P67A-GD65 & XMS3 query

mikeo

mikeo

mikeo

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Hi

The board / BIOS would appear to select 1333MHz with 9/10/10/25 timings as default.

Now I know that you can select XMP in the BIOS and run the memory at it's rated value. (IE.1600MHz 9/9/9/24).

But quite happy to leave it as is, if only because it runs at 1.5v at 1333MHz, rather than 1.65v at 1600MHz.

A couple of questions though.

1) Am I "really" loosing much by running the RAM at a slightly lower speed?

2) Are the timings OK that the board sets?
It's just that the SPD values CPU-Z shows are 9/9/9/24 for 1333MHz!

Thanks in advance.

PS. IBT and a couple of hours of Prime95 appear fine. And the BIOS memory test passes OK. I'm just being a bit cautious.
 
This will give you an idea of the difference RAM speed makes:

The Best Memory for Sandy Bridge

It defaults to 1333MHz as that's the maximum standard speed for DDR3. Anything above that is "overclocking".

You should be able to set the speed and timings manually at 1600MHz and 9-9-9-24. The memory should run fine with these settings at around 1.5V.
 
You've paid for quality memory you may as well use all its features - one of them being that it will usually run at 1600Mhz at ~1.5V, which is why it's recomended so much for a SB setup.

As already mentioned - set frequency and timimgs manually and set the voltage to 1.5V. The XMS has a high ratio of running at under 1.55V and usually at 1.5V

If your system becomes untsable just bump the voltage up an increment or 2 until it's stable.
 
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Yeah just to echo the previous posters, i have XMS3 and set voltage at 1.5v and frequency at 1600Mhz. This worked flawlessly and the timings on auto were the rated 9/9/9/24.
 
hi guys ive got a similar problem with the same board and Kingston HyperX Genesis Grey 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C9 1600MHz Dual Channel,
Could some body please give me the steps on how to change it from 1333 to 1600 ive changed it in the BIOs 3 times and it keeps showing 1333 in cpuz and msi control center.
Also the board has an XMP option is this the same as XMS on the corsair ram and will it be ok to enable it with the kingston ram.
 
IT'S UNCLE BOB said:
hi guys ive got a similar problem with the same board and Kingston HyperX Genesis Grey 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C9 1600MHz Dual Channel,
Could some body please give me the steps on how to change it from 1333 to 1600 ive changed it in the BIOs 3 times and it keeps showing 1333 in cpuz and msi control center.
Also the board has an XMP option is this the same as XMS on the corsair ram and will it be ok to enable it with the kingston ram.
Click to expand...

Hi.

Just switch on the XMP option in the BIOS. Assuming your memory supports it of course.

I'll be interested to hear if it sets the right memory timings! The XMP profile for my memory should be 9/9/9/24, both AUTO and XMP option set 9/10/10/25.

I've decided to leave my XMS3 memory set at 1333MHz as it runs nice and stable at 1.5v on this. And to be totally honest, in 99% of situations.... I doubt if you would notice any difference between this and 1600MHz. Only my opinion of course.

PS. Obvious comment I know. But remember to save the changes that you've made in the BIOS!
 
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mikeo said:
I've decided to leave my XMS3 memory set at 1333MHz as it runs nice and stable at 1.5v on this.
Click to expand...

Mikeo, you can still use the XMP and still change the voltage manually - as you probably know (although manual input for all settings is advisible). So, why don't you try running the XMS3 at it's XMP profile and reducing the voltage to 1.5V - or 1.55V, if you're concerned, as that's still well within tolerence for SB?

Test it for few days - and if doesn't work out load up your original defaults. But if it does work you're at least getting the full use out of what you paid for. Plus, birds will appear when you are near, and women will find you more attractive... Ok, so i lied about the last bit - but it's worth trying as there's nothing to lose. ;)

Additional: UNCLE BOB - for simplicity enable the XMP and then manually set the volatage (DRAM) that's required - if it's a Sandybridge setup it should ideally be under 1.58V if your clocking (try 1.5V first and then test for stability via memtest/prime 95 and general use).
 
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Plec
You do make a sensible point.

Interestingly if I select XMP settings. It still sets the timings at 9/10/10/25, rather than the XMP settings of 9/9/9/24. Not sure what that's all about!? There is a later BIOS and one of the things they mention is "improved memory compatibility". Though I always hesitate to update the mobo BIOS unless absolutely necessary.

