Can running memory above 1333MHz with AMD Phenoms corrupt the IMC?

[LifeOnMars]

Recently built my new rig and I have been looking at the best timings/ speed to run my memory.

FYI my memory is - G-Skill 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 1600MHz/PC3-12800 Ripjaw Memory Kit CL7(7-8-7-24) 1.65V

Now looking around various articles I stumbled across one that said running above 1333mhz memory with Phenoms can possibly corrupt the IMC? Myth or fact and if so, does it affect my 1090T?

I'm also wondering if running the memory at the speed and timings it's rated for is the best or if I should drop it down and get better latencies.

Any help, mucho appreciated

 

[claylomax]

It's funny I was just running my RAM at 1800mhz 9-10-9-24 at 1.65v; the sticker says 1333mhz 7-7-7-24 at 1.50v. What's IMC?

 

[LifeOnMars]

Integrated Memory Controller on the processors. Its obvious you can run above the stated timings/frequency but can this have an effect on the IMC and eventually corrupt it?

 

[micropage7]

Integrated Memory Controller on the processors. Its obvious you can run above the stated timings/frequency but can this have an effect on the IMC and eventually corrupt it?

as far as i know the worst scenario when you push too much is unstable, go BSOD or wont boot, except you play on the voltage it could fry your stuff

 

[n-ster]

tbh, I doubt it, especially at 1600, which is only 1 step over 1333

As for your RAM speed, 1600 cl7 is awesome, if you could do 1600 cl6 I'd be VERY impressed. AMD platforms do not really see much improvement after 1600, so latency is better starting from 1600 IMO, while intel platforms will see much improvement with higher speed even if you do sacrifice a bit of latency

 

[claylomax]

Integrated Memory Controller on the processors. Its obvious you can run above the stated timings/frequency but can this have an effect on the IMC and eventually corrupt it?

I can't answer your question; I just love how DDR3 overclocks much better than DDR2. See if this can help you: http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/memory/display/phenom-ii-x6-ddr3-2000.html

 

[Dent1]

It's 100% nonsense, the memory will not corrupt anything. Phenoms II are not any more subjectable to memory overclocking than any other brand of processor or platform. I've been running my Ripjaws 1600MHz @ 1800MHz / 7-9-9-20-11-1T for months on my Athlon II, no issues to report.

 

[Mussels]

all it means is that above 1333 you're OCing, so you may need to boost voltages.

MAY. most do 1600 fine at stock volts (well, more volts to the ram - 1.65v usually), some do more.

 

[n-ster]

Yea I've heard about "intel" [advertised] memory to need a voltage bump to run stock on AMD platforms

 

[pantherx12]

Thought I'd hijack thread somewhat

What would be the better setting for a phenom x6 1055t
6-7-6-20 @ 1.5v 1333mhz
or 7-8-7-27 1.65 1600mhz ?

 

[n-ster]

1600mhz IMO Do try 7-7-7-24 T1 (command rate), even with a small voltage bump if it needs it...

How'd your PC die?

 

[pantherx12]

1600mhz IMO Do try 7-7-7-24 T1 (command rate), even with a small voltage bump if it needs it...

How'd your PC die?

The toughpower died and took most of my rig with it HDD, CPU and RAM survived.

 

[Radi_SVK]

I can't answer your question; I just love how DDR3 overclocks much better than DDR2. See if this can help you: http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/memory/display/phenom-ii-x6-ddr3-2000.html

I have an older memory modules... G.SKILL PI silver Edition 6GB 3 -channel kit default @ 1600MHz and 8-8-8-21,but since my i7 950 is running @ 4.025GHz with 23 multi,I cant run them at default speeds,it comes to 1750MHz and 9-9-9-21.but they do not pass Intel Burn test at that speed.I have to keep the modules @ 1395MHz and 7-7-7-21 and they are amazingly stable and fast,my comp passes the Intel Burn Test at highest stress setting...but You may ask why Im bothering you with this?...I've noticed very interesting fact,which could make you not feel so bad when you are forced to under clock,and not overclock your memory modules.First,you should test your memory with IBT anyway after you overclock..my test result is interesting..not only my memory @ 1750MHz and 9-9-9-21 did not pass IBT,but the speed results of 1395MHz were about 10 Tflops higher....so while it looks nice and initially can make you feel like a winner when you see that you managed to overclock your memory modules,it may not neccesary have the desired effect after all.So its worth to try to underclock your memory and adjust the timings too.you might be surprised.

