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Does overclocking RAM make a difference?

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  • Overclocking
  • Performance
  • RAM
  • Memory
Last response: in Overclocking
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July 3, 2013 10:19:05 PM

Hello,

Does overclocking RAM make a difference? If so, does certain RAM offer more performance when overclocked compared to others? If not, does certain RAM perform better than others in general?

Thanks in advance

More about : overclocking ram make difference

a b K Overclocking
a b } Memory
July 3, 2013 10:27:38 PM

It is not worth it. Overclocking RAM yield such little advantages and performance increase that it is more trouble than it is worth. I would say it may make a difference in APU-based systems or heavy duty video editing applications. Still, the performance increase is really really small to the point of being negligible. I would rather buy higher RAM speeds and lower latency RAM than overclock it.
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a b K Overclocking
a b } Memory
July 3, 2013 10:32:59 PM

it totally depends on the platform used, older Core 2 series will see huge improvement in speed with faster ram, howerver newer core I series have so much better memory controller than the ram is use at the max (i get about 30GB/s with 2133mhz CL10 ram and 30.5GB/s with 105 base clock and 2240mhz ram with an 3770k, for comparison 1600mhz CL9 is about 27gb/s with the same overclock so the ram speed isn't that much important nowadays and you won't notice any difference as it's plenty for anything you'll throw at it anyway...

My core 2 quad Q6600 paired with 800mhz CL5 was getting about 6-7GB/s and at 4.05ghz with 1200mhz CL5 ram, it was a lot more in the 12GB/s range if i remember corectly...

For AMD, from what i've seen, faster ram will help a lot in video rendering or heavy CPU usage task...

Also any integrated graphics will greatly benefit from faster ram...
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a b K Overclocking
a b } Memory
July 4, 2013 12:00:51 AM

I wouldn't run your RAM above it's rated speed by more than 3% for extended periods.
If you're talking about raising the FSB to something inline with over-engineered RAM to bring the rest of the system up to spec with the RAM (overclocking the CPU in the process), then yeah, that will make a huge difference... so long as it's stable.

Over-clocking RAM, beyond it's rated maximums, is just asking for problems.
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February 28, 2014 5:26:49 AM

If the CPU, motherboard, and memory kits are all rated at 1600MHz, ..... why am I seeing people talk about 2133MHz and 2240MHz memory speeds? Wouldn't the CPU/motherboard just bring it down to 1600MHz? Sorry if this is dumb question. I read the specs on the CPU, motherboard, and memory kits separately and they all said 1600MHz. Would there be a difference in performance if I go out to buy the most expensive 2XXXMHz memory kits?
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June 24, 2014 6:46:26 AM

sedona said:
If the CPU, motherboard, and memory kits are all rated at 1600MHz, ..... why am I seeing people talk about 2133MHz and 2240MHz memory speeds? Wouldn't the CPU/motherboard just bring it down to 1600MHz? Sorry if this is dumb question. I read the specs on the CPU, motherboard, and memory kits separately and they all said 1600MHz. Would there be a difference in performance if I go out to buy the most expensive 2XXXMHz memory kits?


For DDR3 the maximum stock speed is 2133. However, almost no manufacturer exceeds 1600 as their maximum factory standard (In fact it might even be 1333). What you see when you read about higher speeds are binned factory overclocked memory DIMMs. The question of whether the CPU/motherboard will bring it down to 1600MHz has to do with a number of factors, but practically, this is a BIOS question. That is, are you able to change the memory speeds in your BIOS. This can be a matter of stability.

Part 2: Why buy 'faster' RAM? Remember that 'fast' RAM is manufactured exactly the same as 'slow' RAM. For example Corsair Platinum 1600 - 2400 RAM is manufactured EXACTLY the same way. BUT the 'faster' RAM has been stress tested to be stable at the higher clock speeds. It has been binned. I usually buy ram that has been binned HIGHER than what I want to run the memory at. WHY? Ram the has been binned for higher speeds will LIKELY have better stability at lower speeds as well.

TL:D R Memory speed can usually be tweaked in your BIOS, dependent on your setup, and higher speed RAM has been binned to be stable at higher speeds.
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July 13, 2014 11:34:36 AM

From a performance standpoint, most people who ask about overclocking are most interested in getting the most out of their system for gaming. While most Intel systems benefit very little from higher speed ram (when gaming) so long as the GPU has plenty of memory to work with the game. While i do know that the newer Trinity AMD APU's crave faster ram to help with game render and scaling. The other thing that higher speed memory would help with is more system intensive desktop applications. As an artist I prefer to use Paint tool SAI for my artwork, running my 16GB ADATA ram at 2133Mhz is in fact very benficial to the application speed and functionality. As for stability I can speak for the ADATA ram as being some of the more stable ram at higher speeds. Clocking mine from the factory 1866Mhz to a much better 2133Mhz with the same CL9 timings.
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July 13, 2014 11:37:57 AM

Tabris DarkPeace said:
I wouldn't run your RAM above it's rated speed by more than 3% for extended periods.
If you're talking about raising the FSB to something inline with over-engineered RAM to bring the rest of the system up to spec with the RAM (overclocking the CPU in the process), then yeah, that will make a huge difference... so long as it's stable.

Over-clocking RAM, beyond it's rated maximums, is just asking for problems.


Your entire answer depends on the Model, Make and initial speed (and timings) of the ram.
Taking some old samsung DDR2 1333Mhz with CL11 timings to 1866Mhz with CL9 timings is inviting a system hard crash.
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