The frequency of the RAM sticks that you use inside your computer can affect the performance. This is especially true for AMD CPUs. So, if you want to buy new RAM or are building a computer for the first time, you may ask “How do I find my motherboard RAM frequency?“, and here is the answer.
The easiest way to check the RAM frequency supported by your motherboard is to refer to the motherboard’s specifications description. If you already have the motherboard with you, you can check the box and it should tell you the supported RAM frequency. Otherwise, look up your model and check the specifications on the manufacturer’s website and you will find out. Make sure that your CPU supports the same RAM frequency.
But can I install faster RAM sticks than what the motherboard supports? What would happen in that case? How do I find my motherboard RAM frequency on the manufacturer’s website? You can read the answers to these questions and learn more about RAM frequency down below.
How Do I Find My Motherboard RAM Frequency?
The easiest way to find the maximum RAM frequency supported by your motherboard is to go to your motherboard manufacturer’s website and find the model. A quick search online can also tell you the maximum RAM frequency. You can find out what motherboard manufacturer and model you have by doing the following:
- Go to Start, type in “System information“, and open it
- On the System Summary, look for the “BaseBoard Manufacturer”, “BaseBoard Product“, and “BaseBoard Version“
The BaseBoard here stands for the motherboard, so you now know the manufacturer, product, and version of your specific motherboard. Go to the official manufacturer’s website and look up your motherboard model. Next, find the specifications list and find the “Memory” tab. You will see all supported RAM frequencies here.
But what would happen if you installed RAM sticks that are faster than the maximum supported frequency? In that case, the RAM sticks will downclock to the maximum supported frequency automatically and should work without any problems. This is only true if the motherboard and sticks are compatible in the first place. So, you do not have to worry about having RAM that is too fast for your motherboard.
Another important thing to mention is that your RAM frequency is also limited by your CPU. The information of all supported RAM frequencies for your CPU is again available on the manufacturer’s website. Alternatively, you can look up your CPU model name and add “maximum RAM frequency” and the search results will let you know.
But does RAM frequency even affect performance? If you have an AMD system, the impact of RAM frequency on your overall performance both in games and productivity tasks can be quite significant. On Intel, the difference is much less noticeable.
So, if you are building an AMD system, it is worth spending a bit of extra cash for slightly faster RAM as this can greatly improve performance. This also means that you may have to spend a bit more money on a better motherboard as well. Make sure that you get the RAM that is supported by your CPU as well.
And for Intel systems, the difference is not that significant so you should only buy faster RAM if it is around the same price.
As a side note, your motherboard probably supports only a certain maximum amount of RAM. So, you should not buy more RAM than what is supported by your motherboard as it will not work. This is more important than the RAM frequency.
Conclusion
If you are still wondering and asking, “How do I find my motherboard RAM frequency?“, do not worry. You just have to look up your motherboard model name on the manufacturer’s official website and a quick check of the specifications will tell you all the supported RAM frequencies. You can also check on the box if you have it with you as it may contain the same information.
RAM frequency is an important aspect when it comes to the overall performance of your system. The difference is much more noticeable with AMD systems, so always try to get the fastest supported RAM to maximize performance.