All gamers and tech enthusiasts will agree that having good RAM in a PC solves lots of problems. But, as we all know the RAM which you buy in the market is locked at specific frequencies. If you check the DDR4 RAM, then you will realize it’s not utilizing its potential. In such cases, the only thing which you can do to improve the speed of RAM is overclocked it. Many gamers have a question about how to overclock RAM DDR4, and if you are one of those people, then you are at the right place.
In this article, we tried to explain what are the benefits of overclocking DDR4 RAM, and how you can do it in the easiest ways. So grab a cup of coffee, and read the tutorial.
Why Should You Overclock The RAM?
Owning a good PC which has sufficient RAM works for the majority of the people. But, if you are that person who likes to multitask like opening various tabs while using the computer, then the current RAM will not be of any use. Overclocking plays a vital role in helping to boost the speed of RAM, and ultimately makes the system smoother. Here are some benefits which you can get by overclocking RAM.
- Improve overall frame rates
- Significantly increases the speed
- Play high-end games without facing errors
Things To Consider Before Overclocking DDR 4 RAM
Even though in the latter part we have explained the best method to overclock your DDR 4 RAM. In overclocking, we will have to change the memory’s configuration about frequency, voltage and timing to get the best performance. Before Doing that consider you have to pay close attention to RAM speed, and the frequency.
See The Current Speed Of RAM
Before we start the process of overclocking, check the speed at which RAM is running. This is a simple yet essential thing which a user needs to do. To do that, go to the task manager, then right-click on it. Then go to the “performance” tab, and then click on the “memory” tab to see the current speed.
One can check the speed of RAM by using system information softwares like CPU-Z also. If you are using CPU-Z to determine the speed of DDR4 RAM, then make sure to double the frequency shown in the app to get the correct speed. The DRAM speed shown in CPU-Z will be half of the actual rate. So if you see the DRAM frequency of 2000Mhz, then total RAM speed is 4000 MHz (2000*2).
Check The Frequency of The RAM
One of the most confusing things which bother users is not knowing at what speed/frequency they should overclock the RAM to. The company usually sells RAM at different speeds like 2400Mhz, 3000Mhz, 4000MHz, etc.
But, it’s been observed that most of the DDR4 RAM is locked at the frequency of 2133MHz. You can easily overclock DDR4 RAM, and get more speed than what they are locked at. Even if you don’t know the exact frequency of the RAM, you can check the speed after overclocking by running some heavy applications.
Methods To Overclock DDR4 RAM
People often get an unnecessary type of information when they search about how to overclock RAM, but after analysing each piece of data. We found there are two ways through which you can be able to overclock the RAM in your system.
- Using XMP (Extreme Memory Profiles)
- Custom Overclocking
XMP is nothing but a list of extreme memory profiles which one can use to boost the speed of memory modules. You have to activate these preset profiles to overclock the RAM.
But, accordingly, this is not the best technique to increase the speed of RAM since it can cause lots of damage to your system. So without taking any risks, we will use custom overclocking technologies to boost the speed of RAM.
How To Custom Overclock DDR 4 RAM
If you want to overclock the RAM without any risk then doing it custom way is the best. The custom overclocking varies from different motherboards. But for the explanation of the readers, we decided to mention how to do it on some famous motherboards.
Overclocking DDR 4 RAM On ASUS Motherboards
Follow these steps carefully to custom overclock RAM on ASUS motherboard.
- Press “F2” or “Del” button to open the BIOS menu while starting the computer.
- Now go to advanced mode, and click on AI Tweaker/Overclocking tab
- Then select AI overclocking tuner to Manual/XMP
- Now various options for DRAM frequency will appear on the screen; here you can adjust the speed.
- Click on “Save & exit” and restart the computer.
Overclocking DDR 4 RAM On MSI Motherboard
You will not face any problem while overclocking RAM on MSI motherboard because of its simple BIOS. Here are simple steps you need to follow to overclock the RAM on MSI motherboard.
- Press” F2″ or “Del” button while restarting the PC to open the BIOS menu.
- Then click on the “OC” tab where you will find XMP.
- Disable It to enter into manual mode
- Then in manual mode, find “Adjust DRAM frequency” where you will be able to set a new speed limit.
- Now click on “save & exit” and restart the PC to see the changes made.
Overclocking DDR RAM Using XMP
As mentioned above, XMP stands for Extreme memory Profiles where you can automatically set the high speed of the RAM, considering its demerits some people still use it. Here is how you can use XMP to overclock your RAM.
Go to the motherboard’s BIO, where you will find the XMP option. There you will get three various options for selecting a profile, choose accordingly, and see whether it increases the speed or not.
However, keep one thing in mind that overclocking done by using XMP sometimes could burn the whole RAM in your system. If the power supply doesn’t work the right while using XMP, then you will have to bear this loss.
Final Words-
So these are some of the best ways through which you can overstock the RAM in your system. Some people get afraid when it comes to doing such things, but if you follow the required steps, then it can be done with ease. While setting a high-speed limit, make sure whether your PC handles it or not. If you have any more doubts or questions regarding this topic, then leave a comment below.
