Does RAM have to run at its advertised speeds to be safe/stable?

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MFoster88

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Aug 18, 2013
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Hi all,

I know this is a well covered topic, but I have a few tailored questions of my own regarding RAM.

I have just bought my first self build project, due this weekend;

I5 6600k, asus rog maximus hero viii z170, corsair vengeance 3000mhz, GTX 980ti sea hawk.

I didnt intend to over clock straight away (however I did plan to down the line) and through slight poor research iv just realised that the ram I bought would mean I am technically ocing straight away due to an xmp profile I would need to run for the ram to run at advertised speeds. I know this seems like a waste of money but My question is,

A. Do I have to run this ram at the advertised speeds for it to be safe/ stable

And B. What are the implications if I do run an xmp profile?

Thanks

Matt
 
Solution
S
Actually, ram is quite possibly more stable at unoverclocked speeds. XMP (eXtreme Memory Profiles) are a kind of overclock out of the box setting but they do not need to be activated. Most people have found that they can achieve tighter timings on the lower speeds. Being as you are new to building I would suggest reading some in depth ram overclocking tutorials before messing with timings. For now you are safe to run the ram at whatever your system defaults it to. Should you choose to run the ram at the rated speeds simply find the section in your manual about XMP profiles and follow the directions for activating them. Have fun!
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speach

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Feb 12, 2015
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Actually, ram is quite possibly more stable at unoverclocked speeds. XMP (eXtreme Memory Profiles) are a kind of overclock out of the box setting but they do not need to be activated. Most people have found that they can achieve tighter timings on the lower speeds. Being as you are new to building I would suggest reading some in depth ram overclocking tutorials before messing with timings. For now you are safe to run the ram at whatever your system defaults it to. Should you choose to run the ram at the rated speeds simply find the section in your manual about XMP profiles and follow the directions for activating them. Have fun!
 
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MFoster88

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Aug 18, 2013
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Wow quick answer! thanks a lot, just what I needed to know to put my mind at ease. I shall do just that, I was worried as I wanted to do more research in to all aspects of over clocking before I went tampering.
 
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MFoster88

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Aug 18, 2013
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Thanks, would the XMP profile have any affect in terms of lifespan to any of the hardware? And would I need extra cooling for cpu to handle it? I'm getting an evo 212 while I keep the cpu as it comes.

 
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speach

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Feb 12, 2015
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I had a quick look at the ram you bought and it looks like to reach the rated speed the memory has an XMP voltage of 1.35V. Stock DDR4 voltage is 1.2V so it is a bit of an increase. Increased voltage generates more heat and increases wear on your ram. Overclocking is really a balance of "how fast do I want this system to run?" and "How long do I want this system to last?". Being as your ram includes a limited lifetime warranty at it's rated speed and voltage requirement I would say you are pretty safe to run it full bore. Worst case scenario you'll have a few weeks to wait while the ram gets RMA'd and returned. Best case, you enjoy your system at top rated speed for several years without a problem. In most cases, I run my components at the fastest speed covered by warranty. As a quick aside, when the time inevitably comes that you want to push your ram past it's rated speed by overclocking you should not expect too much out of it. Ram is tested (often referred to as binned) for it's top rated reliable speed and sold at that price point to maximize profit. I would definitely suggest you shy away from pushing it further as it will require excess voltage which will undoubtedly void your warranty. Back in the day, ram was luck of the draw and you could push the odd set further but now it mostly is what it is. Enjoy your new build.
 
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