3200Mhz instead of 2666mhz

[joshfourie]

Hi
I have an i5 10400F CPU and H470M-plus motherboard which is rated at max compatible ram of DDR4 2666Mhz. Currently installed 16gb 2666Mhz. Question...can I install additional 3200Mhz DDR4, or will it just not detect it? I know that all ram will run on the slowest installed speed of 2666, which is fine, but is buying and installing 3200Mhz not advisable and money in the bin. There's a lot of specials on 3200Mhz ram as it most common and therefore the interest.

 

[ShrimpBrime]

Hi
I have an i5 10400F CPU and H470M-plus motherboard which is rated at max compatible ram of DDR4 2666Mhz. Currently installed 16gb 2666Mhz. Question...can I install additional 3200Mhz DDR4, or will it just not detect it? I know that all ram will run on the slowest installed speed of 2666, which is fine, but is buying and installing 3200Mhz not advisable and money in the bin. There's a lot of specials on 3200Mhz ram as it most common and therefore the interest.

Yes the 3200mhz stick should be equipped with Jedec timings and speeds and would probably work ok. And dual channel should help with the performance too. So buy a 3200mhz stick and slap it in. Probably more good than bad will come of it.

 

[Harlow]

Depending on the order in which the BIOS checks the speed ratings of the two DIMM types, you may find the computer boots up at 3200MT/s instead of 2666MT/s. In effect, the BIOS might overclock the slower DIMM(s) and set the RAM clock speed to 1600MHz (3200MT/s) without your knowledge, if it sees the higher speed DIMM first and doesn't check the remaining DIMMs.

If you use CPU-Z or Aida64 to check the SPD (Serial Presence Detect) settings in your DDR4 DIMMs, you'll probably find a bunch of different timings at various clock speeds, plus additional XMP settings at a higher voltage, e.g. 1.35V instead of 1.20V. There's a good chance your DDR4-3200 DIMMs will have a 2666MT/s setting in the SPD (plus 2133, 2400, 2800 and 3000).

I installed two sticks of 3200MT/s RAM in my AMD system (2600X CPU rated at DDR4-2933 max) but the PC would not POST, until I relaxed the CL command rate from 18 to 20. With easier timings, the system runs fine at 3200MT/s, despite being faster than the notional 2933 maximum speed rating of the CPU's IMC (Integrated Memory Controller).

Best bet is to experiment, then run a stress test to see if the system is stable.

 

[ShrimpBrime]

Depending on the order in which the BIOS checks the speed ratings of the two DIMM types, you may find the computer boots up at 3200MT/s instead of 2666MT/s. In effect, the BIOS might overclock the slower DIMM(s) and set the RAM clock speed to 1600MHz (3200MT/s) without your knowledge, if it sees the higher speed DIMM first and doesn't check the remaining DIMMs.

If you use CPU-Z or Aida64 to check the SPD (Serial Presence Detect) settings in your DDR4 DIMMs, you'll probably find a bunch of different timings at various clock speeds, plus additional XMP settings at a higher voltage, e.g. 1.35V instead of 1.20V. There's a good chance your DDR4-3200 DIMMs will have a 2666MT/s setting in the SPD (plus 2133, 2400, 2800 and 3000).

I installed two sticks of 3200MT/s RAM in my AMD system (2600X CPU rated at DDR4-2933 max) but the PC would not POST, until I relaxed the CL command rate from 18 to 20. With easier timings, the system runs fine at 3200MT/s, despite being faster than the notional 2933 maximum speed rating of the CPU's IMC (Integrated Memory Controller).

Best bet is to experiment, then run a stress test to see if the system is stable.

The board will never post 3200mhz, it's unsupported. 2667mt/s is all they will get no matter what order the sticks are installed in.

 

[AleXXX666]

The board will never post 3200mhz, it's unsupported. 2667mt/s is all they will get no matter what order the sticks are installed in.

and if you up CPU to i7 then it will run 2933, but not above, yes.

