Question RAM Kit Not On Motherboard's Compatibility List. Should I Worry?

[AtomikDjakareh_32G]

As a last upgrade for my PC this year, I will max out its ram to 64GB, and got this matched kit/pair : Corsair Vengeance LPX (2X32GB) 64GB 2666MHz Model - CMK64GX4M2A2666C16.

But in my mobo's compatibility list (MSI B560M-A PRO) only the 2400MHz version of this kit is listed: MSI B560M-A PRO Memory Compatibility List.

Am I correct to assume that since the 2400MHz version works in this motherboard, then so will the 2666MHz one?

 

[Karadjgne]

Yes.

The QVL isn't a compatibility list. It's a Qualified Vendor List.

There's only a dozen or so actual OEMs of ram, they make ram for everyone, just change the heatsink and paint job. You'll find the exact same SkHynix ram in that 2666MHz Corsair LPX in 30 other vendors at 2666MHz, so testing 1 you don't need to test them all.

The model numbers tested are specific to that model, kit, color, heatsink, size, speed and line, change the color and it's the exact same ram but no longer on the QVL.

If you figure there's over 3000 model numbers just in gskill Trident-Z DDR4, then add that to all the value, aegis, RipJaws lines then multiply that by all the vendors and all their lines and models and colors and kits and speeds and sizes and you'd end up with a list of millions that'd need to be tested, would take hundreds of $$ millions to purchase, take thousands of manhours to test and would need to be done for every MSI mobo they have.

It's highly cost prohibitive, so they test a small mix of ram in common sales that covers a majority of what's available.

 

[Bob O' Goobo]

I have never worried about it as long as it is the correct type, speed, latency and etc. I have never had a stick of ram not work that is not on the QVL list

 

[Karadjgne]

I've been playing with, tinkering with, building, modding, fixing pc's both professionally and amateur for over 40 years and to this day I've not ever known of any instance at any time where I have actually used any ram that actually was/is on any vendors QVL.

Which honestly isn't that hard to do considering the millions of ram models out there and the relatively few listed on a QVL. Now I might have stuck some ram that was on Asus QVL for one mobo on a Gigabyte board etc, that's probably happened a time or 3, but I really honestly don't even bother with looking at a QVL, haven't for years. Patriot Elite or G.Skill Trident-Z, same Samsung B-die, one will be listed and it's the same thing so doesn't really matter what the paint job says or which particular coloring on the heatsink it is.

The QVL just says the mobo Vendor "tested some ram and it works, so we're confident that whatever you put on it will work too" . It doesn't say that they "tested this ram, and only guarantee that these models are compatible, take your chances with anything else not listed."

It's a qualified vendor list, it qualifies the mobo to be compatible with certain speeds, it's not a qualified Ram list. If you want a QRL, try G.Skill or Crucial website as they actually test their ram on vendor mobo's and will tell you what ram is compatible or preferred for any particular mobo. This is especially true for DDR5.