Will increasing the CPU's overclocking capability allow it to manage faster RAM?
Will increasing the CPU's overclocking capability allow it to manage faster RAM?
OC'ing isn't assured to succeed. The Ryzen 5 3400G remains a Zen+ chip. DDR4-3200 isn't automatically confirmed; it may need some adjustments using the Ryzen calculator, and achieving speeds up to 3466MHz or 3600MHz is uncommon. My b-die 3600 XMP profile needed tweaking before it functioned at 3600 on my 3800x. However, all 3800x/x570 boards can operate at 3600 without any changes. Having an XMP profile doesn't guarantee immediate success. Occasionally, the memory controller requires minor voltage adjustments. Just make sure everything worked for the OP.
There are only two assurances in life—paying taxes and dying—but this CPU isn’t bound by its IMC.
I’ve had different experiences with this configuration. I adjusted DOCP/XMP to 3000 and set the memory to 3600MHz, which allows it to function at XMP 3000 levels (like Cl16, etc.). All issues seem to stem from the BIOS and memory, not from the CPU or its IMC.
Just keep in mind that each CPU behaves differently, but I faced the same problem with my 4930k. I wouldn’t try a 4.6GHz processor with 2400MHz RAM; instead, 4.5GHz works well at the same frequency. Toms managed to overclock his hardware to DDR4-3466 with specific timings. I believe the main challenge with Zen+ is that the Infinity Fabric could push the RAM beyond its limits, eventually reaching a ceiling. The fabric often sets the boundary for RAM overclocks. As far as I recall from Zen 2, you can adjust the ratio between input frequency and memory speed. This might cause a slight latency but allows you to exceed the input frequency limit (5000MT/s). Even with Zen 2, the input limit is around 1800MHz or 3600MT/s for RAM. If both run at the same rate, that’s your maximum.
There are additional considerations too.