Computer memory question

[rvvaquero]

I bought a new computer. I haven't had a new one in 11 years, things have changed a little.

Anyway, I'm trying to understand my memory. I'm sure many of you know more about this than I do. Please explain.

There are four slots. Factory installed an 8 gb stick and a 4 gb stick in slots 2 and 4. The memory is DDR4-3200. Are these memory sticks running at the proper speed? Thanks.

 

[Need2learn]

Hello more than likely you need to go in your bios, and change the setting to performance game mode or manually change the ram speed.

 

[Foxbat]

I’d say everything looks normal to me. The “3200” in “DDR4-3200” is a relative speed indication and is in Megatransfers/sec, or, how many million chip accesses can be read or written to the memory per second. Here’s what Crucial has to say:

What is memory speed?​

The amount of data that can be transferred from the memory to the CPU in a given amount of time. Speed is measured in megatransfers per second (MT/s), and in general, more speed is better.

Why is voltage important?​

Voltage is how much power the module consumes. Higher voltages mean the system uses more energy and can also lead to higher system temperatures, which can negatively affect your system’s health.

What is bandwidth?​

The total amount of data, not just speed, the module is able to process at once. The higher the bandwidth, the better.

What is latency?​

The time delay between when a command (action) is entered and executed. In general, the lower the latency, the better. There are three numbers in the latency description. An example of this is a DDR4 module with 16-17-17 latency has a CAS latency timing of 16, a tRCD timing of 17, and a tRP timing of 17. Although CAS latency ratings are the most common latency rating, it’s best measured in nanoseconds. This is called true latency.

 

[harshness]

From what I can gather, the RAM should be matched (paired identical sticks). When it isn't, the mainboard might not allow you to take advantage of DoubleDataRate.

 

[Comptech]

From what I can gather, the RAM should be matched (paired identical sticks). When it isn't, the mainboard might not allow you to take advantage of DoubleDataRate.

And we have a winner! If you are running win 10 get a matched pair of 8 gig sticks to put in it. 16 Gigs will make your experience much better.

 

[Comptech]

Needto learn is also right, go into the bios and make sure dual channel is enabled and choose XMP 1 profile and see what happens if it is a Intel machine
.

 

[rvvaquero]

Hello more than likely you need to go in your bios, and change the setting to performance game mode or manually change the ram speed.

It's an Acer and they have crippled the bios. No settings at all relating to memory speed or xmp.

And we have a winner! If you are running win 10 get a matched pair of 8 gig sticks to put in it. 16 Gigs will make your experience much better.

I've already ordered a matched set of two 8 gb sticks. So, the DDR4 3200 only refers to the speed it will run at double data rate? Max speed otherwise is about 1600? If I installed the new 8 gb sticks in slots 1 and 3, they would run at ddr of 3200? Then, would there be any benefit of leaving the two original sticks in slots 2 and 4?

Needto learn is also right, go into the bios and make sure dual channel is enabled and choose XMP 1 profile and see what happens if it is a Intel machine

It's AMD, no reference in the bios to AMP or memory speed.

Thanks for all responses.

 

[Comptech]

Actually you can make it work with amd in the bios. The chips have no idea what you are running, try all the memory presets and see what happens.
All I run is AMD and trust me it works.

 

[rvvaquero]

Actually you can make it work with amd in the bios. The chips have no idea what you are running, try all the memory presets and see what happens.
All I run is AMD and trust me it works.

There are no (zero, nada, zilch) memory settings in the bios. There is no reference to xmp, amp, etc. The only mention of memory in the bios is telling you how much memory you have.

 

[Comptech]

Trust me, if you can get into the bios, you can adjust. Most are UEFI now, go to the advanced tab then set your memory.

 

[Need2learn]

Are you in the task manager or are you in the BIOS? Which Bios do you have, and what brand of motherboard do you have?

 

[Comptech]

You either bought a really crippled machine, or you do not know how to really get into the BIOS.

