So there’s a lot of information out there about overclocking your CPU but what about
overclocking your memory? RAM can be overclocked, and with RAM performance being more of a factor
than it was several years ago – especially on AMD platforms – it’s good to know how
you can give your memory a free speed boost.
So let’s jump right in. The MOST straightforward way to tweak your memory speed is to use a
setting called XMP, which stands for Extreme Memory Profile – and even though it was
developed by Intel, you can typically find it on both Intel- and AMD-based motherboards.
Although sometimes under the name DOCP.
XMP offers pre-loaded profiles, one of which is most likely going to match the specifications
that you see on the RAM packaging or on the sticks themselves. You see, when you install
a new stick of RAM, your system will usually default to running it at a LOWER, safe speed
to ensure compatibility.
So XMP gives you an easy way to set your memory frequency, timings, and voltage to match what
it says on the spec sheet. Just go into your UEFI BIOS, select the matching XMP profile
from the memory settings page, and reboot your system. Keep in mind that there’s a
slight chance that a system with an XMP profile loaded may not be fully stable if you’re
pushing the speed beyond what the compatible memory speed listed on your CPU’s spec page,
which you can find easily on Intel or AMD’s websites.
You’d also do well to remember that lower end motherboards can have a hard time keeping
up with overclocked memory.
However, if you’re sticking to what is listed on the memory packaging, chances are you should
be okay – CORSAIR memory is built and tested for performance and reliability for overclockers.
But let’s say you want to go beyond XMP and tweak the settings yourself to get even
more out of your RAM. You’ll want to find the memory frequency in your UEFI BIOS and
slowly increase it – it’s a good idea not to go up more than one step at a time.
You can also combine a speed increase with shortening your TIMINGS – those numbers
in a sequence on the back of your RAM. Try lowering the first FOUR numbers by ONE each,
so that’s tCL, tRCD, tRP, and tRAS, rebooting, and checking for stability.
You can also lower the command rate from 2T to 1T for an additional boost. Although if
you have all of your memory slots full, that may not be possible.
Now you might be able to get away with a slight overclock just by increasing the speed and
tightening the timings a bit, but you’ll probably want to give your RAM a little more
VOLTAGE to ensure stability, especially if you’re going for a relatively high overclock.
Make sure that you’re conservative with how much voltage you add, as too much can
damage your system.
DDR4 runs at 1.2 volts by default, and many kits are rated by their manufacturers to run
at 1.35 volts with XMP. Many motherboards will allow you to bump your voltage by just
0.005 volts at a time, so take advantage of that and raise your voltage slowly until your
system is stable. As far as how high you can go, keeping things below 1.4 volts is probably
a safe bet.
Another protip for stability is to tweak your “system agent,” sometimes called “VCCSA”
on Intel and “SOC” on AMD as well as the VCCIO voltages. These settings control the
voltage of the memory controller and CPU IO respectively. Now, although these are PROCESSOR
voltages and don’t directly touch your RAM sticks, giving them a bit more juice can help
stabilize your system, because they help the integrated memory controller on the CPU run
at these higher frequencies. Again, be careful when touching these – use the smallest increments
your motherboard offers.
Once you’ve got all your settings dialed in and your system seems to work, it’s a
good idea to stress test your system for about a day to make sure it’s actually working
and doesn’t crash – there are plenty of options for doing this,
so we're gonna try to link a couple in the video description
but it's a good idea to do some of your own research online and figure out which stress testing utility you might want to use.
Of course,
if you’re having serious problems getting even a modest overclock, make sure your system
make sure that your system has adequate cooling and airflow.
And that’s it! Enjoy the free performance boost, and remember that when you’re looking
to build or upgrade your system, Corsair has a full lineup of Vengeance and Dominator memory,
built for performance, stability, and longevity. And with modern aesthetics and RGB lightning,
of course, so check them out today!