Can I use higher Mhz memory sticks?

[deepakdeshp]

Hello,
My current configuration is as follows. Can I use a higher speed or DDR4 sticks?

Code: Select all

sudo lshw -c memory
  *-firmware                
       description: BIOS
       vendor: Insyde
       physical id: 0
       version: F.28
       date: 05/17/2019
       size: 128KiB
       capacity: 8128KiB
       capabilities: pci upgrade shadowing cdboot bootselect socketedrom edd int13floppynec int13floppytoshiba int13floppy360 int13floppy1200 int13floppy720 int13floppy2880 int9keyboard int10video acpi usb uefi
  *-memory
       description: System Memory
       physical id: 10
       slot: System board or motherboard
       size: 8GiB
     *-bank:0
          description: SODIMM DDR3 Synchronous Unbuffered (Unregistered) 1600 MHz (0.6 ns)
          product: 99U5469-045.A00LF
          vendor: Kingston
          physical id: 0
          serial: 0A10D4E7
          slot: Bottom
          size: 4GiB
          width: 64 bits
          clock: 1600MHz (0.6ns)
     *-bank:1
          description: SODIMM DDR3 Synchronous Unbuffered (Unregistered) 1600 MHz (0.6 ns)
          product: HMT451S6BFR8A-PB
          vendor: Hynix
          physical id: 1
          serial: 274D41CC
          slot: Top
          size: 4GiB
          width: 64 bits
          clock: 1600MHz (0.6ns)
  *-cache:0
       description: L1 cache
       physical id: 1a
       slot: L1 Cache
       size: 256KiB
       capacity: 256KiB
       clock: 1GHz (1.0ns)
       capabilities: pipeline-burst internal write-back unified
       configuration: level=1
  *-cache:1
       description: L2 cache
       physical id: 1b
       slot: L2 Cache
       size: 2MiB
       capacity: 2MiB
       clock: 1GHz (1.0ns)
       capabilities: pipeline-burst internal write-back unified
       configuration: level=2

[deepakdeshp]

Code: Select all

cat /proc/cpuinfo
processor	: 0
vendor_id	: AuthenticAMD
cpu family	: 22
model		: 48
model name	: AMD A8-7410 APU with AMD Radeon R5 Graphics
stepping	: 1
microcode	: 0x7030106
cpu MHz		: 1547.403
cache size	: 2048 KB
physical id	: 0
siblings	: 4
core id		: 0
cpu cores	: 4
apicid		: 0
initial apicid	: 0
fpu		: yes
fpu_exception	: yes
cpuid level	: 13
wp		: yes
flags		: fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 ht syscall nx mmxext fxsr_opt pdpe1gb rdtscp lm constant_tsc rep_good acc_power nopl nonstop_tsc cpuid extd_apicid aperfmperf pni pclmulqdq monitor ssse3 cx16 sse4_1 sse4_2 movbe popcnt aes xsave avx f16c rdrand lahf_lm cmp_legacy svm extapic cr8_legacy abm sse4a misalignsse 3dnowprefetch osvw ibs skinit wdt topoext perfctr_nb bpext ptsc perfctr_llc cpb hw_pstate ssbd ibpb vmmcall bmi1 xsaveopt arat npt lbrv svm_lock nrip_save tsc_scale flushbyasid decodeassists pausefilter pfthreshold overflow_recov
bugs		: fxsave_leak sysret_ss_attrs null_seg spectre_v1 spectre_v2 spec_store_bypass
bogomips	: 4391.79
TLB size	: 1024 4K pages
clflush size	: 64
cache_alignment	: 64
address sizes	: 40 bits physical, 48 bits virtual
power management: ts ttp tm 100mhzsteps hwpstate cpb acc_power [13]

processor	: 1
vendor_id	: AuthenticAMD
cpu family	: 22
model		: 48
model name	: AMD A8-7410 APU with AMD Radeon R5 Graphics
stepping	: 1
microcode	: 0x7030106
cpu MHz		: 1499.129
cache size	: 2048 KB
physical id	: 0
siblings	: 4
core id		: 1
cpu cores	: 4
apicid		: 1
initial apicid	: 1
fpu		: yes
fpu_exception	: yes
cpuid level	: 13
wp		: yes
flags		: fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 ht syscall nx mmxext fxsr_opt pdpe1gb rdtscp lm constant_tsc rep_good acc_power nopl nonstop_tsc cpuid extd_apicid aperfmperf pni pclmulqdq monitor ssse3 cx16 sse4_1 sse4_2 movbe popcnt aes xsave avx f16c rdrand lahf_lm cmp_legacy svm extapic cr8_legacy abm sse4a misalignsse 3dnowprefetch osvw ibs skinit wdt topoext perfctr_nb bpext ptsc perfctr_llc cpb hw_pstate ssbd ibpb vmmcall bmi1 xsaveopt arat npt lbrv svm_lock nrip_save tsc_scale flushbyasid decodeassists pausefilter pfthreshold overflow_recov
bugs		: fxsave_leak sysret_ss_attrs null_seg spectre_v1 spectre_v2 spec_store_bypass
bogomips	: 4391.79
TLB size	: 1024 4K pages
clflush size	: 64
cache_alignment	: 64
address sizes	: 40 bits physical, 48 bits virtual
power management: ts ttp tm 100mhzsteps hwpstate cpb acc_power [13]

