DDR3 + DDR3L

Disco_P · 18 Nov 2015 at 17:42

Spec:
2550k @ 4.6ghz
Z77 sabertooth
Gtx titan
2x4gb Corsair vengeance low profile white 1600mhz cl9 1.35v DDR3 (from mid 2013)
2x4gb Corsair vengeance low profile white 1600mhz cl9 1.35v DDR3L (from today)

Bought the 2nd kit to expand memory from 8 to 16GB. Both kits are CML8GX3M2A1600C9W. New stuff is a different revision and also DDR3L.

I ran OCCT with AVX compatible linpack for 3 hours without a hitch. I'll be running it again overnight just to be sure.

Am I in the clear? I assume DDR3L is just a name that didn't exist back then.

setter · 18 Nov 2015 at 17:50

Id hazard a guess that the L was tacked on to identify the ram as a low voltage kit. Most DDR3 was rated at 1.65v.

UTmaniac · 18 Nov 2015 at 18:00

"L" versions of DDR3 can work with specific (low-end?) Z170 motherboards and "Skylake" CPUs.

Disco_P · 18 Nov 2015 at 18:19

setter said:
Id hazard a guess that the L was tacked on to identify the ram as a low voltage kit. Most DDR3 was rated at 1.65v.

This was my guess too.

UTmaniac said:
"L" versions of DDR3 can work with specific (low-end?) Z170 motherboards and "Skylake" CPUs.

This might be useful at some point. Probably won't but it might be.

powelly · 18 Nov 2015 at 21:38

There are certain skylake boards that take DDR3L but most of them seem pretty rubbish from what little i've seen

Firejack · 19 Nov 2015 at 12:34

"DDR3L" just indicates it operates at a low voltage of 1.35v.

If you check the SPD info using something like CPU-Z it will show other voltages your memory operates at. A lot of the better quality original DDR3 ran at 1.35v before DDR3L was even a spec.

I've used mixed DDR3/DDR3L in systems without issues.

Disco_P · 19 Nov 2015 at 12:39

Thanks for the clarification. Just did 10 hours of OCCT without an issue so I'm going to assume all is well and start playing some more video games.

rtho782 · 23 Nov 2015 at 09:20

Your only issue may be that if your non-L ram is calling for 1.65v, your L ram might not be able to cope with this long term (as you are effectively overvolting it).

Disco_P · 23 Nov 2015 at 09:56

Both kits are running at 1.35v

rtho782 · 23 Nov 2015 at 12:29

Yes, sorry, just read your original post fully, apparently I was an idiot earlier

Sounds like you're fine then, ignore me :3

DDR3L Spec was published in 2010, sounds like for some reason they didn't brand your earlier kit as DDR3L but if it's specced to run at 1.35v it seems the difference must be tiny.

http://www.jedec.org/news/pressrele...anticipated-ddr3l-low-voltage-memory-standard

Disco_P · 23 Nov 2015 at 12:50

It's possible they didn't label it as DDR3L as people might see it and think it wouldn't work with their DDR3 motherboards.

But now some skylake boards support DDR3L it could be a selling point. Either way everything works now so I needn't worry.