Adjusting RAM voltage to sticker on RAM

[nate42nd]

I have some new G-skill 1066 Mhz RAM. My motherboard has the voltage at 1.8V. The RAM spec voltage is 2.0-2.1V. I have set this at 1.9V but am wondering if going to 2.0 or 2.1V would be a good idea. I have seem some tutorials and 2 page long papers on overclocking RAM but this is more simple. Is it better to have RAM voltage set to spec or leave it at "normal" or "auto"

 

[Solid004]

As far i know.

More RAM voltage = higher frequencies that the memory can reach and lets you use minor CAS latency than default. For example: the memories by default are set to 1.8v and 5-5-5-18 CAS latency, if you set them to 2.0-2.1 you can use a lesser latency like 4-4-4-12.

I hope you understand and I am sorry for my bad english.

 

[jw12345]

I wouldn't screw with it. You machine is decent but not bleeding edge, so I'm guessing you aren't that into tweaking every percent out of your machine.

Playing with voltages is more dangerous than playing with frequencies. Voltage issues can kill components, while too high frequency and even high heat will just shut your components down safely.

It might not even be likely to harm anything but think of it like this:
The upside: you might gain a fraction of a percent difference by enabling a lower latency. The downside: you fry half your computer.

 

[Solid004]

G.Skill in the box says (in my case):

CL4-4-4-12 2.0~2.1V

This means (I have read it in some place) that you can use a max of 2.1V with CAS 4-4-4-12 without losing warranty.

jw12345, how can you harm a computer increasing -to a reasonable value like 2.0- the memory voltage?

 

[nate42nd]

Wow, that's not what I expected to hear. Thank you for the responses. I have been running it at 1.9V instead of 1.8V for 24 hours and have had no problem. Maybe that's as far as I will go. Maybe I'll just change it back.

You are right....this new build is not cutting edge technology and I'm not a gamer. I just want to set things right. I have read that you should set voltage to rated voltage because most boards are set to run older RAM and they really don't adjust themselves.

Thanks again. Every bit of help I can get is good!

 

[nate42nd]

G.Skill in the box says (in my case):

CL4-4-4-12 2.0~2.1V

This means (I have read it in some place) that you can use a max of 2.1V with CAS 4-4-4-12 without losing warranty.

jw12345, how can you harm a computer with only increasing the memory voltage?

Mine is 2.0-2.1 at 5-5-5-15 and I have it running at 1.9 at 5-5-5-15 so I think I'll just leave it and keep reading and asking questions.

 

[Solid004]

Mine is 2.0-2.1 at 5-5-5-15 and I have it running at 1.9 at 5-5-5-15 so I think I'll just leave it and keep reading and asking questions.

In your case 1.8-1.9 are OK

 

[nate42nd]

In your case 1.8-1.9 are OK

So I'm okay but you do not recommend bumping the voltage to specified voltage on the sticker?

Thanks for the responses guys. I really need some opinions here. Just for fun if nothing else. I built this computer for fun mostly and plan to mess around with it. (but not fry it) haha

 

[Solid004]

So I'm okay but you do not recommend bumping the voltage to specified voltage on the sticker?

Thanks for the responses guys. I really need some opinions here. Just for fun if nothing else. I built this computer for fun mostly and plan to mess around with it. (but not fry it) haha

Bumping to that voltage (of the memory, of course ) is recommended if you are going to overclock the memory or decrease the latency.

For example: if you're going to decrease the CAS with that voltage it is probably that the system won't boot or will boot but will be unstable, in that case you need to increase the RAM voltage in order to have a stable system.

 

[nate42nd]

Okay, thank you. Have a great day.

 

[Solid004]

You too

 

[jw12345]

Some motherboards in my experience do not handle upping voltages very well. It can cause serious problems if a motherboard doesn't implement it very well or isn't really designed to run memory at a certain voltage.

Again, it's probably not going to hurt anything. But it can, even if by user error mucking around in the BIOS, and I don't see any real gain by overriding the motherboard. Memory only makes a noticeable difference with varying capacity, but memory speed and latency rarely are worth bothering with, especially on the Core 2 line, which aren't very memory sensitive at all. ANd if he isn't upping the voltage to better any of these, it matters even less.

I'd only recommend upping the voltage if the memory is unstable at a lower voltage, but not just because it's rated at 2.1V.

 

[TomW]

I have some new G-skill 1066 Mhz RAM. My motherboard has the voltage at 1.8V. The RAM spec voltage is 2.0-2.1V. I have set this at 1.9V but am wondering if going to 2.0 or 2.1V would be a good idea. I have seem some tutorials and 2 page long papers on overclocking RAM but this is more simple. Is it better to have RAM voltage set to spec or leave it at "normal" or "auto"

I'm having the same difficulty, so to speak, with my 1600 mhz RAM. The motherboard comes with the voltage set 1.66. Intel advises against any voltage above 1.65, so I'm pretty shut down in the RAM dept.

 

[nate42nd]

I'm having the same difficulty, so to speak, with my 1600 mhz RAM. The motherboard comes with the voltage set 1.66. Intel advises against any voltage above 1.65, so I'm pretty shut down in the RAM dept.

I am watching vids on youtube about my motherboard. I think you and I both have quality motherboards and we can probably bump out voltage up to spec. I looked at your specs and you have a nicer one than me and mine is highly rated. I am not going to worry much about it. I think the quality of the board has a lot to do with it.

Does Intel advise voltage for RAM? I am not familiar with Intel specs on RAM. If you know where I can find them let me know.

I just flashed my BIOS so I'm not scared of a little voltage on the RAM. haha

 

[TomW]

Not usually.. in the case of the Core i7 965 EE, I know they say anything above 1.65 can burn out their chip. Yikes. I believe it's because the chip, RAM, can be OC'ed so easily.

 

[nate42nd]

Not usually.. in the case of the Core i7 965 EE, I know they say anything above 1.65 can burn out their chip. Yikes. I believe it's because the chip, RAM, can be OC'ed so easily.

Voltages on the CPU are a different story. You need to be VERY careful with those. I guess no more careful than with the ram. But CPUs cost more. haha

 

[jw12345]

Voltages on the CPU are a different story. You need to be VERY careful with those. I guess no more careful than with the ram. But CPUs cost more. haha

No, there is a problem with RAM voltages on i7 chips. Source: Intel.

I don't know the mechanics of it, but RAM voltage also affects CPUs.

 

[nate42nd]

I see....Thanks for the info. I am reading about OCing. I know when you change the Mhz on the cpu, it affects the RAM so it would make sense the other way around. Or is it just on i7s?

 

[jw12345]

I've yet to do an overclocked i7 build. However, on most CPUs, frequencies are a multiplier of a bus (e.g., 266mhzx9 for the Q6600) and raising the bus frequency 1 mhz will raise the cpu frequency by 9 mhz. On some motherboard the RAM is linked to this same bus and thus is a multiplier of it, but on others, you can unlink the two and manipulate them separately.

So on a board where they are linked, then increasing RAM frequency would increase CPU frequency and vice versa. I don't know a huge amount about overclocking though, so my details might not be great.

 

[nate42nd]

Well I have a pretty good Gigabyte board and I have bumped my RAM voltage from 1.8 to 1.94 It has not affected my CPU and my RAM says on the sticker and the box to give it 2.0-2.1V

That's the reason for this thread, to find out if it's a good idea

I have found since starting the thread that most boards are set to 1.8V for RAM just in case you have 1.8V RAM......you are supposed to adjust the setting to what your ram needs. (on my board EP45-UD3P)