processor	: 2
vendor_id	: AuthenticAMD
cpu family	: 22
model		: 48
model name	: AMD A8-7410 APU with AMD Radeon R5 Graphics
stepping	: 1
microcode	: 0x7030106
cpu MHz		: 1406.265
cache size	: 2048 KB
physical id	: 0
siblings	: 4
core id		: 2
cpu cores	: 4
apicid		: 2
initial apicid	: 2
fpu		: yes
fpu_exception	: yes
cpuid level	: 13
wp		: yes
flags		: fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 ht syscall nx mmxext fxsr_opt pdpe1gb rdtscp lm constant_tsc rep_good acc_power nopl nonstop_tsc cpuid extd_apicid aperfmperf pni pclmulqdq monitor ssse3 cx16 sse4_1 sse4_2 movbe popcnt aes xsave avx f16c rdrand lahf_lm cmp_legacy svm extapic cr8_legacy abm sse4a misalignsse 3dnowprefetch osvw ibs skinit wdt topoext perfctr_nb bpext ptsc perfctr_llc cpb hw_pstate ssbd ibpb vmmcall bmi1 xsaveopt arat npt lbrv svm_lock nrip_save tsc_scale flushbyasid decodeassists pausefilter pfthreshold overflow_recov
bugs		: fxsave_leak sysret_ss_attrs null_seg spectre_v1 spectre_v2 spec_store_bypass
bogomips	: 4391.79
TLB size	: 1024 4K pages
clflush size	: 64
cache_alignment	: 64
address sizes	: 40 bits physical, 48 bits virtual
power management: ts ttp tm 100mhzsteps hwpstate cpb acc_power [13]

processor	: 3
vendor_id	: AuthenticAMD
cpu family	: 22
model		: 48
model name	: AMD A8-7410 APU with AMD Radeon R5 Graphics
stepping	: 1
microcode	: 0x7030106
cpu MHz		: 1475.581
cache size	: 2048 KB
physical id	: 0
siblings	: 4
core id		: 3
cpu cores	: 4
apicid		: 3
initial apicid	: 3
fpu		: yes
fpu_exception	: yes
cpuid level	: 13
wp		: yes
flags		: fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 ht syscall nx mmxext fxsr_opt pdpe1gb rdtscp lm constant_tsc rep_good acc_power nopl nonstop_tsc cpuid extd_apicid aperfmperf pni pclmulqdq monitor ssse3 cx16 sse4_1 sse4_2 movbe popcnt aes xsave avx f16c rdrand lahf_lm cmp_legacy svm extapic cr8_legacy abm sse4a misalignsse 3dnowprefetch osvw ibs skinit wdt topoext perfctr_nb bpext ptsc perfctr_llc cpb hw_pstate ssbd ibpb vmmcall bmi1 xsaveopt arat npt lbrv svm_lock nrip_save tsc_scale flushbyasid decodeassists pausefilter pfthreshold overflow_recov
bugs		: fxsave_leak sysret_ss_attrs null_seg spectre_v1 spectre_v2 spec_store_bypass
bogomips	: 4391.79
TLB size	: 1024 4K pages
clflush size	: 64
cache_alignment	: 64
address sizes	: 40 bits physical, 48 bits virtual
power management: ts ttp tm 100mhzsteps hwpstate cpb acc_power [13]

[Mark Phelps]

The simple answer is yes -- you can use "faster" memory -- but the speed will be limited to what the memory controller supports. So, if yours is pegged at 1600, putting in "faster" sticks will not make it faster than that.

Also, the different gen memory sticks have different "slots" in their connectors -- known as keys -- to prevent you putting a DDR4 stick in a DDR3 slot, and vice-versa. So, if your PC takes DDR3, then no, you can't use DDR4.

[deepakdeshp]

The simple answer is yes -- you can use "faster" memory -- but the speed will be limited to what the memory controller supports. So, if yours is pegged at 1600, putting in "faster" sticks will not make it faster than that.

Also, the different gen memory sticks have different "slots" in their connectors -- known as keys -- to prevent you putting a DDR4 stick in a DDR3 slot, and vice-versa. So, if your PC takes DDR3, then no, you can't use DDR4.

Is there any way to know what does the memory controller supports?

[Mark Phelps]

Not that I know of, but since your PC came with 1600 memory already installed, my guess is that is all it will handle.

[lsemmens]

Go to the motherboard manufacturer's website, they will give you all the specs that it can handle.

Time was when some motherboards would not support some chipsets even though they were built to the same spec. I'm not sure that this is now the case, however. e.g. when I was selling IBM last century the only RAM that they'd specify for their machines was Genuine and specific models at that, and Hypertech, again, specific models. If you had two computers of identical spec but with a different model MOBO in them even though the RAM was interchangeable, the machines would throw a hissy fit.