F5F Stay Refreshed Power Users Overclocking Is the issue with your system related to overclocking RAM and CPU, or could it be due to a faulty motherboard?

Is the issue with your system related to overclocking RAM and CPU, or could it be due to a faulty motherboard?

Is the issue with your system related to overclocking RAM and CPU, or could it be due to a faulty motherboard?

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choppa2002
Member
87
01-15-2026, 06:31 AM
#1
Hello there! I increased my CPU's speed a while back, but only managed to raise it from 4.2ghz to 4.4ghz. Temperatures were okay and the voltage stayed stable. However, stability stopped after that point—my screen would freeze during stress tests. I decided to test out some VENGEANCE LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 DRAM at 3200MHz. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to reach that speed; my PC wouldn’t boot and I had to reset the CMOS battery. I could only get it to run smoothly at 2122MHz. The RAM uses a default voltage of 1.35, and dual-channel worked fine. But when using a single-channel Team Group Vulcan DDR4-2400 16GB stick, I was able to overclock it up to 2800MHz. What’s happening here? Could my Asrock Z270 Pro 4 be the issue? All voltage settings are set to auto.

Best regards,
Jobjanusz
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choppa2002
01-15-2026, 06:31 AM #1

Hello there! I increased my CPU's speed a while back, but only managed to raise it from 4.2ghz to 4.4ghz. Temperatures were okay and the voltage stayed stable. However, stability stopped after that point—my screen would freeze during stress tests. I decided to test out some VENGEANCE LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 DRAM at 3200MHz. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to reach that speed; my PC wouldn’t boot and I had to reset the CMOS battery. I could only get it to run smoothly at 2122MHz. The RAM uses a default voltage of 1.35, and dual-channel worked fine. But when using a single-channel Team Group Vulcan DDR4-2400 16GB stick, I was able to overclock it up to 2800MHz. What’s happening here? Could my Asrock Z270 Pro 4 be the issue? All voltage settings are set to auto.

Best regards,
Jobjanusz

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ayapasdepb
Member
128
01-15-2026, 06:31 AM
#2
When you OC, you need to increase the voltages. MB and CPU support more than the base RAM clock speed. MB can go up to 3733MHz but IMC only reaches 2400MHz; have you tried enabling XMP and then starting modifications from there? I believe trying to raise 2400MHz RAM to 3200MHz might be too much. If that RAM could reliably run at 3200MHz, it would have been specified from the start and priced higher.
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ayapasdepb
01-15-2026, 06:31 AM #2

When you OC, you need to increase the voltages. MB and CPU support more than the base RAM clock speed. MB can go up to 3733MHz but IMC only reaches 2400MHz; have you tried enabling XMP and then starting modifications from there? I believe trying to raise 2400MHz RAM to 3200MHz might be too much. If that RAM could reliably run at 3200MHz, it would have been specified from the start and priced higher.

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oHits
Member
176
01-15-2026, 06:31 AM
#3
I'm not aiming to limit my 2400mhz ram stick to 3200mhz. I have a separate 3200mhz ram kit that I wish to use at its standard speed. Is 1.35 v for 3200mhz really sufficient?
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oHits
01-15-2026, 06:31 AM #3

I'm not aiming to limit my 2400mhz ram stick to 3200mhz. I have a separate 3200mhz ram kit that I wish to use at its standard speed. Is 1.35 v for 3200mhz really sufficient?

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KablooieKablam
Posting Freak
908
01-15-2026, 06:31 AM
#4
The VENGEANCE LPX RAM with a starting frequency of 3200mhz will fail to power on at that setting.
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KablooieKablam
01-15-2026, 06:31 AM #4

The VENGEANCE LPX RAM with a starting frequency of 3200mhz will fail to power on at that setting.

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coreylemonade
Member
217
01-15-2026, 06:31 AM
#5
3200MHz is provided by XMP OC, with a base speed of 2133MHz.
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coreylemonade
01-15-2026, 06:31 AM #5

3200MHz is provided by XMP OC, with a base speed of 2133MHz.

