Overclocking - DDR4 RAM
Guides
Integral's guide
- In my opinion, this is the most simple straightforward guide for overclocking RAM.
RAM Stability Tests
Below is a list of stability tests sorted in order of how good they are based off other users' data:
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TestMem5
- Download the extreme config by anta777
- Run the application and load the anta config by clicking "Load Config & Exit"
- After the application closes, restart the application and leave it running until it completes, or finds 1 error.
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OCCT (Beta)
- Run the Memory stress test for 30 minutes to 1 hour between changes in timings, and at least 2 hours for daily stability.
- AVX seems to be the best test for finding issues with too low VDIMM.
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Stressful Application Test
- Note: This is only for Linux distributions, but can be run on Windows using WSL (not WSL2).
- Run stressapptest -W -M 14000 -s 3600 --pause_delay 3600 between changes in timings.
- Run stressapptest -W -M 14000 -s 7200 --pause_delay 3600 for a daily profile.
- Note: Replace 14000 with around 90% of your available memory.
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Karhu
- Note: This stress test is not available for free and requires a license.
- Ensure CPU Cache is enabled in the settings.
- Run this test to around 10,000% coverage when changing timings.
- Run this test to around 24,000% coverage for daily stability.
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HCI MemTest with MemTestHelper
- In my experience, this is far slower than the other tests, but may pick up errors that Karhu doesn't.
- Download the memtest executable and the MemTestHelper archive.
- Extract the archive and move the memtest executable into the extracted folder.
- Run the memtesthelper executable and for the memory amount, enter the amount of RAM available divided by the number of threads your CPU has.
Notable 8GB Memory ICs
Samsung B-Die
- This is the best memory IC for DDR4.
- Frequency can be pushed really high, upwards of 4000MHz.
- tCL scales well with voltage up to 1.5V.
- tRCD and tRP can go lower than tCL provided the kit and IMC can handle it.
- Bad B-Die bins exist and may not overclock well at all.
Micron Rev E
- This is usually the best price:performance memory IC for DDR4.
- This memory IC is lighter than most others on the IMC.
- Frequency can be pushed really high, in some cases above 5000MHz.
- tCL can go as low as Samsung B-Die, if not lower.
- However, tRCD(RD) is usually only stable when loose and tRFC is high (500+ cycles).
Hynix DJR
- This is a great price:performance memory IC for DDR4.
- Frequency can be pushed really high, in some cases above 5000MHz.
- tCL can go moderately low.
- tRFC is moderate (400+ cycles).
- However, tRCD(RD) is usually only stable when loose.
Hynix CJR
- This is a good price:performance memory IC for DDR4.
- Frequency can't be pushed really high whilst maintaining a decent latency.
- tCL can go moderately low.
- tRFC is moderate (400+ cycles).
- At the same frequency, Hynix CJR is better than Micron Rev E.