DDR4 RAM running at 3200MHz
DDR4 RAM running at 3200MHz
I have two computers with minor differences in their configurations. First Machine: Asus 370-P running Windows 10 64-bit, Intel Core 8th Gen i5-8600K, 3.6GHz/4.3GHz, 32GB DDR4 RAM at 3200MHz, G.Skill Aegis (x4 8GB), Zotac Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 6GB, 520W, SeaSonic 80+ Bronze. Second Machine: Asus 390-P running Windows 10 64-bit, Intel Core 8th Gen i7-9700K, 3.6GHz/4.9GHz, 32GB DDR4 RAM at 3200MHz, Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro (x4 8GB), Zotac Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 8GB, Artic White O.C., 650W, SeaSonic 80+ Platinum. My problem is with the second machine. The RAM isn’t working with its XMP profile; it’s clocked at 2666MHz and experiencing crashes, freezes, and BSODs. I’m curious if this relates to the i7-9700K processor. I originally had that CPU in the i5-8600K on the Asus Z370-P board and still faced the same XMP issue. Anyone have any suggestions about what might be wrong?
Officially your CPU only works with 2666, anything higher would be an unofficial modification and not recognized. The rating applies to a 1R configuration; adding four DIMMs would likely require at least two R configurations, which typically support slower memory speeds—so it's not a problem, just a limitation of the hardware. Your CPU simply can't handle it, you didn't win the silicon lottery.
The same applies to the Intel Core 8th Gen i5-8600K, which handles DDR4 RAM at 3200MHz exceptionally well. My Intel Core 9th Gen i7-9700K can only technically support speeds from around 2800MHz up to 3000MHz. I understand this is memory overclocking; the JDEC specs range between 2133MHz and 2666MHz, which I’ll take into account and explore further.
It seems most 9th generation Intel CPUs can handle 3200, though a few might struggle. It would still count as a 9700K and wouldn't cause any problems.
Reflecting on the situation, I've faced some trouble with the Intel Core 9th Gen i7-9700K. The first unit didn’t work, and even though I adjusted the RAM settings on the Z370-P (which later became the Z390-P Mobo), it kept having problems. My second one, which received an Intel warranty replacement, might still reject X.M.P., but it doesn’t just fail completely every few seconds.