BIOS Configuration for Ram - Help a Noob out please

[peanutgallery1938]

Hi Guys,
2 Weeks later and I'm finally up and running.
I switched my RAM to GSkill

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL7D-4GBRM
Cas Latency: 7
Voltage: 1.65V
Timing: 7-8-7-24-2N
Model #: F3-12800CL7D-4GBRM

I've got an i3-550 Chip (3.2GHz), GA H55M-USB3 Motherboard and a Asus 512MB 8400GS card.

In the BIOS the RAM showed 1333MHz? There was an option there (memory frequency) for XMP and chose profile 1. That switched it to 1600MHz but now the System Profiler says my CPU is 3.84GHz.
I'm have no idea if I compromised system stability as I know nothing about overclocking.
Any suggestions if what I did was fine or do I have to make other adjustments?

 

[Stephen_Harris]

You get more accurate results from reading the Bios. Anyway, there is about 1% performance advantage for ram speed 1600 over 1333. When your timings are lower, your memory is more efficient. When you changed to XMP, did your timings change to 9-9-9-24? 1600 is not automatic for an i5, so I think i3 also, thus the cpu must be overclocked. I thought it was good at 1333.

 

[Vendetta]

You have to overclock your CPU in order to reach the 1600MHz.

 

[peanutgallery1938]

You get more accurate results from reading the Bios. Anyway, there is about 1% performance advantage for ram speed 1600 over 1333. When your timings are lower, your memory is more efficient. When you changed to XMP, did your timings change to 9-9-9-24? 1600 is not automatic for an i5, so I think i3 also, thus the cpu must be overclocked. I thought it was good at first.

My timings show 7-8-7-24 and that was before I switched it to Profile 1
The timings where the same after the switch to Prophile 1.

Regardless...considering my motherboard (GA H55M-USB3) is it work switching to Profile 1 considering you just mentioned it's a 1% performance gain?

Also what exactly did I do then when I switched the XMP Profile?

 

[jaysquared]

Just did my first build using the same RAM and just like you my ram was only at 1333mhz and the only way to get it to 1600 is to overclock just like what vendetta said.. Vendeta I know on my motherboard(Gigabyte H55 USB3) it list 1600 ram speed as OC.. If I had a board that naturally supported 1600 speed without OC would be able to list that as my clock speed without doing any OC? I know in in a PC thats how it works..

 

[peanutgallery1938]

Just did my first build using the same RAM and just like you my ram was only at 1333mhz and the only way to get it to 1600 is to overclock just like what vendetta said.. Vendeta I know on my motherboard(Gigabyte H55 USB3) it list 1600 ram speed as OC.. If I had a board that naturally supported 1600 speed without OC would be able to list that as my clock speed without doing any OC? I know in in a PC thats how it works..

I think I have some OC reading ahead of me. Sounds confusing...but so did MacOS on an PC

 

[jaysquared]

Actually after some reading from what it sounds like it depends if your CPU supports it.. According to this

http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=48505&processor=i3-550&spec-codes=SLBUD

Both our CPU only supports memory speed of 1066/1333 and to be able to get the 1600 speed is to overclock.. I'm not sure though but it does make sense since the CPU and RAM work together.. If the RAM is sending information to CPU at a faster speed that it can support the only way it would be able to process it without bottle necking is to OC..

 

[Stephen_Harris]

The i5 cpu needs to be overclocked. The i7 cpu does not need to be overclocked to reach 1600, because it allows the 12x memory multiplier. 12 x 133 = 1600. For the i5, more than once I've seen the blck raised from 133 to 160. Then the 10x mem multiplier = 10 x 160 = 1600. Running at blck = 133 is standard and is not overclocked. The i5 has a limitation which the i7 does not.