If I decide to set manually. I'm right in saying that these 4, plus the voltage, are the only ones that I would need to change!? As to the voltage, I assume that I would just pick the nearest to 1.5v? as they are all odd numbers like 1.49 etc.
 
mikeo said:
If I decide to set manually. I'm right in saying that these 4, plus the voltage, are the only ones that I would need to change!? .
Click to expand...

Yes, although you will have to disable the XMP to set the timings - if you get stuck post back.

mikeo said:
As to the voltage, I assume that I would just pick the nearest to 1.5v? as they are all odd numbers like 1.49 etc.
Click to expand...

Yes, you can pick either - although i suspect you'll be happier with the one slightly over 1.5V.
 
Yep... just had another go. And you are right... you need to disable XMP to set timings manually.

Now I can get it set to 1600 with the correct timings (9/9/9/24/2t) but if I set the voltage to say 1.49V. when booting into windows, CPU-z says voltage = 1.6v.

Confused I am.

Any suggestions?
 
mikeo said:
CPU-z says voltage = 1.6v.

Confused I am.
Click to expand...

Are you sure you're not looking at the "FSB : DRAM" which is 1:6? As this is not the voltage.

Sorry about the edits i was tring to make the colon stand out with colour.
 
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Plec said:
Are you sure you're not looking at the "FSB : DRAM" which is 1:6? As this is not the voltage.

Sorry about the edits i was tring to make the colon stand out with colour.
Click to expand...

Yep... that is exactly what I'm looking at.

Whoops... so where is the memory voltage shown then in CPU-z?
 
Right.

I've had another go and set it to 1600MHz at 9/9/9/24 2T.

Tried the voltage at just under 1.5v and on booting back into the BIOS, I could see the "real" DRAM voltage fluctuating.

So tried it at 1.514v and on re-booting, it seemed steady at 1.488v

As an experiment. Tried setting the voltage at 1.524v (which it is at the moment) and on re-booting, the voltage was still showing at 1.488v. Almost like it had reached some steady state.

Running Prime95 blend as we speak. Been about 40 minutes up to now and all appears fine. I'll leave it running for a couple more hours and see if things appear stable.

Plec ... question ... do you think 1.524v looks like it might be enough?

Thanks for your input up to now.

PS. Out of interest. Highest CPU temp (processor at stock at the moment) that I've hit, is 55C.
 
mikeo said:
Plec ... question ... do you think 1.524v looks like it might be enough?
Click to expand...

Yes, i do.

If it's prime stable and doesn't BSOD during general use then that's stable. You could run memtest to dot the 'i's and cross the 't's - but once you've used and abused it during general use (along with a bit of prime/memtest) that's more than enough for testing memory stability.

mikeo said:
PS. Out of interest. Highest CPU temp (processor at stock at the moment) that I've hit, is 55C.
Click to expand...

Those temps are fine/good at stock - great/exceptional if the system clocked?
 
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Plec

Thanks for your input. Appreciated.

I'll give the system a bit of a bashing over the next couple of days (IE. real world use). Just had Battlefield Bad Company 2 turn up. So I'm thinking (hic) that should be a nice stability test.

CPU temps are with I5-2500k at stock. I've played around seeing what I can bump the trubo boost ratio's up to and 4.2 on each core, with everything else on auto / unchanged appears OK and only appears to bump the CPU temps up by around 5/6C. CPU voltage looks to top out at around 1.288v at this. Strangely, if I just bump the CPU ration up, the vcore hits 1.388V! I would have thought on auto it would have been the same!? But I digress .... I have another thread running about this in the OC forum. Happy at 4.2 GHz though myself.

Sandy Bridge (at the moment) certainly gets the "thumbs up" from me".

:):):)
 
mikeo said:
Plec

Thanks for your input. Appreciated.
Click to expand...

No problem - glad to see you're getting your monies worth.

With regards to your OC if you wanted to try a different approach - rather than turbo boost and setting each individual core (perfectly fine approach) - you could simply manually set the multiplier and start playing with the voltages (but save your existing profile first in the BIOS).

If you want play it conservatively, up the multiplier to just 43 and set the vCore to 1.25V (opening salvo but the vcore should be enough as it's usually the 4.5 mark that voltages start creeping up significantly). This should, hopefully keep things stable (if not bump up vCore slightly) - and after proving its stability reduce the voltage incrementely until it buckles. Then go back to last known stable voltage.

Then apply a similar principle to higher clocks - it's that simple for relatively low clocks - even high clocks, but you usually have to start playing with other settings, to keep things stable, past 4.6Ghz (but even then it's not difficult.)
 
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