Hey there! I'm having some trouble with my RAM speed. I've got a desktop setup with an AMD Ryzen 5 2600 CPU, and I'm trying to get my Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 RAM to reach its advertised speed of 3200MHz. Right now, it's defaulting to 2133MHz. I've attempted to enable XMP (or DOCP) in my BIOS, but every time I set it to 3200MHz, it just reverts back to 2166MHz. I know that the Ryzen 2000 series can struggle with higher RAM speeds, though I've seen others achieve stability at 3000–3200MHz. Do you think having a single RAM stick is a limiting factor? Also, is my BIOS version (P2.90) too outdated? I'm cautious about updating the BIOS unless it guarantees improvements without causing other issues. Has anyone faced a similar situation? Would switching to 2x8GB or updating the BIOS help? Any advice would be fantastic!
5 Answers
Let’s take it from the top. What are you aiming to achieve exactly? If you want top performance, consider trying different RAM slots and updating your BIOS first—these are straightforward fixes. If you're feeling adventurous, you could manually overclock the RAM, but it's easier said than done. Lots of factors come into play here, like how consistent your CPU’s memory controller is. Not all chips are created equal due to the silicon lottery! Switching to dual channel with 2 sticks would probably yield better results than a single stick running at 3200MHz, too.
I had a Ryzen 5 2600X paired with an MSI B450 motherboard and ran above 3200MHz without any issues. I definitely recommend updating your BIOS - you have nothing to lose, and it could solve your problem. Just make sure your RAM stick is in the right slot according to your motherboard's recommendation. When you try to set 3200MHz with XMP, does the PC reboot endlessly? Also, how are you checking the current speed of your RAM?
I’m not so sure if your RAM is on your motherboard's QVL list for compatibility with the Ryzen CPU. That'd explain the XMP not working properly. Make sure to check the compatibility list on ASRock's website for your B450M Steel Legend. You might find it can affect your ability to reach that speed!
XMP should work even with one stick! Definitely try switching RAM slots and think about updating the BIOS. If you're up for it, you could manually overclock, but it might be tricky. Others have hit 3200MHz easily with this setup, but remember each CPU can behave differently. If you’re really keen on 3200MHz, getting a 2x8GB kit could also improve your chances and give you a performance boost in dual-channel configuration!
Actually, you won't hit the advertised speed with just one stick on an XMP profile. I've seen my 3600MHz RAM only hit 1800MHz because I only had one stick. If you do buy another, make sure it's the exact same model to avoid crashes or slower speeds!
That's not quite how DDR works. The configured speed isn't determined by the number of sticks, but rather the data rates involved. Don't confuse dual-channel with the RAM's transfer rates!