i7-13700K supports standard DDR4 memory modules.
i7-13700K supports standard DDR4 memory modules.
Consider DDR4 speeds that work well with your i7-13700K. While some suggest 3600 for optimal performance, others note the CPU only supports up to 3200. For the Aorus Z690 Elite motherboard, aim for speeds that match your system’s capabilities without causing issues.
3600 offers great value right now. You can easily achieve those speeds with XMP, but keep in mind that anything above 3200 is seen by Intel as an overclock. Using those speeds comes with your own risk.
13th gen works well around 4000-4400 in gear 1. Values over 3200 are technically an overclock, but 3600 is likely to run without issues unless your RAM or board has problems. Avoid the 3600 scam—it doesn’t improve performance noticeably (around 1%) and costs more than $20 extra. Focus on reaching the maximum TRIFI value (like 65536, 66666, etc.) for better results.
I just upgraded from 3200c16 to my first bdie kit 3600 dual rank 14-14-14-28 tfrc 280 and trefi 111111. Adjusting the settings on xmp really made a big impact. My performance jumped from 42gbs 75ns on the old setup to 55gbs 45ns, and my lows in games improved noticeably. I think it’s worth the investment and effort.
It's interesting to see if the primaries make a difference. Since you're using old hardware, I wonder how 16-16-16 compares to 14-14-14 in terms of performance. Setting TRIS and TRFC is straightforward, while other timings like TFAS, TCK, and TRRD-L/S are easier to adjust. Just tweak them until the system boots and then fine-tune for stability.
My settings don’t include a TRC option in BIOS, and it seems I reduced the timing from 65ns to 62ns using just primary clocks.
Identified specific moments when latency, bandwidth, or performance improvements were most significant. Consider adjusting the cas if it isn’t delivering substantial gains, as that setting usually consumes excessive power.