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Memory Voltages Questions

D

Deadlierchair

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Jun 12, 2003
Messages
1,400
Google wasn't a huge help so...

How far is it safe to go with voltages on memory? I know it's a pretty big range of voltage, 2.6 to 3.3 volts, so how high should you go to be safe? I have a stick of Samsung DDR400 from about a year ago that I put up 0.1 volts to 2.7 and that seems to be fine. Any wisdom about memory voltage that anyone would like to share?
 
Memory Voltage

Sometimes a little extra voltage is all that's required to encourage your defiant DDR to straighten up and fly right. You can adjust the ddr voltage quite easily through your motherboard’s BIOS as you would for your CPU’s voltage. Like CPU overclocking, raising memory voltage above default (default is usually 2.5v or 2.6v for DDR) at higher memory clock speeds may aid stability and/or enable you to use lower latency timings.

Although the ddr voltage has nothing to do with the CPU itself, it plays an integral part in the big picture. If we are running a synchronous mode (1:1), then for every 1MHz increase in FSB speed, the RAM speed will increase by 1MHz. So in these cases an elevated memory voltage will often prove helpful in maximizing the overclocking potential of the CPU.

A few points to consider when raising memory voltage:


Like CPU overclocking, increasing memory voltage should be done in the smallest increments available. Put your system through a few paces of a program like memtest86 after each step. If it fails testing, bump the voltage a little more and test again.


0.3 Volts over Default - That's a bit conservative for some people (including me), but should be enough for most. This is also the maximum provided by most motherboards. On such motherboards, hardware mods or modified bioses maybe required to gain access to more voltage.


Some of the higher voltages (2.9v to 3.3v) available on certain motherboards may damage the RAM with long exposure, so check with other people who have your RAM to get a feel for its voltage tolerances. The memory you save may be your own.


Compliments of Drisler
Memory FAQ

Also, I run 2.8 without any problems, but it's also only been about a month too.
 
Ouch, can't believe I didn't see that FAQ. Thanks for pointing it out.
Click to expand...

lol yeah for sure. I didn't see it either at first, somebody had to point me to it too. Then I read the whole thing and became an instant master! :D yeahhhhh. lol I've learned to read all the stickys on this board now, because they really do rule and they are VERY informative. This board has really good mods.
 
2.5v is for a module lifespan of 10+ years. Winbond's maximum operating voltage on BH-5 thru CH-5 is 3.6v. now thats not necessarily its maximum safe voltage, but the maximum that memory will run at period, and it might be about right-- i cant boot mine past 3.75v. some people like Lastviking have BH-5 that can benefit from even 3.8v for short periods of time.

like anything in overclocking, theres no definate line to cross.

anyway.. many, many people have been running theirs at around 3.5v for several months, ever since it was discovered how fast BH-5 can go with enough voltage. i myself im running 3.55v on the sticks below. ill be seein how it goes. but ive not yet even heard of someone killing their memory with too much for too long.
 
2.5v is for a module lifespan of 10+ years. Winbond's maximum operating voltage on BH-5 thru CH-5 is 3.6v. now thats not necessarily its maximum safe voltage, but the maximum that memory will run at period, and it might be about right-- i cant boot mine past 3.75v. some people like Lastviking have BH-5 that can benefit from even 3.8v for short periods of time.

like anything in overclocking, theres no definate line to cross.

anyway.. many, many people have been running theirs at around 3.5v for several months, ever since it was discovered how fast BH-5 can go with enough voltage. i myself im running 3.55v on the sticks below. ill be seein how it goes. but ive not yet even heard of someone killing their memory with too much for too long.
Click to expand...
HOLY CRAP MAN! :eek: :eek:
 
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