P67A-GD65 & XMS3 query

mikeo · 12 Jun 2011 at 00:12

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.

mikeo · 12 Jun 2011 at 10:21

Thanks folks. I'll try what's been suggested.

mikeo · 15 Jun 2011 at 11:46

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.

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!

mikeo · 15 Jun 2011 at 11:47

whoops ... first ever double post.

mikeo · 15 Jun 2011 at 15:16

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 · 15 Jun 2011 at 16:04

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 · 15 Jun 2011 at 17:34

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.

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

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

mikeo · 15 Jun 2011 at 18:59

Plec said:
The current voltage isn't shown - you have to trust the BIOS on this one.

Yep... I sort of assumed that might be the case from a quick GOOGLE.

I'll have another go then.

mikeo · 15 Jun 2011 at 22:33

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 · 15 Jun 2011 at 23:04

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 · 17 Jun 2011 at 11:10

Plec

Continuing slightly off thread I know. But thought you might be interested.

Been playing around with OCing the CPU now. I've stuck with changing the turbo boost and everything else on auto. Currently set to 42/42/42/42

10 runs of IBT fine.

Currently running prime 95 and temps seem little hotter than running at stock!
IE. No single core has gone over 60C yet and this is with all case fans (5 of them) only running at 75%. early days yet, I'll leave it running all day me thinks. Looks like the Gelid fan is pretty good. Though I have read that the I5-2500 is a pretty cool running chip anyway. Also pretty cool up here in sunny (ha) Scotlandshire!