Depending on the order in which the BIOS checks the speed ratings of the two DIMM types, you may find the computer boots up at 3200MT/s instead of 2666MT/s. In effect, the BIOS might overclock the slower DIMM(s) and set the RAM clock speed to 1600MHz (3200MT/s) without your knowledge, if it sees the higher speed DIMM first and doesn't check the remaining DIMMs.

If you use CPU-Z or Aida64 to check the SPD (Serial Presence Detect) settings in your DDR4 DIMMs, you'll probably find a bunch of different timings at various clock speeds, plus additional XMP settings at a higher voltage, e.g. 1.35V instead of 1.20V. There's a good chance your DDR4-3200 DIMMs will have a 2666MT/s setting in the SPD (plus 2133, 2400, 2800 and 3000).

I installed two sticks of 3200MT/s RAM in my AMD system (2600X CPU rated at DDR4-2933 max) but the PC would not POST, until I relaxed the CL command rate from 18 to 20. With easier timings, the system runs fine at 3200MT/s, despite being faster than the notional 2933 maximum speed rating of the CPU's IMC (Integrated Memory Controller).

Best bet is to experiment, then run a stress test to see if the system is stable.

don't compare AMD to Intel. Different chipsets configuration. AMD allows "memory OC" on not "enthusiasist class" chipsets, Intel not.

If OP upgrades CPU to i7 then he could run RAM at 2933 max.

 

[redeye]

Hi
I have an i5 10400F CPU and H470M-plus motherboard which is rated at max compatible ram of DDR4 2666Mhz. Currently installed 16gb 2666Mhz. Question...can I install additional 3200Mhz DDR4, or will it just not detect it? I know that all ram will run on the slowest installed speed of 2666, which is fine, but is buying and installing 3200Mhz not advisable and money in the bin. There's a lot of specials on 3200Mhz ram as it most common and therefore the interest.

you can install it, in general the bios will just set the timings to the 2666 stick. (it is guaranteed that z series intel MB’s have Memory overclocking, and H series to i think.

that cheap 3200 stick, is probably the same as a 2666 stick, but with Relaxed timings to work at 3200, thus it should work at 2666.

 

[iameatingjam]

don't compare AMD to Intel. Different chipsets configuration. AMD allows "memory OC" on not "enthusiasist class" chipsets, Intel not.

Thats not true anymore. I can overclock memory on my b760 board, and actually, and it officially supports really fast memory, faster than a lot of cheaper z boards. up to 7600 I think.

Though yeah I believe that is the case with OPs mobo.

 

[AleXXX666]

Thats not true anymore. I can overclock memory on my b760 board, and actually, and it officially supports really fast memory, faster than a lot of cheaper z boards. up to 7600 I think.

Though yeah I believe that is the case with OPs mobo.

right mention, yes, I meant the "old era". Starting from 11th Gen Intel CPUs and Intel B560 chipset, one can OC memory too. Good fun example that 10th gen doesn't support 3200&up RAM "officially" with H/B 4** chipsets, but with B560 you can use 10 gen CPU with 3200&up RAM, and it adds good boost, I tested with 10400 for example. Maybe H series doesn't allow RAM OC tho.

 

[Waldorf]

@joshfourie
while just randomly buying a stick and installing it will probably work, but even on intel (less sensitive MC), i would still want at least identical speeds and timings.
or set stuff manually, then test with TM5, Memtest64 or HCI (read: not memtest86, its not made for stability testing), to verify its stable.

@Harlow
except that lots of ram makers bin their dies for ages now, and unless they were "out of stock" for certain dies (and used a "better" one from higher tier product to make the lower end one), or the kit needed better dies already, to reach given specs/random use of different dies between some kits (e.g. corsair LPX <> dominator), most wont do more than whats printed on the label, especially on kits without heatsinks/above jedec profiles (XMP/AMP).


its one thing for someone saying, ill get xx number, and if its able to do more if i spend some time tinkering with it, fine, but most gamers/avg users are better off buying a kit matching cpu (intel/amp) on profiles.
so unless your pc is for plain office use, i prefer to get kits made/tested to work properly, the same way i dont cheap out and buy 4 different type/brand of tires, when i need new ones.