I have a single 16GB TwinMOS DDR4 stick with Micron chips running in a Ryzen 5 3600 system. Using my B450M Pro-M2 Max BIOS, I increased the DRAM voltage to 1.35V and set the memory speed from 2400MHz to 2933MHz. A 20-minute memory test found no errors. Would increasing it further to 3200MHz be worthwhile, and would I notice much of a performance difference? What voltage, timings, and stability testing should I use? My graphics card is an RX 580 8GB.
3 Answers
It’s definitely worth experimenting with on a Ryzen system. Try 3200MHz, then test for errors and crashes. If it isn’t stable, lower the speed or loosen the timings. Just keep in mind that a single stick limits memory bandwidth, so dual-channel memory may make a more noticeable difference than the overclock alone.
You can try 3200MHz, since Ryzen processors often benefit from faster memory. Around 1.35–1.40V is common, but don’t focus only on frequency—check the timings too. Something around CL16 would be a reasonable target if the stick can handle it.
A 20-minute test isn’t long enough to confirm stability. Use a more demanding test such as TestMem5 with the anta777 Extreme preset, or run another thorough memory test for several hours. The real-world gain from 2933MHz to 3200MHz may be modest, especially with an RX 580, and timings matter as much as speed. The biggest improvement would probably come from adding a second matching stick so the system can run dual-channel memory.
Thanks, I’ll run a longer stability test and look into adding another stick.
That makes sense. I’ll give 3200MHz a try, but I’ll prioritize getting a second stick if the budget allows.