Question So I upgraded my RAM but am getting System freezes while playing games with A-XMP on...

[xSyndicate58]

So for the background:
I recently upgraded my CPU from Ryzen 5 3600 to Ryzen 7 5800X3D and had no problems whatsoever.
I then wanted to upgrade my 2x8GB DDR4 3200Mhz CL16 (Ballistix Kit, if that matters) to 2x16GB 3600Mhz CL18 for the bigger RAM.
I sold my old sticks, bought a Gskill Ripjaws 2x16GB DDR4 3600Mhz CL18 Kit and it worked without any problems for a few days.

However, when I am playing games, sometimes, non-reproducable system freezes happen. They happen at any given time, sometimes 10 minutes into the game, sometimes I run 2h without any crash. The freeze basically freezes my whole system, but does not throw a BSOD or anything else. It just makes the system useless (I can still hear sound, can even end the game (e.g. FIFA 23) but then it totally freezes) until I cap the power.

At the beginning when these freezes started to happen, they were giving me DirectX errors with error messages like DEVICE_HUNG or GRAPHICS_CARD_REMOVED, so i thought my GPU was dying, however, on further research and "trial and error" I found out that it was A-XMP causing the crashes.
I ran a whole memcheck with A-XMP on and everything passed without any issues whatsoever.
When I disable A-XMP (e.g. run the sticks at 2667Mhz) everything runs totally fine, no freezes in any games whatsoever.
The freezes almost solely occur on EA games like FIFA23, but I also had it one time (and one time only) in CSGO.
I tried setting the Voltage of the RAM to 1.35 from the BIOS, but it somehow didn't help.
My specs:
Mobo: MSI B450-A Pro MAX (with newest BIOS, obviously --> Version 7B86vMH with AGESA ComboAm4v2PI 1.2.0.7.)
CPU: Ryzen 7 5800X3d
GPU: ASUS RTX 3060 Ti
RAM: 2x16GB DDR4 Gskill Ripjaws 3600Mhz CL18 ( https://www.gskill.com/product/165/184/1562833535/F4-3600C18D-32GVK )
PSU: CoolerMaster MWE V2 1250W Gold (approximately 1 year old)

Question: Can it be, that I have faulty RAM, even thou memtest86 passed everything without any issues? Or is it a compatibility issue with my motherboard or is there anything else I can try to run at 3600Mhz? Or am I forced to run at 2667 Mhz?

Thanks!

Edit: https://pangoly.com/en/product/msi-b450-a-pro-max --> shows that my Mobo doesnt support 3600Mhz RAM, is that even possible? May that be the cause? Should I maybe try to clock it to 3733Mhz instead? If yes, with what timings should I try?

Edit2: HWInfo says 1801,8Mhz (DDR4-3603 / PC4-28800) at RAM speed, is that maybe the issue?

Edit3: I tried manually setting the RAM to 3200Mhz and CL16 Timings, but it wouldn't post, so i have no other choice than to run it at 2666Mhz, or 3600Mhz CL18...

 

[Lutfij]

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/B450-A-PRO-MAX/Specification
The board shows that it can go well beyond DDR4-3200MHz. For the sake of relevance, can you please state the BIOS version for your motherboard? Which slots are the ram sticks populating on the board? Can you pass on a link to your ram kit?

You forgot to mention the make and model of your PSU and it's age. Please add that.

 

[xSyndicate58]

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/B450-A-PRO-MAX/Specification
The board shows that it can go well beyond DDR4-3200MHz. For the sake of relevance, can you please state the BIOS version for your motherboard? Which slots are the ram sticks populating on the board? Can you pass on a link to your ram kit?

You forgot to mention the make and model of your PSU and it's age. Please add that.