EDIT:

What would be the better setting for a phenom x6 1055t
6-7-6-20 @ 1.5v 1333mhz
or 7-8-7-27 1.65 1600mhz ?

Panther my previous longish post could be the answer

 

[Mussels]

The toughpower died and took most of my rig with it HDD, CPU and RAM survived.

please back me up next time i tell people that i dont like thermaltake PSU's, kthxbai.

 

[n-ster]

your post

Unstable RAM performs less good than stable RAM, Also, intel usually like more speed over latency, so again, unstable RAM is nothing to go by

 

[Radi_SVK]

unstable RAM is nothing to go by

Thats what I was talking about too

 

[mastrdrver]

Now looking around various articles I stumbled across one that said running above 1333mhz memory with Phenoms can possibly corrupt the IMC? Myth or fact and if so, does it affect my 1090T?

I'm also wondering if running the memory at the speed and timings it's rated for is the best or if I should drop it down and get better latencies.

Any help, mucho appreciated

As for the faster ram corrupting the IMC: impossible, its hardware you can't corrupt it with other hardware. Voltages (in general) on the other hand can cause damage.

Thought I'd hijack thread somewhat

What would be the better setting for a phenom x6 1055t
6-7-6-20 @ 1.5v 1333mhz
or 7-8-7-27 1.65 1600mhz ?

6-7-6-20 @ 1.5v 1333mhz

The tRAS for 1600mhz is terrible. Are these a 2x4GB kit?

I have an older memory modules... G.SKILL PI silver Edition 6GB 3 -channel kit default @ 1600MHz and 8-8-8-21,but since my i7 950 is running @ 4.025GHz with 23 multi,I cant run them at default speeds,it comes to 1750MHz and 9-9-9-21.but they do not pass Intel Burn test at that speed.I have to keep the modules @ 1395MHz and 7-7-7-21 and they are amazingly stable and fast,my comp passes the Intel Burn Test at highest stress setting...but You may ask why Im bothering you with this?...I've noticed very interesting fact,which could make you not feel so bad when you are forced to under clock,and not overclock your memory modules.First,you should test your memory with IBT anyway after you overclock..my test result is interesting..not only my memory @ 1750MHz and 9-9-9-21 did not pass IBT,but the speed results of 1395MHz were about 10 Tflops higher....so while it looks nice and initially can make you feel like a winner when you see that you managed to overclock your memory modules,it may not neccesary have the desired effect after all.So its worth to try to underclock your memory and adjust the timings too.you might be surprised.

I have the exact same memory sticks for my i7 920. They too are a nightmare to get any overclock above ~1750mhz out of them. Also your 10Tflops better performance did not come from the different ram speed and timings. I've looked that over several times and only about 2Tflops are given up on IBT/LinX with slower/looser ram speeds and/or timings. The 10Tflops you saw are related to the instability of the ram at 1750 not because of lower timings.

I do admit that I like your comment on the desire to want to run faster memory speeds over slower ones that will require less voltages as I myself have fought over it when trying to decide what to do (slower speeds with less volts or faster speeds with more).

"it looks nice and initially can make you feel like a winner when you see that you managed to overclock your memory modules"

 

[TheLaughingMan]

Integrated Memory Controller on the processors. Its obvious you can run above the stated timings/frequency but can this have an effect on the IMC and eventually corrupt it?

No. 1333 Mhz is the standard for AM3 processors. That just means it is the recommended clock speed that AMD uses. It means next to nothing. All it really means is that any AM3 motherboard will use that is the default speed and are required to support at least that speed for the RAM. And that is going to be easy since 99% of them are using AMD Northbridges anyway.

