I just installed some DDR5 RAM (Kingston Fury 16GB 5600 MHz CL40), and I'm seeing a strange discrepancy. CPU-Z reports the memory frequency as 999 MHz, but Task Manager correctly shows it at 5600 MHz. The RAM is compatible since it's on my motherboard's QVL. I've run an AIDA64 benchmark with good results, and my BIOS settings are default with the XMP/AXMP profile enabled. Is this a CPU-Z bug, or should I worry about performance and compatibility? Any insights would be awesome!
3 Answers
CPU-Z shows half the base clock because it's DDR (double data rate). So 999 MHz means about 2000 MT/s. If XMP or EXPO isn't set, your RAM might be on default speeds around 2133 or 2400. Check BIOS settings for XMP/EXPO and flip that toggle to get the right speed displayed in CPU-Z.
Check the memory section in Task Manager—what does it show? If it says 5600 MT/s, you're good to go!
No need to worry, it's likely just a misreading from CPU-Z. If your RAM was really at 999 MHz, you’d feel a performance hit for sure, even without benchmarks.
Thanks, that makes sense! Just a software glitch then. Still a bit nervous about that orange light on the motherboard, though.
Yeah, it does show 5600 MHz, which is right since I enabled the XMP. But I've noticed an orange light lighting up on the motherboard when I boot. Should I be concerned?