Is it really 1600Mhz memory

pvtILLY

I built my own computer a couple of years ago like I always do. The problem started earlier this year 2017. I would launch a game and at random intervals it would crash. the only way I could get back to the desktop would be to pressing the reset button. This happened every time with this game and once or twice with another game. I thought it was hardware related due to the fact of it's randomness. Having a second motherboard in the cupboard (brand new) I thought I'd swap it for the one in the PC. After all was complete I tried the game again and it still had the fault. :eek: Searching the glorious web I found some articles about the game itself and corruption in the files. low and behold 11 of the 15 game files were indeed corrupt :mad: After resolving this it was fine. So I still had a perfectly good motherboard that I removed. I decided to build a secondary PC using this board along with other bits n pieces I had and minimal outlay. New case, cpu and memory (brand new case(used cpu,ram) built it and it is quite frankly as it should be the dogs doodahs. The motherboard I replaced it with on the other hand I've had some fun with. I knocked a capacitor off it when I was building it and had to repair that. That went well:D but I have the odd blue screen of death:( not a problem though. My problem is I bought some memory last year to increase the capacity to the motherboard's maximum being 32Gb it previously had 16Gb. I stuck with the manufacturer which is Corsair and the make is VengeanceLP it is DDR3 1600Mhz and according to the time I got it was advertised as such. On inspection it transpires the memory is actually DDR3 1333Mhz and the 1600 speed is an additional XMP (extreme memory profile):eek: There is absolutely nothing 'XMP' related on the box it came in as far as I'm concerned the 1600mhz was it's 'standard' speed and 'XMP' would have been additional. In addition I did another search and on Cprsair's website XMP is 'overclocked' I also learned that due to this overclocking the CPU runs at faster speeds to 'keep up'. At it's stock speed of 1333Mhz the CPU plods along idling at about 2.0Ghz it's an i7 3770 and rated at 3.4ghz it has a boost feature which pushes it to around 3.9Ghz I had real temp app running and at idle with XMP profile activated in the bios 1600Mhz CPU speed was 3.6Mhz :eek: I am considering going to trading standards as the memory I bought as advertised is not what I actually got. I'd like to inform people if the memory you're buying has mention of XMP be cautious as you may be buying 'overclocked' memory and not a JEDEC standard speed.

enkoda

According to the Corsair website that memory is stated as 1333MHz. Did you buy it from them or another retailer? If the latter, what specifications did they state for the module?

Also, does the memory actually run at 1600MHz (i.e. have you checked with CPU-Z or other utility)?

DoaM

The OP already knows about CPU-Z.

agrinnall

privateILLY wrote: »

I can't post links being a new user which is a bit peculiar as the terms state copy and pasting is copyright what a bizarre state ?

You can't post links yet because the site doesn't know whether you are going to be a spammer or not.

John_Gray

I think you need to have made ten posts before being allowed to post links.

pvtILLY

CML-16GX3M2A1600C9 enkoda shouldn't the kit actually state the JEDEC standard 1333 (SPD) and NOT the overclocked XMP 1600? I expect to get similar replies I have been to many forums and seen the level of denial and apologists for blatant deception

pvtILLY

Just to add
Technical Specifications

General
Storage Capacity 16 GB : 2 x 8 GB
Capacity 16 GB : 2 x 8 GB
Upgrade Type Generic
Memory
Memory Speed 1600 MHz ( PC3-12800 )
RAM Features Dual channel, Intel Extreme Memory Profiles (XMP 1.3), Vengeance low profile heatspreader , unbuffered
Supply Voltage 1.5 V
Type DRAM
Technology DDR3 SDRAM
Form Factor DIMM 240-pin
Speed 1600 MHz ( PC3-12800 )
Latency Timings CL9 ( 9-9-9-24 )
Data Integrity Check Non-ECC
Features Dual channel, Intel Extreme Memory Profiles (XMP 1.3), Vengeance low profile heatspreader , unbuffered
Voltage 1.5 V
Expansion / Connectivity
Compatible Slots 2 x memory - DIMM 240-pin
Manufacturer Warranty

If you look at the specs on this there are multiple references to PC3 12800

If well known retailers are listing them as PC3 12800 but yet they are actually PC3 10700

Would you be happy to buy for example a Ford focus 2.0 RS only to find out later that it is actually a 1.6 Focus with an RS body kit and a turbo which you have to activate by a switch but was sold as an RS Ford focus?

I can't post links being a new user which is a bit peculiar as the terms state copy and pasting is copyright what a bizarre state ?

agrinnall

This thread is becoming very surreal, with the OP deleting posts made with an alternative login then reposting them with the original one but in a different point in the thread, making previous responses seem out of place. I think I'm out!

pvtILLY

It confused me as I created a profile a few years ago (privateILLY) I was going to post a explanation but was going to sen yourself a pm to see if the thread could be deleted and I re open it with my original profile

enkoda

I'm only going by what it says here (you'll have to click on the Tech Specs tab):

http://www.corsair.com/en-gb/vengeance-lp-memory-16gb-1600mhz-cl9-ddr3-cml16gx3m2a1600c9

It does state SPD speed as 1333MHz, tested to 1600Mhz.

Your car analogy isn't quite right, but I see what you mean.
I guess it's similar in a way to hard drive manufacturers quoting the maximum capacity of their drives rather than the capacity available to the end user.

System

Christ don't talk to me about Corsair Vengeance memory and XMP. Just spent half a day at work trying to diagnose an old Alienware Area51 PC which kept rebooting on startup. Suspected overheating and failed pump as its 6 years old so temporarily swapped in a stock cooler and still the same problem. Running on one stick would result in it booting and running for longer but it would eventually reboot again after a few minutes. Eventually found XMP setting in the BIOS. I'd done a CMOS reset but XMP "Enabled" is apparently the default setting. Disabling XMP and forcing the motherboard to use SPD settings sorted the issue out. The memory had been running fine in XMP mode until about a month ago but it would appear that it had finally had enough of being forced to run faster than it was intended, despite the heatsinks on the memory sticks.

As for XMP speeding the CPU to keep up with faster memory timing, no it doesn't. The CPU and memory can run at independent speeds.