[HowTo] SO-DIMMs Extreme: Boost 1600 to 2133 and beyond / JEDEC & XMP

[James D]

I have just hied in spoiler whole previous version of post because since time new speed standards arrived, price policy on RAM stickes has changed and even new ways of OCing RAM revealed.

Ways of overclocking RAM:
1. BIOS settings. Your laptop might have possibility to manually set timings and frequency of RAM. If it doesn't then unlocked BIOSes might be somewhere which allow you you this and bunch of other nice tricks.
Advantages:
- free;
- you always can power drain laptop or reset CMOS if smth goes wrong (too tight timings).
Disadvantages:
- this RAM will work on higher speed only in your laptop. When you reset CMOS or plug off and put in different laptop it will work as manufacturer stated because all you did was in the BIOS settings, not in the RAM itself.
2. Thaiphoon Burner. Changes information in SPD chip of RAM sticks.
Advantages:
- various settings available;
- this RAM will work as you set in any laptop you put it in (assuming CPU supports that speed, otherwise RAM will be downclocked or else)
Disadvantages:
- not free;
- if you screw it you will have to use hot plug to recover the stick (this is for every similar method).
3. SPD Tool. Does the same.
Advantages:
- free;
Disadvantages:
- very outdated;
- latest chipset supported was ICH10 (Intel P45 / Intel G45);
- you should use it to flash only already prepared profiles made using Thaiphoon Burner programm (free version or paid);
- if you screw it you will have to use hot plug to recover the stick (this is for every similar method).
4. Thaiphoon Burner v.6.3 latest Free version. Not sure if you can find it though.
Advantages:
- same as for paid version.
Disadvantages:
- outdated and no support. if you are lucky you can make it work on Intel 5 series chipset at best but not later;
- you need to disable driver signature pressing F8 while booting windows;
- if you screw it you will have to use hot plug to recover the stick (this is for every similar method).

What RAM is the best?

SAMSUNG SO-DIMM 1600MHz RAM 2x4GB kit. Either older 1.5V one or newer 1.35V.
It is confirmed by many that 1.5 version works at 2133Mhz but with Cl12 timings. CL11 are possible but depends on your luck.
Newer 1.35V RAM is better for OCing and is able to take 2133Mhz with CL11 HOWEVER Meaker said that his kit has PSV protection (which means you can either flash only XMP profiles or change timings in BIOS). So who knows what RAM (protected or not) you will get.

Spoiler :

*OFFICIAL* Alienware M17x Benchmark Thread - Part 4
"Has Anyone already bought 1600 mhz 9-9-9-24 Corsair Vengeance RAM? Could anyone post a screenshot so I knew timings for 1333 speed?" - This question was the first thing I wrote in this thread. Since then this thread became much more useful than someone could expect at the beginning. Here you can find almost everything of how to improve your Corsair Vengeance RAM.
Be my guest

Conclusion of what can be made and link on Corsair 1866Mhz improved *.thp profile.


Conclusion of what can be made and link on Corsair 1600Mhz improved *.thp profile.


Summary what we have already got:
1) Screenshots of stock 1600 Mhz Corsair. Thank Nemix77 please
2) Screenshots of stock 1866 Mhz Corsair. And link on stock *.thp profile. Thank GalaxySII please
3) How To videos of modding (and therefore speed and performance improving) Corsair 1866Mhz RAM. Possible to do with 1600Mhz too! Thank TURBODUDE!!! please
4) Memory modules used and their Datasheet
1)1600Mhz Corsair (Nemix77's):
JEDEC Timings for 1066Mhz mode are 6-6-6-16 with 26(RC) and 1T for 8GB of RAM. Possibly will be 2T with 16GB. tRFC is 128 whatever it means.
5) and the last: Corsair doesn't go higher than 1866; Sanmsung goes higher than 2200; possibly all low-voltage sticks are great OCeable; more than 8GB doesn't go higher (for now) than 1866.



CPU-z JEDEC screenshots are here



2)1866Mhz Corsair (GalaxySII's):
JEDEC Timings for 1066Mhz mode are 6-6-6-16 with 26(RC) and 2T for 16GB of RAM. Possibly will be 1T with 8GB. tRFC is 150 whatever it means.



AIDA benches show: 19064 MB/sec reads 18749MB/sec writes and 21412 MB/sec copies. Also possibly faulty JEDEC timings by CPU-z. All is in attached screenshot (too wide)

Stock Screenshot of TaiphoonButner by Galaxy SII



3)Video tutorials (TURBODUDE!!!):
- FAST Video HowTo Tutorial
- Advanced Video HowTo Tutorial

4) Photo and Datasheet

- Datasheet Link

[Nemix77]

I have it ordered, will be pick them up this weekend.

[James D]

Thank you. Will be waiting...

[Nemix77]

@ James D

I recently changed the order and got the Corsair DDR3-1866 instead.

The ram is on back-order but will arriving hopefully sometime this week.

[GalaxySII]

I have ordered but 1866s 4x4GB

[James D]

well franly I think that it will give not much performance difference 1866 vs 1600 especially for double price. But fine. Will wait longer.

[HTWingNut]

I don't understand the need for this fast RAM in Intel setups. It makes very little difference in anything except for RAM limited applications which are few and far between. So many other bottlenecks.

[James D]

why are you saying that AMD is best for it?

[HTWingNut]

why are you saying that AMD is best for it?

Well with AMD benefits are minor too, only the IGP gets some performance benefits from it. Even then it's limited.

[Nemix77]

I found this article a couple days back Maximum PC | Is Your Gaming Laptop's RAM Slowing It Down? which made me change my mind on DDR3-1600 and thus I went with the DDR3-1866 instead since both are on back-order.

I don't plan on upgrading to Ivy Bridge and thus the price difference between DDR3-1600 and DDR3-1866 maybe worth it since it could potentially help the Intel HD 3000 IGP last a little longer before another laptop upgrade is imminent.

Besides, it would better to spend $50 more ATM then spend a lot more in the future when when DDR4 is standard on all laptops and DDR3 becomes obsolete driving prices up, not to mention it'll probably be a lot harder to find premium DDR3-1866 by then.