DDR3 Memory Voltage 1.5v or 1.65v?

R

Raxiel

Gawd
Joined
May 1, 2007
Messages
519
Hi there

I currently have a system (shown in sig) with 6gb of OCZ DDR3 memory that claims to be 1.65v (old vendor page here: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/158392, I think this is the ocz page)

I wanted to buy another 6gb and found some corsair vengeance with the same speed and timings from the same merchant.

Now, I know I'd have to run it all at the same voltage, but if I'm understanding the settings in my bios correctly, the OCZ stuff is already running at 1600mhz with just 1.5v (auto).

Sticking the Corsair stuff in there should just work right? Is there any way I can confirm the voltage the existing stuff is actually getting from within windows?
 
Should be just fine, as long as the timings and speed are the same, you can just adjust the voltage.
 
CTR1 said:
Sticking the corsair mem in should just work as most of the time brand doesn't matter, just the timings and speed are the main concern.

Using http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html should do the trick.
Click to expand...

Thanks, but CPU-z shows the suggested voltage on the spd tables, but I don't think it shows the actual voltage the dimms are getting.

My i7 hapily runs at 3.2ghz downvolted to 1.15v, so it's not unprecidented if the ram runs at 1600 from just 1.5v even if the spd says 1.65. I just want to be sure the MB 'auto' setting isn't bumping it up from 1.5v to 1.65v once it gets into windows.

I suppose I could manualy lock it at 1.5v and see if it behaves.

(The reason I doubt the BIOS is it also seems to say the ram is running at CL7, which is definetely not true)
 
Download HWMonitor, it'll tell you what your memory is running at. Since my RAM is rated for 1.65v, my motherboard on the auto setting automatically runs my RAM at 1.65v, not 1.5.

1.15v is not downvolted, that's about normal for an i7 920.

It is extremely likely that your RAM is actually running at 1066 mhz with CAS 7 timings, as default tends to set it at that. Do you have XMP enabled on your board? If not, and you haven't screwed around with the settings, then your RAM is probably running at 1066 with CAS 7.

You can trust the bios. Whatever it says you're running at in the bios, that's what you're running at. It's the software that you can doubt.
 
Tsumi said:
Download HWMonitor, it'll tell you what your memory is running at. Since my RAM is rated for 1.65v, my motherboard on the auto setting automatically runs my RAM at 1.65v, not 1.5.

1.15v is not downvolted, that's about normal for an i7 920.

It is extremely likely that your RAM is actually running at 1066 mhz with CAS 7 timings, as default tends to set it at that. Do you have XMP enabled on your board? If not, and you haven't screwed around with the settings, then your RAM is probably running at 1066 with CAS 7.

You can trust the bios. Whatever it says you're running at in the bios, that's what you're running at. It's the software that you can doubt.
Click to expand...

Thanks, looking at HW monitor it's saying the memory is getting 1.79v! Gonna try locking it at 1.5v and see what happens, worst case I have to change it back again.
The memory is definately running at 1600, (160 bus 1:10 multiplier) and according to cpuz it's running at CAS 10. I think the CL7 I saw was the bios displaying the spd tables and not the actual setting.


1.15 might not be as low as some i7's go, but its a lot lower than the 'auto' setting fed it with the clock bump (it's only a C0). The reason I have doubts about the bios is I've had unreliable ones in the past. My previous rig, built on an Asus A8N-SLI had terrible vcore control, the supplied voltage never matched the specified voltage.

Edit: Well I went into the bios and manually set it to the same timings cpuz was showing (10-9-9-22) and 1.5v, its booted into windows and all seems fine, running diagnostics as I type this.
Edit2: quick and dirty single pass memtest from within windows turned up no errors, to think I've been inadvertently (and unnecessarily) cooking the ram for the last year.
Edit3: Actually, Eff it, I just realised the merchant has some kingston hyperx 1866mhz ram that runs at 1.65v that actually costs less, so I might as well just get that. Its CL9 but I can live with that.

Thanks to all who replied.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top