DDR 3 1.5 V vs. DDR 3 1.65 V

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SNYP40A1

Limp Gawd
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Mar 13, 2005
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I have a Intel Core 2 Quad based system with the G41 chipset on a Asus P5G41T-M LE motherboard. I recently bought this ram:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227539

It's spec is 1.65V while my old ram was 1.5V. The memory is called "Low-Voltage" and is the same DDR3 1333 as my old RAM, but my old ram ran at 1.5V and it was not called "Low-Voltage". Anyhow, my system ran fine the first day, but today firefox froze up on me and another application crashed (this never happens to me). I went into BIOS and default is set at 1.5V. Do I need to bump it up to 1.65V? Seems like the answer would be yes, but I don't want to break anything so I thought I'd ask the question just to be safe...memory is optimized for i3, i5, i7, but I thought all DDR3 was the same...do the new Intel products require higher voltage memory?
 
yes.
no.

The ad appears to be in error. For DDR3 and Intel 1.5V is the Jedec standard ram voltage designed for stock speeds and latencies. High performance ram usually requires more = 1.65V to run at higher speeds and or lower timings. 1.35 stuff is newest and that is "low voltage" ram.

Above is "in general" there is all kinds of in-between stuff.
 
SNYP40A1 said:
I have a Intel Core 2 Quad based system with the G41 chipset on a Asus P5G41T-M LE motherboard. I recently bought this ram:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227539

It's spec is 1.65V while my old ram was 1.5V. The memory is called "Low-Voltage" and is the same DDR3 1333 as my old RAM, but my old ram ran at 1.5V and it was not called "Low-Voltage". Anyhow, my system ran fine the first day, but today firefox froze up on me and another application crashed (this never happens to me). I went into BIOS and default is set at 1.5V. Do I need to bump it up to 1.65V? Seems like the answer would be yes, but I don't want to break anything so I thought I'd ask the question just to be safe...memory is optimized for i3, i5, i7, but I thought all DDR3 was the same...do the new Intel products require higher voltage memory?
Click to expand...

Actually, it's the sloppy quality control from OCZ's manufacturing subcontractor and the lack of true quality-control check from OCZ. Plus, some of the components used in the OCZ-branded memory products do not meet official JEDEC standards.

The i3/i5/i7 are designed for 1.5V memory.

But some very early DDR3 memory modules require 1.8V or even 1.9V just to run reliably. Hence, OCZ calls its 1.65V DIMMs "Low Voltage" because the previous versions of that same company's memory required 1.8V.
 
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Thanks for the notes. I have not had any problems at all running the system today. I updated the MB Bios last night and then ran memcheck. Memcheck stated memory was fine and system has been stable. Problem probably had something to do with putting it in suspend.
 
Actually, I think the problem was the memory. I ended up replacing it with GSkill Ripjaws and my system has been running stable for about a week now (was previously crashing about once per day on the OCZ Gold).
 
E4g1e said:
But some very early DDR3 memory modules require 1.8V or even 1.9V just to run reliably. Hence, OCZ calls its 1.65V DIMMs "Low Voltage" because the previous versions of that same company's memory required 1.8V.
Click to expand...

yup, I have some Crucial Tracer Ballistix that need 1.8v, Im surprised my 920 didnt burn up haha
 
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