 

[cadaveca]

No. 1333 Mhz is the standard for AM3 processors. That just means it is the recommended clock speed that AMD uses. It means next to nothing. All it really means is that any AM3 motherboard will use that is the default speed and are required to support at least that speed for the RAM. And that is going to be easy since 99% of them are using AMD Northbridges anyway.

Um, no.

AM3 processors with 790FX and earlier only support DDR2-1066 max. AM3 cpus with 890FX support DDR3-1333.

Because it involves chipset, it DOES mean something...but you got it the wrong.

 

[btarunr]

Speeds or timings don't "corrupt" (you mean damage) IMCs, voltages do. Since the IMC shares the same die with the CPU cores, and since the CPU cores have a different voltage domain (vCore) from the IMC, increasing memory voltages has its effect on the electrical stability of the CPU die. To much vDIMM (which in turn increases PLL/CPU NB) causes electrical leakages from the PLL/CPU NB voltage domain to the CPU domain, damaging the processor.

Intel processors have a safe limit of 1.65V, AMD are safe till even 1.9V, since socket AM3 IMCs are compatible with DDR2 memory, which typically have higher voltages than this generation of DDR3 memory.

 

[Radi_SVK]

I have the exact same memory sticks for my i7 920

What are the lowest timings you managet to get out of them stable?

They too are a nightmare to get any overclock above ~1750mhz out of them.

I still love them they have a nice heatspreader design..several times I was trying to get my hands on another 6GB kit,unfortunately its seems to be impossible.

EDIT:If you are interested,it appears that the PI black Edition has exactly the same specs as Silver Edition,so its just the heatspreader color what is different..however yesterday I've bookmarked official G.skill forum and I shall ask the moderators to comfirm.

 

[scaminatrix]

I'm using some OCZ reaper C7 (see specs) 1600 C7 and they do 1933 at C9, if you get the C6 version, they'll hit 2000+ on C9 I reckon.

EDIT: Just noticed what this thread is actually about; sorry it's still early for me lol

 

[TheLaughingMan]

Um, no.

AM3 processors with 790FX and earlier only support DDR2-1066 max. AM3 cpus with 890FX support DDR3-1333.

Because it involves chipset, it DOES mean something...but you got it the wrong.

No, I am right. You said it all when you said DDR2. 1066 Mhz was the standard recommended speed for a current gen. AM3 chip when using DDR2 RAM. That is a second standard that has nothing to do with the first.

And it means nothing because the chip will gladly run with 800 Mhz RAM cause I have done it. And 1066 Mhz was the maximum selectable effective clock rate for all DDR2 based mobos that I can recall.

Will running it at a different speed effect the CPU? No
Will it damage the components if you use RAM at a different speed? No
Should the listed standard affect your RAM choice? No, cause as you stated the chipset will affect your choice limits more.

The reason I didn't say anything about the DDR2 standards is because he specifically stated he was using DDR3 RAM. That means no AM2 board at all. And like BTA said, the voltage of the RAM is what should be kept in check, not the clock rate and if it matches the standard.

 

[cadaveca]

Actually, that "2" in DDR2 was a typo.

 

[exodusprime1337]

one thing that you all should keep focused on is that ram speeds ie: 1333, 1600, 1800, 2000 are all great, but show diminishing returns if the cpu-nb doesn't follow. The easiest way to figure this out is in everest cache/memory bench. your ram read speed should be equal to or close to your l3 read speeds. if i clock my mushkin blackline ddr3 1600 at 1800(7,7,7,20,1t) and my cp-nb at 2400.. i get like 9k read speeds on the ram, and like 11k on the l3 with my processor at 4.3Ghz. but if i move my cpu-nb to 3200 where it currently is.. i get like 12k read on the ram, and 12k read on the l3.. those are numbers that coincide with each other. Always a good idea to look at the big picture. I know toms or xs did a comparison of game and bench performance with ram and cpu-nb, it does make a difference, i'll try and look it up.