Discussing a RAM upgrade
Discussing a RAM upgrade
Hello everyone, This is my current setup: 9900KF (stock) Aorus Z390 Elite 2x8Gb Crucial Ballistix 3600C16 micron rev-E I am not using XMP, all primary XMP timings are set manually and command rate to 1T. Everything else is on auto. VCCIO/SA at 1.12/1.22v and 1.35v mem/training voltage. It has been like this for almost an year rock solid. I am looking to upgrade adding another kit of these for 32Gb. Will it increase memory performance (c/r/w results) or most likely lose in latency? also, will need to increase vccio/sa to handle 4 modules or maybe use 2T? I am confused about ranks/dual-channel, if I had for example 2x16gb DR sticks, would it perform same as 4x8gb SR config? is there any advantage in running 4 modules?
4x8GB in dual channels equals 2x16GB dual rank. 4x16GB dual rank becomes 4x8GB single rank in dual channels, which is a quad rank. More ranks generally mean slightly more bandwidth, though it can also increase latency. Quad rank puts extra stress on the memory controller and may restrict your overclock potential significantly.
Hi JM, I’m just starting to understand RAM and came across a Chinese YouTube video. He explained D-type memory for Z490 or newer motherboards, as well as T-type Z390 boards, except MSI which uses D-types in Z390. There seems to be no subtitle. From his explanation, it looks like your motherboard is a T-type, meaning the memory connects to the CPU via routing that uses four slots. This should boost performance by around 5 percent, bringing it up from 90-95 percent. For Z490 boards or newer, using two RAM slots farthest from the CPU gives similar results at about 95 percent. On newer Z490 or MSI Z390 boards, Daisy chain or D-type routing with all four slots used yields roughly 90 percent performance. Today’s ITX boards are simpler because they have only two slots, each with its own channel, and the distance to the CPU is shorter, allowing up to 100 percent performance. However, using four slots for a 32GB RAM package often results in 99.99999 percent efficiency due to RGB effects, and high-speed low-latency RAMs in packs of four are much pricier than those in pairs of the same size. This is because higher quality components are needed to achieve that level of performance.
Your motherboard uses a T-form layout. Do you think the 9900KF memory controller can manage four 8GB modules at 3600MHz with CR2 slots on the current VCCIO/SA 1.12/1.22v specs? Could it be overloading by keeping them at CR1? I’m worried about potential problems and ending up having to lower the frequency, which would mean spending more money on a 3600MHz system when a cheaper 3000MHz C15 might work better.
9900KF meets your RAM requirements easily, but I question if any chip will work at 1.2V and 3600MHZ with four dimensions. You’ll need 1.35V chips and a motherboard with enough VRM to handle those voltages.
In the worst case, the device might completely refuse to start with the two new sticks, and the manufacturer will likely tell you they weren’t sold as a 4x8GB package—so you’re on your own. The second worst situation involves adjusting the frequency from 3600MHz to 3200MHz or tweaking timings, which could be necessary for compatibility. The best outcome is that everything functions smoothly without any problems.
Sure, both RAM/training voltages are at the standard 1.35. I also saw VCCIO/VCCSA mentioned. It seems Crucial doesn't offer a 4x8 3600MHz C16 board—maybe they don’t. Do you have any experience with similar configurations? Could you provide the VCCIO/SA voltages and timing details?
Well if it helps you feel more confident, I’ve mixed DDR3 HyperX and Patriot but both ended up with Hynix chips, so the risk was low. With DDR4, I used a HyperX paired with a G.SKILL—both SK Hynix and Samsung ICs—and it still worked fine. Even when overclocked from 2666MHz CL16-18-18-39-467 to CL13-15-15-30-415, it improved my Cinebench R23 score. ;D (One tough case was buying two Corsair DDR3-2133MHz kits and putting them in a system—it caused random BSODs, but Memtest didn’t catch anything. I fixed it later by changing the speed to 1866MHz.) Two out of three runs were solid... UwU
Your 1366 has two Vipers plus a dominator. One of the Vipers performed poorly. The system runs at 980 MHz with clock speeds of 9-10-9-27-36. The system agent is set too high; aim for around 1.1v. Using 1.2v might be better for faster 4000MHz and tighter timing. The chip should manage the extra registers, though memory training could help. It depends on how well the chip and board perform. Micron E-Die is known for speed, so running at 3600MT/s shouldn't be a major problem.