 

[rvvaquero]

Guys. I built my own computers starting in the 80's. I quit in 2008 when I retired and have not bought but one computer since then, a laptop. This ddr and xmp stuff is new to me, but getting into bios is not. I would be eternally and humbly grateful to anyone who can tell me how to adjust the memory speed on this machine. It is an Acer TC391-UR12. It has an Acer motherboard and the bios is American Megatrends RO1-AO UEFI SMBIOS 3.3 with a date of 9-17-20. I'm assuming that Acer takes this bios and cripples it to protect their machines.

I have Googled the hell out of this and everywhere I look, the computer gurus are saying that Acer does not allow memory overclocking in their bios, that they are limited to JEDEC. The bios looks like something out of the 90's, very simple.

I started this thread to ask about the ddr aspect. When I put in the two 8 gb sticks which are matched, will the cpuz then show them at running at 3200 mhz, or still show them at 1600?

Thanks. Excuse the picture quality please.

 

[harshness]

It has an Acer motherboard and the bios is American Megatrends RO1-AO UEFI SMBIOS 3.3 with a date of 9-17-20.

The RAM settings are under the Advanced->CPU and Chipset Configuration menu item. All available timing configuration options will be there.

 

[rvvaquero]

The RAM settings are under the Advanced->CPU and Chipset Configuration menu item. All available timing configuration options will be there.

Thanks. I think that's where it should be also. When I select that tab, this is what I get...................

 

[harshness]

I guess we'll have to see if the matched sticks allow the BIOS to configure itself. There's usually a whole lot more to CPU configuration than the onboard graphics controller options.

 

[rvvaquero]

I guess we'll have to see if the matched sticks allow the BIOS to configure itself. There's usually a whole lot more to CPU configuration than the onboard graphics controller options.

I received the two 8 gb sticks today and installed them. They came up as dual channel and gave an xmp value. So, I guess that xmp was enabled by default. Don't know why the first two sticks of memory didn't give an xmp value.

Also, even though these new memory sticks are DDR4-3200, their xmp rated speed was just 1600 and their JEDEC speed was around 1300. I was expecting these to be able to overclock to around 1750 or more. I think they're selling these sticks to do the 3200 at their xmp rating and not their JEDEC rating. It's a little disappointing.

This computer is really quick, I have no complaints about the speed.

Thanks for everyone's input.

 

[Need2learn]

Guys. I built my own computers starting in the 80's. I quit in 2008 when I retired and have not bought but one computer since then, a laptop. This ddr and xmp stuff is new to me, but getting into bios is not. I would be eternally and humbly grateful to anyone who can tell me how to adjust the memory speed on this machine. It is an Acer TC391-UR12. It has an Acer motherboard and the bios is American Megatrends RO1-AO UEFI SMBIOS 3.3 with a date of 9-17-20. I'm assuming that Acer takes this bios and cripples it to protect their machines.

I have Googled the hell out of this and everywhere I look, the computer gurus are saying that Acer does not allow memory overclocking in their bios, that they are limited to JEDEC. The bios looks like something out of the 90's, very simple.

I started this thread to ask about the ddr aspect. When I put in the two 8 gb sticks which are matched, will the cpuz then show them at running at 3200 mhz, or still show them at 1600?

Thanks. Excuse the picture quality please.


View attachment 152546View attachment 152547View attachment 152548

If you built computer in the 80's which I find hard to believe, all computers back then were proprietary with 8088 XT motherboards, and the 286's didn't come out late 80's early 90's. I have built and sold over 100 custom built computer back in the 90's up to the early 2000's so I know a little about builting and how to config a computer.

 

[navychop]

I assembled an RCA COSMAC VIP microcomputer in the late 70s. Still have it. I then built Heathkit Z80 based PCs. HDOS and CP/M. Then a non “IBM standard” 80386 based machine. Then it’s was all PCs, in the Navy and out.

Unquestionably major changes have occurred over the last 5+ years.

 

[raoul5788]

My first computer was in 1989, a Tandy 1000sl with an 8088 processor. It was $1500. How things have changed!