Thanks, added the Link to the RAM (it's https://www.gskill.com/product/165/184/1562833535/F4-3600C18D-32GVK )
My PSU is a CoolerMaster MWE V2 1250W Gold and is approximately 1 year old (also added it)
My Bios Version is Version 7B86vMH with AGESA ComboAm4v2PI 1.2.0.7. (also added to the thread)

The RAM sticks populate the MMA2 and MMB2 slots (as it is stated on the motherboard with "FIRST")

 

[Lutfij]

Was the BIOS updated prior to the new kit? Perhaps try and perform a Clear CMOS and see if inputting the timings, frequency and voltage per the info on the ram kit, manually into BIOS helps. You can go as high as 1.45v for DDR4 and then work your way back down once you've got the ram stable.

 

[xSyndicate58]

Was the BIOS updated prior to the new kit? Perhaps try and perform a Clear CMOS and see if inputting the timings, frequency and voltage per the info on the ram kit, manually into BIOS helps. You can go as high as 1.45v for DDR4 and then work your way back down once you've got the ram stable.

Yes, the BIOS was updated prior to the new kit (before installing the 5800X3D). Actually, currently I am running on that, what you said. I manually input the 3600Mhz frequency, manually put the 18-22-22-42 Timings and manually set the DRAM Voltage to 1.35V (all subtimings and other settings are set on Auto, XMP is off). I will play some FIFA later today, to see, if the issue persists (because it mostly happens with FIFA)

 

[Lutfij]

The freezes almost solely occur on EA games like FIFA23, but I also had it one time (and one time only) in CSGO.
Where did you source the installers for the games in question or titles that exhibit this anomaly?

 

[xSyndicate58]

The freezes almost solely occur on EA games like FIFA23, but I also had it one time (and one time only) in CSGO.
Where did you source the installers for the games in question or titles that exhibit this anomaly?

I have both games from Steam, however the FIFA 23 Steam Application starts the EA Launcher and launches the game from there. So it's not pirated or something else.

 

[Dragos Manea]

Ryzen is very sensible to memory, try the following, turn on a-xmp, then set just the frequency manully a tier lower (3466 Mhz or what is the next lower value after 3600 MHz) and repeat this step until the system is stable.

 

[xSyndicate58]

Ryzen is very sensible to memory, try the following, turn on a-xmp, then set just the frequency manully a tier lower (3466 Mhz or what is the next lower value after 3600 MHz) and repeat this step until the system is stable.

The big problem is, that I can't adjust the timings --> worse performance than 3600Mhz CL18... (I tried running 3200Mhz CL16, system didn't even POST somehow)

I mean, if the RAM is advertised as 3600Mhz CL18, there surely must be a way to run them? It isn't like I have the weirdest components, e. g. Ryzen 7 5800X3Ds memory controller should be more than enough, to handle the 3600Mhz, shouldn't it?

 

[Dragos Manea]

The Ram is advertised and it can run but you are dependent on the memory controller which is integrated in the cpu. If the memory controller cannot do 3600 Mhz then RAM will not run at 3600 MHz, they both must support that frequency and how i said memory controller on Ryzen is very sensible, Intel can run incredible frequencies, AMD not so often. Most used RAM on Ryzen platform is 3200 MHz and loose timings.

 

[logainofhades]

You would have been better off getting a 32gb kit of DDR4 3200 CL16. The performance to that and 3600 CL18 is roughly the same. B450 boards typically didn't do well beyond 3200 speeds well.

 

[xSyndicate58]

You would have been better off getting a 32gb kit of DDR4 3200 CL16. The performance to that and 3600 CL18 is roughly the same. B450 boards typically didn't do well beyond 3200 speeds well.

I am actually honestly shocked that this the case, considering that people recommended me 3600Mhz RAM back in 2019 when I first built my PC...

I just put the RAM sticks for sale and just ordered the same brand at 3200Mhz.. Unlucky I guess.

 

[logainofhades]

I am actually honestly shocked that this the case, considering that people recommended me 3600Mhz RAM back in 2019 when I first built my PC...

I just put the RAM sticks for sale and just ordered the same brand at 3200Mhz.. Unlucky I guess.

DDR4 3600 CL16 was the sweet spot, price/performance, when Zen 2 launched. It was on par with expensive DDR 3200 CL14. Latency matters a bit more, than bandwidth, for Ryzen.