RAM not as advertised?

Jasd

Honorable
Jun 21, 2013
17
0
10,510
So i bought this RAM from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B007TG91WQ/ref=oh_details_o02_s01_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It states in the description that the RAM is 1866mhz, but on installing it reports in the BIOS as 1333mhz.

I tried increasing its speed via the BIOS but the machine just had dots all over the screen after BIOS.

Is the RAM not as advertised or is getting it to run at the advertised speed more involved than just plugging it in?

Full spec (just built) is here: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/1etY5
 
Solution


that line alarms me... explain what you mean please.

Setting aside that troubling line, you'll have to manually set the speed and settings if your bios doesn't automatically detect them. That motherboard doesn't...


Sorry could you clarify what you mean? This is my first self build and i am completely new to overclocking anything.
 
What motherboard do you have?

Not all motherboards support 1866mhz RAM.

EDIT: Sorry, just seen the PCPP list.

Yeah, that motherboard only supports up to 1333mhz RAM without overclocking.

To overclock your RAM, you must find the CAS timings for the RAM (usually on the pack that they came in) and manually enter them into the BIOS.
 


that line alarms me... explain what you mean please.

Setting aside that troubling line, you'll have to manually set the speed and settings if your bios doesn't automatically detect them. That motherboard doesn't support 1866 speed ram natively (which means, though it will support ram at that speed, you have to set it up manually).

According to your mb's manual, click on the OC tab, go down to DRAM frequency, change the setting from auto to manual, and select 1866 (or it might be 933, you'll be able to tell when you get there); then go down to DRAM timing, change it from auto to manual, and enter the individual ram timings by hand. your ram's timings will be~

CL (CAS Latency): 9
tRCD: 10
tRP: 9
tRAS: 27
CMD: T2 (it's likely T2, though go with whatever the default is, if you have blue screen ram faults, swap to the other setting T1, i can't find documentation on this one for your ram)

save the settings and exit your bios.
 
Solution


Thanks for the explanations so far. In response to "that line" I increased the RAM to 1866 thinking it was just as simple as that. I then exited the BIOS with a save and reboot. Once loading began there was no windows logo, just lines of white dots dancing across the screen. I then reset and chenged the setting back down in the BIOS to get things working again.
 


yeah... make sure the timings are right as well, and you might have to play with the ram voltages too... your ram is rated at 1.5V, but from other sources it seems to indicate you might need as much as 1.6V to make that ram function properly at 1866. play with it a little if you have issues.

my gskill ram works like this. it's advertised as 1.5V, but i actually have to bump it up to 1.6V to get it to work right at its 1600 speed. its not a big deal, i think ram companies sorta play with their voltage numbers to hide the fact they're selling what amounts to an overclocked stick of ram at speed x. My gskill are basically 1333 speed ram, factory overclocked up to 1600. no harm, they work flawlessly, but i think someone in their marketing department thinks gamers will look down on ram already overclocked. (as if i could actually get my NB up to 3200 to take full advantage of this 1600 speed ram... lol) Lots of ram is like this. Not saying your corsair are factory overclocked, just that this is a common issue with ram from time to time.
 


Tried this and currently things are stable at 1866, thanks for all the help folks :)