Second Opinion on RAM voltage with Intel Processor

[TomcaT112]

I've been putting together an upgrade for my PC (mainly consisting of RAM) using PC Part Picker, but it's given me a concerning compatibility note:

"The G.Skill - Ripjaws Z Series 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR3-2400 Memory operating voltage of 1.65V exceeds the Intel Haswell Refresh CPU recommended maximum of 1.5V+5% (1.575V). This memory module may run at a reduced clock rate to meet the 1.5V voltage recommendation, or may require running at a voltage greater than the Intel recommended maximum."

My processor is an Intel i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad Core.

I'm just looking for a second opinion from anyone who better understands this warning than I do.

Cheers,

 

[captaincharisma]

its possible the motherboard you selected does not support the full speed of that ram. check the specs of the motherboard to see what ram speeds it supports

 

[Roland Of Gilead]

What mobo do you have? The best thing to do is to buy a set that's on the QVL for the mobo you are buying. That way you ensure compatibility. I suspect the high voltage is just out of normal operating for the voltage. DDR3-2400 is pretty highly OC'ed DIMM. Its no wonder it needs 1.65 volts to get to that speed.

 

[Roland Of Gilead]

+1^ Captaincharisma - i can't seem to up vote in this thread.

 

[TomcaT112]

The motherboard I have is an MSI Z97S SLI Krait Edition. It's the one that's currently in my PC. At the moment it has 16GB (2x8) of 1866 DDR3. I'm not sure what a QVL is, or how it relates.

 

[Roland Of Gilead]

The motherboard I have is an MSI Z97S SLI Krait Edition. It's the one that's currently in my PC. At the moment it has 16GB (2x8) of 1866 DDR3. I'm not sure what a QVL is, or how it relates.

So the QVL is the Qualified Vendors List for the ram manufacturers. If the DIMMS are on the list, it means they have been tested to work with the mobo. If they are not on the list, it only means they haven't been tested. That doesn't mean they won't work, but it does mean you may have to set timings manually and/or set them by XMP.

Your mobo supports up to DDR3 3200mhz speeds, so your 1866 DIMMS should work fine. Try setting by XMP first. Then if that doesn't work, try setting the timings manually. On the side of the DIMMS will be a sticker, normally with 4 numbers like 16-33-37-54 , and the voltage e.g 1.3 or 1.5 or something along those lines. You will need to go into the bios and set those timings manually. then set the voltage to the required voltage on the sticker, reboot and see if it works. If it doesn't then you are out of luck. Buying DIMMS on the QVL is generally advised, because as I mentioned above they are tested, and avoid some setup headaches.

Let us know how you get on.