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KingSmylie
Member
156
01-15-2026, 06:31 AM
#6
So there is nothing I can do really do to run that ram at 3200mhz? And what about my cpu?
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KingSmylie
01-15-2026, 06:31 AM #6

So there is nothing I can do really do to run that ram at 3200mhz? And what about my cpu?

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DarkTitanPT
Member
162
01-15-2026, 06:31 AM
#7
The 7700k is fairly straightforward to overclock, and it should handle an XMP profile at 3200Mhz. You might need to slightly raise the memory voltage to around 1.36 for better stability.
I tested a 7700k running at 5Ghz all cores with DDR4 3000Mhz at 1.3 volts (a minor undervolt, but I didn’t focus on that)
It required an unusually high core voltage of about 1.416 and a delidding (standard paste, though one hot core was present), but 4.5Ghz should be achievable with less effort, since the CPU already supports it. If you can’t reach 1.35 volts on the CPU to sustain 4.5Ghz, the issue may lie with the CPU itself.
When you boost core voltage, you must also raise the input voltage (up to roughly 2V is the limit; I don’t remember the exact setting) and use a strong LLC configuration to prevent crashes under heavy stress.
Refer to a reputable Skylake or Kabylake overclocking manual—those resources are much more helpful than brief forum notes. They’re both solid guides, though my current favorite isn’t readily available.
https://www.tweaktown.com/guides/74...e-...index.html
Skylake Overclocking Guide [With Statistics]
www.overclock.net
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DarkTitanPT
01-15-2026, 06:31 AM #7

The 7700k is fairly straightforward to overclock, and it should handle an XMP profile at 3200Mhz. You might need to slightly raise the memory voltage to around 1.36 for better stability.
I tested a 7700k running at 5Ghz all cores with DDR4 3000Mhz at 1.3 volts (a minor undervolt, but I didn’t focus on that)
It required an unusually high core voltage of about 1.416 and a delidding (standard paste, though one hot core was present), but 4.5Ghz should be achievable with less effort, since the CPU already supports it. If you can’t reach 1.35 volts on the CPU to sustain 4.5Ghz, the issue may lie with the CPU itself.
When you boost core voltage, you must also raise the input voltage (up to roughly 2V is the limit; I don’t remember the exact setting) and use a strong LLC configuration to prevent crashes under heavy stress.
Refer to a reputable Skylake or Kabylake overclocking manual—those resources are much more helpful than brief forum notes. They’re both solid guides, though my current favorite isn’t readily available.
https://www.tweaktown.com/guides/74...e-...index.html
Skylake Overclocking Guide [With Statistics]
www.overclock.net

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cabub3
Junior Member
38
01-15-2026, 06:31 AM
#8
I'm still under 4.5. Even with the voltage at 1.3, my fans begin increasing to maximum and temperatures rise significantly (around 70°C or higher when idling). I can only use auto mode for it to function properly. Tomorrow I'll test the 1.36V setting for the RAM.
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cabub3
01-15-2026, 06:31 AM #8

I'm still under 4.5. Even with the voltage at 1.3, my fans begin increasing to maximum and temperatures rise significantly (around 70°C or higher when idling). I can only use auto mode for it to function properly. Tomorrow I'll test the 1.36V setting for the RAM.

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alertings
Junior Member
23
01-15-2026, 06:31 AM
#9
What options do you have for cooling? 70C idle isn't correct.
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alertings
01-15-2026, 06:31 AM #9

What options do you have for cooling? 70C idle isn't correct.

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diegorufer9
Junior Member
42
01-15-2026, 06:31 AM
#10
The Cooler Master Hyper 212 LED still struggles to reach 4.5 ghz even with the noctua NH-D15s. However, adjusting the voltage to auto resolves the temperature issues.
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diegorufer9
01-15-2026, 06:31 AM #10

The Cooler Master Hyper 212 LED still struggles to reach 4.5 ghz even with the noctua NH-D15s. However, adjusting the voltage to auto resolves the temperature issues.