Why are there motherboards that support DDR3 when skylake doesn't support it?

[Danielx64]

Last night before I went to bed I decided to do some research into using DDR3 memory with skylake CPUs and I found that skylake doesn't support memory that run any higher than 1.35 volts. So far I am on the same page.

Then I decided to look at a motherboard that has DDR3L support and I found that the memory that is in my current system is on the supported list and that memory runs at 1.65 volts.

How can a motherboard vendor recommend memory that runs at 1.65 volts when skylake only support up to 1.35 volts? Is there anything that I may be missing?

[+Gary7 Subscriber²]

Your machine came installed with with this stuff?

[Danielx64]

Nope but I am just trying to understand why vendors like gigabyte and such make motherboards with support for DDR3.

[+Gary7 Subscriber²]

  On 08/09/2016 at 21:44, Danielx64 said:

Nope but I am just trying to understand why vendors like gigabyte and such make motherboards with support for DDR3.

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Because there are people that still use DDR3, I am one of them, but my PC is 6 years old. Built it in 2010.

[Danielx64]

Yeah but would you be killing your CPU with the over voltage?

[+Gary7 Subscriber²]

No not yet? I have an Core i7 Intel 960 @ 3.20 Ghz and an MSI X58-Pro E (MS-7522 MOBO}

[Mando]

  On 08/09/2016 at 21:53, Danielx64 said:

Yeah but would you be killing your CPU with the over voltage?

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Nope the voltage applied to rambus is different to the voltage to cpu buddy. The mobo regulates what devices receive what voltage, just as psus supply +12, +5 and +3.3v DC to mobo itself. 

[Jim K Global Moderator]

I do not think you'll get a clear answer on this...your question might be better asked to the board makers.  Manufactures who list 1.65v DDR3 on their recommended vendor list ... obviously feel confident that the memory will be stable and would not harm the Skylake IMC.

[Hum]

The CPU and the RAM manufacturer are likely 2 different companies.

 

CPUs and RAM  don't necessarily use the same voltages.

 

A motherboard maker wants to have as wide of compatibility as possible, so you will chose them.

[Danielx64]

  On 08/09/2016 at 22:20, jjkusaf said:

I do not think you'll get a clear answer on this...your question might be better asked to the board makers.  Manufactures who list 1.65v DDR3 on their recommended vendor list ... obviously feel confident that the memory will be stable and would not harm the Skylake IMC.

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Yeah I think I will go and ask ASUS and maybe Gigabyte (even though I don't like then now) and see whats up with listing 1.65v DDR3 memory.

 

This is where it started: http://wccftech.com/skylake-does-not-support-ddr3-damage-ddr3l-only/

[George P Global Moderator]

If the mobo maker says this RAM is supported then it's supported, you might be overthinking it, you can run different voltages to different parts of the mobo, it's part of OC'ing, you can OC just the RAM for example and not touch the CPU or vice versa.     The DDR4 RAM i'm running on my new skylake PC is rated up to 2400mhz but it's running at the default 2133mhz atm, I could OC it up if I felt like it, but I don't see the need to do so.

[Danielx64]

  On 09/09/2016 at 09:46, George P said:

If the mobo maker says this RAM is supported then it's supported, you might be overthinking it, you can run different voltages to different parts of the mobo, it's part of OC'ing, you can OC just the RAM for example and not touch the CPU or vice versa.     The DDR4 RAM i'm running on my new skylake PC is rated up to 2400mhz but it's running at the default 2133mhz atm, I could OC it up if I felt like it, but I don't see the need to do so.

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I think the problem is very real, just happen to come across: http://www.tomshardware.com/news/skylake-memory-support,30185.html So while short term there is no issues but longer terms there may be serious issues.

[Boo Berry]

Actually, Skylake is backwards compatible with DDR3... well DDR3L.

[Danielx64]

  On 09/09/2016 at 11:08, Boo Berry said:

Actually, Skylake is backwards compatible with DDR3... well DDR3L.

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Am I correct that the different between DDR3 and DDR3L is the voltage that the memory runs at?

[+Mirumir Subscriber¹]

The voltage is controlled by the chipset; the values are stored in CMOS. A chipset can support both new gen CPUs and previous gen RAM. It happens all the time.

[Boo Berry]

You *can* use DDR3 with Skylake, depending on the motherboard... but I wouldn't recommend using it for a prolonged period.

 

  On 09/09/2016 at 11:19, Danielx64 said:

Am I correct that the different between DDR3 and DDR3L is the voltage that the memory runs at?

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The L stands for Low Voltage. So yes - DDR3L runs at 1.35V vs. 1.50V or 1.65V with DDR3.

[+PeterUK MVC]

  On 09/09/2016 at 09:17, Danielx64 said:

Yeah I think I will go and ask ASUS and maybe Gigabyte (even though I don't like then now) and see whats up with listing 1.65v DDR3 memory.

