Vengeance Extreme 3000MHz setup and overclocking results

Building the modules

Building the world's fastest production memory is no easy feat, you need the right combination of hardware and memory ICs. To build just one Vengeance Extreme DRAM module requires screening through over 1000 memory ICs. Check out the video below for more info on how the modules are made.

System Requirements and Bios settings

In order to run these modules at 3000MHz you need a CPU with an integrated memory controller (IMC) that is capable of 3000MHz+. Most Ivy Bridge 3750K and 3770K processors are capable of memory speeds around 2666MHz or 2800MHz. Finding an Ivy Bridge CPU that will run the memory speed at 3000MHz is extremely tough and approximately only 1 out of 25 will do it.

Here are just some of the CPUs I went through to find mine.

Right now there are only two motherboards we have found that can actually run these speeds. The first board is the ASRock Z77 OC Formula board with bios 1.40. If you are running this motherboard, follow the photos below to see the exact settings needed.

The first thing you need to adjust is the base clock to 102.3MHz

The DRAM Frequency divider needs to be set to the 2933MHz divider. This along with the 102.3 base clock will give a memory frequency of 3000MHz.

Under the memory timings settings the first thing to do is load the DRAM Preset to Hynix MFR 2800. From here the rest of the timings are adjusted according to the screen shots below.

The last thing to set in the bios is the DRAM voltage to 1.65v and the VCCSA voltage to 1.2-1.35. The VCCSA voltage setting will really depend on what your processor's IMC requires.

The second motherboard is the ASUS P8Z77-I Deluxe with bios 0902. The settings are almost identical to the ASRock board but do vary.

Again the first change is the base clock to 102.3MHz.

Next change the Memory Frequency divider to 2933MHz which gives us 3000MHz with 102.3 base clock.

The Primary and Secondary memory timings can then be set to the following settings.

Finally the DRAM Voltage and VCCSA Voltages can be set. Again the VCCSA voltage will vary depending on what your processor's IMC requires.

Overclocking results

Unfortunately with these modules the CPU's memory controller is the current limitation. Dropping to a single module eases the load on the memory controller and can allow for higher frequencies. Loosening the timings to 12-15-15 allowed the module to be overclocked to 3100MHz stable.

Putting CPU under liquid nitrogen and raising the voltage to 1.75v a single module was able to run 3232MHz which is the second fastest ever run on Ivy Bridge!

I then switched over to an AMD CPU under liquid nitrogen and installed the included K|ngP|n LN2 pot on a module, which resulted in 3419.6MHz!

The Vengeance Extreme DDR3 memory kits are the results of a lot of late nights, testing and screening out the absolute best hardware! If you are lucky enough to get one of the limited edition kits let's see some results, especially on liquid nitrogen with the included LN2 pot!