Sandy Bridge RAM OC
Sandy Bridge RAM OC
Hello,
Here are my system specifications: i5 2500K @ 4.5GHz, GTX 970 3.5GB, HyperX Blu 2x4GB 1600MHz DDR3 RAM, AsRock P67 Performance Fatal1ty, beQuiet! 500W 80Plus Gold.
I’ve started experiencing high CPU usage in recent games such as Witcher 3, leading to frame skipping. Since my CPU isn’t handling more load, I’m considering upgrading the RAM speed to 1866MHz. A video from Digital Foundry about Sandy Bridge performance suggests that faster RAM can really help these CPUs (link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frNjT5R5XI4). However, I’ve read online that overclocking RAM is more complex and risky. I’m particularly concerned about potential OS corruption from this change.
Currently, I use an XMP profile set to 9-9-9-27 at 1.65v. My main questions are: how dangerous would it be to just increase RAM speeds to 1866MHz without changing other settings? Could a BSOD really damage the operating system? If I manage to boot into the OS successfully, should I run tests like SuperPI? And what would be the severity of any resulting BSOD?
Best regards
I won't raise the voltage further. My default XMP settings are set this way. I'm only curious about the dangers of changing the frequency without adjusting other parameters.
Alternatively, I'm considering other options instead of raising the voltage further. My current XMP profile is my standard setting. The main concern here is whether boosting the frequency would cause any issues, without making other changes. The danger lies in system instability and the inability to start up. Personally, I wouldn't worry much; game performance isn't greatly impacted by memory speed. It seems safer to reduce graphics settings first, as that's more likely to hit VRAM limits rather than CPU limits
Not at all, my VRAM consumption stays under 3GB in The Witcher 3. Have you seen the DF video I mentioned? A 10-15% performance improvement comes from using faster RAM, which isn't that significant. In MSI afterburner, I can clearly see 100% CPU usage on the graph (http://imgur.com/aLCJbSK).
Alternatively, my VRAM consumption stays under 3GB in The Witcher 3. Have you seen the DF video I mentioned? It shows a 10-15% performance increase thanks to faster RAM, which isn't that significant. In MSI afterburner, I can clearly see 100% CPU usage on the graph (http://imgur.com/aLCJbSK). I'm not interested in any random clip; I'm sharing this based on experience and several well-prepared tests from various reviewers (http://www.anandtech.com/show/4503/sandy...est-ddr3/6) that suggest RAM speed usually has only a minor impact on system performance. In fact, going from 1333MHz to 2133MHz typically brings about about a 1% boost in games, and around 10% for memory-limited tasks like decompression or compression.
The tests you mention date from 2011 when the latest generation games were still emerging. Current-gen titles take advantage of quicker RAM, as shown by DF's experiments. This improvement is particularly noticeable on Skylake platforms, though older systems also gain benefits. Their professional analyses are not random.
The tests you mentioned date back to 2011. Back then, last-generation games were prevalent. Modern games take advantage of faster RAM, as shown by DF's experiments. This improvement is especially noticeable in Skylake platforms, though older systems still perform well. Their professional analyses aren't random.
You also noticed the link contained tests beyond gaming that require heavy computation? One video from a company that doesn’t conduct genuine hardware reviews isn’t a valid reason to stress your CPU.
But let's focus on the main point: you might be able to adjust the clock speed, but stable clocks are unlikely without increasing voltage and making timing less precise. Avoid raising the voltage—you’re already at the safe maximum (1.65V). If stable timings remain impossible, consider upgrading your memory or accepting the limitations.
Yes, increasing RAM frequency can potentially cause OS corruption if it exceeds the system's capabilities.