How to make PC memory run at full speed?

[Falgu]

Yesterday morning bought a new computer system and most importantly I got a 12GB external memory for the full speed and smooth access but it doesn’t seem to be doing so. The memory was suppose to run at 1600 mhz but when I checked the speed in the CPUZ it shows the memory is only running around 500 mhz which is very much depressing. Please help me and let me know the way how I can fully utilize the speed of the memory to the desired or the actually level. Do I need to upgrade the memory more I can simply get the full utilization from here. My Ram is DDR i.e. Double Data Rate. What should I do please let me know, is there any alternate solution for the issue or do I need to change the processor. My specs are:

• Processor: core i7 950
• Motherboard: ASUS sabertooth x58
• ram is 3 sticks of Corsair Vengeance 4 gb 1600 mHz

[Miguel Reyes]

First of all if you need to run your Ram faster that the expected speed then you need to get into the BIOS settings and set your Ram voltage manually. In fact along with the ram voltage you need to also set the frequency and timings manually. I guess your system must be actually running at 1066 MHz which is according to me a typical default speed. Set the DRAM Frequency or Memory Multiplier {GA}, CAS Timings, and DRAM Voltage. I have a core i7 950 on a ASUS sabertooth x58 motherboard with socket LGA1366 and the motherboard is supported to run PC3-12800 at 1600 mhz which is somehow almost similar to your configurations. And let me tell you that even in my system the CPUZ shows me the speed at 534 mhz which is nowhere worrying me at all. If the DDR is showing534MHz that means 3 x 534MHz = 1602. The conclusion I would like to keep is that in both your and my system everything is running fine at 1600MHz if I am not mistaken

[Himalayan]

You only need to buy matched sets of Ram in order to run correctly in tri channel. The Ram you have is separated right off the assembly line and the BIN is sorted through the extensive testing. If you are not aware let me tell you that you are actually dealing with the billion of seconds and if the timings or the IC performances are not up to the mark then the BIOS look at the RAM and consider it as faulty and then shut down some of the sticks. The single stick is somehow defected and is sold out individually just because it doesn’t fit the specifications. Any ways the solution I would like to give you is to RMA the RAM for Corsair Vengeance 12GB (3 x 4GB) DDR3 1600 Model CMZ12GX3M3A1600C9 and if have; Corsair Dominator 12GB (3 x 4GB) DDR3 1600 Model CMP12GX3M3A1600C9. Always remember that the ICs are always superior in the dominator and at minimum you need to set the DRAM frequency of DDR3-1600Mhz.

[Falgu]

I am really thankful for the suggestion you gave me but are you really sure with it. Actually the thing is that I was suppose to get a pack of 3 ram sticks but due to some reason I could buy it, I was told by the retailer restricted and advised me that buying or going for 3 similar or identical sticks separately will not make any sense. They would be one and the same.
So now if whatever you have said is right I would surely return the extra sticks and stay with one. Anyways till now what I did is went into the BIOS and changed the mhz to 1600 mhz and from then everything seems to be working fine. Even my CPU-z says that the memory is running in triple channel.

[Madri]

I think I do have the same issue in my specs my Ram says that it is running at 534MHz. I am not sure but I guess I have a wrong combination of RAM and CPU that is running at 1600. When I get into the BIOS and try to set it to 1600 or if I try to use the XMP that is advertised on the frigging box my system won’t boot up properly. Not just this in the BIOS I do get a message that says that it is only being able to use the Ram frequency of 1066 or 1333 mhz using the current changed setup, it’s actually like the locked processor ram will only run at 1066 mhz or 1333mhz. I guess I will have to spend some extra money on getting 990X in order to run my Ram at the rated and higher speed. My motherboard is ASUS Rampage iii Formula and I learnt in the review of Rampage iii Formula where it said that they have the same i7 960 CPU and RAM which I am having also they said that they overclocked the CPU and make the Ram run to the specified 1600mhz without any issue.

[Ramona19]

For your knowledge in a Ram there is a memory speed and memory timings. Speed is nothing but the frequency where the memory operates at in mhz and when look in CPU-z you might find that the Ram is DDR i.e. Double Data Rate so therefore the frequency will always be showed as half of what it actually runs at. Also remember that the ram speed is tied to the reference clock, by doing this way you will always be able to easily overclock your Ram beyond the stock speed. For higher bandwidth speed is very much important as everyone knows that Ram can transfer or move more and more information. Timings are always different with speed so therefore they should never be compared or should become confused between them.

[Munishi3]

I do agree with you both timing and speed are two different aspect in Ram. Timing has the capability of not affecting the speed (mhz) of the Ram, in fact they do change the efficiency of the Ram and also they affect the turnaround of the information. If you are aware you must know that timings are normally listed and placed in some different format like 5-5-5-18. Now this timing with regards to Ram can change the timing of the Ram of how long it will have to wait for something to do. So therefore if having the looser timing then believe that the ram is going to wait for longer moment in between different processes. Ram with 5-5-5-18 timing we can say that the information is first copied then it waits for 5 clock cycles before moving or going to the next level or step. Ram with 7-7-7-23 timing and running at the same speed will surely move on the information at a quicker speed but then it will have to wait for 7 clock cycle between the processes.