Trouble Getting DDR4 3600 RAM to Work at Full Speed
Asked by
TechieGal84
I'm having issues with my new DDR4 3600 memory kit. My setup includes an Asrock B550M-HDV motherboard (with the latest BIOS) and an AMD Ryzen 5 3600 CPU. I just installed a Patriot Viper Steel DDR4 32GB (2x16GB) 3600MHz kit, but it won't run at full speed. Whenever I try, I encounter problems, including bluescreens and failure in the Windows 10 memory diagnostic check unless I dial the speeds down. I've heard that the Ryzen 5 3600 might struggle with RAM over 3200MHz due to its memory controller and something called FCLK. I've tried loading the XMP 2.0 profile with different settings for FCLK and reducing the RAM speeds, but only 3200MHz with FCLK set to 1600MHz remains stable. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Answers
Have you checked the motherboard's compatibility list for RAM? Usually, memory that runs over 3200MHz isn’t guaranteed to work well. Make sure the memory is on the QVL for your motherboard and CPU combination.
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Yeah, it's a known issue that the Ryzen 5 3600 usually can't handle RAM speeds above 3200MHz. The memory controller on Zen 2 CPUs isn't the best, which is why 3200MHz is the sweet spot that many recommend.
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You're not wasting your money; it's just that your CPU's memory controller isn’t up to par. If you decide to upgrade your CPU later, you might get a better controller that can handle 3600MHz without issues.
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TechieGal84: I get that, but since the memory controller is on the CPU, does that mean changing voltage won’t help at all?