trickier. Sometimes using the negative offset lowers the Base voltage, so starting at a lower level is necessary.
Why do we need offsets? They enable the CPU and RAM to adjust their voltages during low-demand or idle periods, which ultimately helps reduce your electricity costs at the end of the month.
Manual Voltage
This represents your most direct voltage adjustment. Entering 1.488V in the BIOS for the CPU will set that value.
Be Aware
There’s a concept called "Vdroop," where the voltage naturally decreases when the component is under heavy load. To counteract this, there’s an option called LLC or Load Line Calibration, offering four different settings. Adjusting it helps prevent excessive voltage drops. Don’t set it to maximum unless necessary, as it can cause the voltage to rise significantly beyond what’s intended. Instead, test with a light load and fine-tune the LLC setting.
DDR Voltage
This is the voltage applied to RAM modules.
DDR VPP
Intended to stabilize the voltage, similar to LLC for the CPU, and assists with overclocking and timing adjustments.
Ram Timings
Refers to the number of clock cycles the RAM must wait before a new command can be sent. Tight timings (low) cause errors and crashes if too low; loose timings (high) slow performance. Lower timings increase speed but risk instability. To test stability, use Memtest86+ and refer to this guide for deeper insights:
http://www.overclock.net/t/381699/ram-timings-explained
It’s easier to follow the link than to explain everything here. You’ll gain valuable knowledge from it about RAM timings.
This is quite different from what I expected, especially since I haven’t done much overclocking and it’s been a while since I built a system. Thanks. I have a few more questions now. After learning more about the voltage settings, it seems my BIOS doesn’t have a manual mode—it only shows positive offsets. I plan to experiment with it tomorrow when I’m home, but unless there’s something missing, I can only adjust offsets. This is different from my X board, which did have a manual mode, and it was both before and after the BIOS update. Is this typical?
My next concern is finding a suitable starting overclock for air. I’m aiming for 3.8 to 4.0 across all cores, something stable in the long run but still providing a noticeable boost until I can set up water cooling. This should be interesting. Hopefully I can push my system up to 2400 at least before the next update. Oh well, the 2133 is still better than my old rigs like 1066... I guess.
Since I lack specific knowledge about your exact board, I cannot confirm whether it is typical or not. However, you might want to disable Cool and Quiet settings to see if it unlocks an option for stable voltage. Keep in mind this could make the CPU fan run continuously at full speed, so proceed with caution.
A solid overclock: the Ryzen CPU usually reaches around 4 GHz. Aim for 3.7GHz initially and gradually increase, hoping to achieve it without overheating. Monitor the added voltage to the CPU, as AMD advises against exceeding 1.35V continuously for daily use. Using higher voltages can reduce the CPU's lifespan if used excessively. Better cooling solutions will improve overclock performance and extend the CPU's life.
2133 is significantly faster than 1066. I tested 1066 with DDR2 memory, but running 1866 on an FX CPU works well. You’ll be pleased with 2133. Why not push it as high as possible?