 

This is where it started: http://wccftech.com/skylake-does-not-support-ddr3-damage-ddr3l-only/

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Maybe thats signal voltage or digital data voltage that the RAM transmits to the CPU but you could have hardware between the CPU and RAM to step down signal voltage to the CPU and step up signal voltage from the CPU to the RAM to get around the problem not sure if thats possible either that or Intel overstated the issue?

[PGHammer]

  On 08/09/2016 at 20:08, Danielx64 said:

Last night before I went to bed I decided to do some research into using DDR3 memory with skylake CPUs and I found that skylake doesn't support memory that run any higher than 1.35 volts. So far I am on the same page.

Then I decided to look at a motherboard that has DDR3L support and I found that the memory that is in my current system is on the supported list and that memory runs at 1.65 volts.

How can a motherboard vendor recommend memory that runs at 1.65 volts when skylake only support up to 1.35 volts? Is there anything that I may be missing?

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The DDR3 that Skylake supports is low-voltage DDR3, or DDR-3L; it does not use the same memory sockets as either standard DDR3 OR DDR4.  If you see a motherboard that supports DDR-3L "in the wild", it was likely intended for OEM/ODM usage originally, as DDR-3L is not sold retail (and is priced accordingly compared to DDR4).  It is for price and availability reasons that I recommend DDR4 for LGA1151; where I recommend DDR3 is for LGA1150 or older.  Right now, DDR3 and DDR4 (in the 8GB DIMM size) actually have pricing parity - however, this is true of no other memory size (primarily due to 8GB being the largest common DDR3 DIMM size for desktops)

[adrynalyne]

  On 10/09/2016 at 20:34, PGHammer said:

The DDR3 that Skylake supports is low-voltage DDR3, or DDR-3L; it does not use the same memory sockets as either standard DDR3 OR DDR4.  If you see a motherboard that supports DDR-3L "in the wild", it was likely intended for OEM/ODM usage originally, as DDR-3L is not sold retail (and is priced accordingly compared to DDR4).  It is for price and availability reasons that I recommend DDR4 for LGA1151; where I recommend DDR3 is for LGA1150 or older.  Right now, DDR3 and DDR4 (in the 8GB DIMM size) actually have pricing parity - however, this is true of no other memory size (primarily due to 8GB being the largest common DDR3 DIMM size for desktops)

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DDR3L is not sold retail???

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820156047&cm_re=ddr3l-_-20-156-047-_-Product

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226757&cm_re=ddr3l-_-20-226-757-_-Product

http://www.crucial.com/usa/en/ct102464bd160b

[PGHammer]

Check the pricing compared to DDR4.  Newegg sells to OEMs/ODMs - not exactly the average Joe.  (They sell to average Joes as well - which is why I can't exactly count them as a "typical e-tailer".)

[adrynalyne]

  On 10/09/2016 at 20:41, PGHammer said:

Check the pricing compared to DDR4.  Newegg sells to OEMs/ODMs - not exactly the average Joe.  (They sell to average Joes as well - which is why I can't exactly count them as a "typical e-tailer".)

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Hence I linked Crucial. I can provide others if you like.

https://www.amazon.com/Kingston-Technology-1600MHz-Voltage-HX316LC10FB/dp/B014R9BK94/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1473540216&sr=8-14&keywords=DDR3L

https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Vengeance-1600MHz-Systems-CMY32GX3M4C1600C9/dp/B0143UM082/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&qid=1473540278&sr=8-17&keywords=DDR3L

 

How many sellers would you like me to list? Best Buy and the likes don't count as they never have anything but a small sampling of memory.

 

As for price, I made no mention nor debate of it, so I am not going to start now.

[Danielx64]

So really the issue have been overblown by Tomshardware and  wccftech?

 

Anyhow here's a board from ASUS that support ram at 1.65v: https://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/Z170-P-D3/

 

And I just found this: https://www.reddit.com/r/pcmasterrace/comments/3toyy6/skylake_and_ddr3_what_you_need_to_know/

[Danielx64]

  On 10/09/2016 at 20:21, PeterUK said:

Maybe thats signal voltage or digital data voltage that the RAM transmits to the CPU but you could have hardware between the CPU and RAM to step down signal voltage to the CPU and step up signal voltage from the CPU to the RAM to get around the problem not sure if thats possible either that or Intel overstated the issue?

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You can (in general) convert down with voltage (you know that PSU?) but not sure about going the other way.

[+PeterUK MVC]

 

  On 11/09/2016 at 08:17, Danielx64 said:

You can (in general) convert down with voltage (you know that PSU?) but not sure about going the other way.

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I'm saying about the signal voltage or digital data voltage that the RAM transmits to the CPU not the power the RAM get from the PSU.