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Category System & Hardware

1. Motherboard Selection

Platform

Chipset

Manufacturer

Motherboard Model (Searchable Database)

2. Memory Configuration

We will scan 5,000+ kits to find the optimal match for your selected motherboard.

Target Capacity

Preferred Brand (Optional)

RAM Generation

Frequency (MT/s)

CAS Latency (CL)

Total Capacity (GB)

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About

System stability relies heavily on the precise synchronization between the CPU’s Integrated Memory Controller (IMC), the motherboard’s electrical topology, and the Random Access Memory (RAM) modules. A mismatch in generation, rank architecture, or signal integrity often results in boot failures (POST codes) or random blue screens (BSOD) during high-load operations. This tool validates hardware interoperability by cross-referencing socket specifications, chipset limitations, and vendor qualified lists (QVL).

While the physical difference between DDR4 and DDR5 is obvious due to key notch displacement, subtle incompatibilities are more dangerous. For example, running four high-density dual-rank DIMMs often forces the memory controller to downclock significantly below advertised speeds to maintain signal stability. This utility calculates the theoretical Absolute Latency and checks if the selected configuration violates voltage regulation (PMIC) standards or capacity thresholds defined by the motherboard manufacturer.

Formulas

Frequency (MT/s) is marketing speed; Latency (ns) is physics. The time it takes for the RAM to respond to a command is the Absolute Latency (T_abs). This is calculated using the Column Address Strobe (CAS) Latency (CL) and the effective Data Rate (R).

T_abs = CL × 2000R ns

For example, DDR4-3600 CL16 has a latency of 8.88ns, while DDR5-6000 CL30 has a latency of 10.0ns. However, DDR5 overcomes this with vastly superior Bandwidth (BW):

BW = R × 8 bytes × Channels

Reference Data

Feature	DDR4 (Legacy/Budget)	DDR5 (Current Std)	Engineering Impact
Voltage Regulation	Motherboard (VTT/VPP)	On-DIMM (PMIC)	DDR5 moves heat generation to the RAM stick; requires better case airflow.
Burst Length	8	16	DDR5 fills the cache line in a single burst, improving efficiency.
Channels/DIMM	1 × 64-bit	2 × 32-bit	DDR5 allows simultaneous read/write operations per stick.
Max Die Density	16 Gb	64 Gb	Allows for 192GB+ configurations on consumer boards.
ECC Support	Rare (Server only)	On-Die ECC (Standard)	DDR5 corrects internal bit flips, but not transmission errors.
Base Frequency	2133 MT/s	4800 MT/s	Higher base floor means faster out-of-the-box performance.
Gear Modes	Gear 1 / Gear 2	Gear 2 / Gear 4	DDR5 often decouples memory controller frequency (uclk) to reach high speeds.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. While the RAM is rated for 7200 MT/s, the motherboard traces and the CPU's memory controller (IMC) are the limiting factors. Most 4-slot motherboards struggle to stabilize speeds above 6800-7000 MT/s. To reach 7200+ MT/s reliably, you often need a premium 2-slot motherboard (like the Apex or Tachyon series) and a high-quality CPU silicon lottery winner.

It is strongly discouraged. Even if two kits have the same speed (e.g., 6000 MT/s) and timings (e.g., CL30), they may use memory chips from different manufacturers (Samsung, Hynix, Micron) known as "dies". Mixing dies causes training failures, resulting in the system reverting to slow JEDEC speeds or failing to boot.

QVL stands for Qualified Vendor List. It is a database of RAM kits that the motherboard manufacturer has physically tested in their lab to ensure stability. Using a kit on the QVL guarantees compatibility, whereas off-QVL kits are a gamble, especially at high frequencies.

Populating four DIMM slots places significantly more electrical load (capacitance) on the memory controller than two slots. This makes signal integrity harder to maintain. Most motherboards are "Daisy Chain" topology, optimized for two sticks. Using four sticks usually requires dropping the frequency to maintain stability.