Ram upgrade with my OMEN 25L

[oliverfromdk]

Hi, i have an OMEN 25L PC with HP 8B1D motherboard, i7-14700F CPU and RTX 4070 Super GPU. My pc now has 16gb ddr5 ram but i have now bought 32gb ddr5 ram with 6000mhz cl30. I looked up my motherboard specs and it said it could handle 5200mhz and my cpu up to 5600mhz. Will the ram i bought with 6000mhz destroy my pc? or will it be able to run stableilized with that speed? I went into the BIOS and checked for XMP profiles and it there it runned with 6000mhz... but im scared that it will destroy my pc.

[NonSequitur777]

@oliverfromdk,

Welcome to our HP Community forum!

Congrats on upgrading your system -it’s a powerful setup! Let’s address your concerns about the new 6000 MHz DDR5 RAM and its compatibility with your OMEN 25L PC:

1. Can 6000 MHz RAM Damage Your PC?

No, installing RAM with a higher frequency than the motherboard’s or CPU's official support limit will not damage your PC.

Modern systems are designed to handle such situations safely:

• If the RAM is installed and the system boots, the motherboard will either:
  • Use the maximum supported speed (e.g., 5200 MHz or 5600 MHz, as per your specs).
  • Use the XMP profile to run at the RAM's full speed (6000 MHz) if supported by the motherboard.
• If the RAM cannot run at a stable speed, the system will usually default to a lower safe speed (e.g., 4800 MHz or JEDEC standard).

2. Why Does the BIOS Show 6000 MHz?

Your motherboard and BIOS recognize the XMP (Extreme Memory Profile) settings of the RAM, which enable it to run at its full rated speed if the system can handle it.

• Bottomline: if your PC is stable at 6000 MHz (no crashes, freezes, or errors during stress tests or regular use), then the system is operating safely.

3. Stability Tips:

While running RAM at higher speeds is generally safe, instability can occur in rare cases:

• Test the system's stability with software like MemTest86 or AIDA64.
• If you encounter issues, you can manually set the RAM speed to a lower, stable value (e.g., 5600 MHz) in the BIOS.

4. Heat and Power Concerns:

Higher frequency RAM may generate slightly more heat or draw more power, but this is negligible compared to your CPU and GPU. Ensure your system has good airflow and cooling, which is usually sufficient in OMEN PCs.

5. Conclusion:

If your PC runs smoothly at 6000 MHz with the XMP profile enabled, there's no need to worry. However, if you prefer to err on the side of caution, you can limit the speed to 5200 MHz or 5600 MHz manually.

Enjoy your upgraded system! If you have further questions or encounter issues, please, feel free to ask.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[oliverfromdk]

Thank you so much. Im much more calm now. But i have one more thing to ask. What about the cl? will my system still be able to run at cl30 with 6000 mhz or can i manually change it to maybe 5600 mhz cl 28 or 5200mhz cl26 even if the i bought was 6000 mhz cl30? Sorry, im totally new to this stuff. I just wanna make sure my pc's motherboard and cpu will be okay and that i still can get good performance with my new ram.

[NonSequitur777 · Accepted solution]

@oliverfromdk,

Hello again! I’m glad to hear you’re feeling more at ease. Let’s dive into your questions about CAS Latency (CL) and RAM speeds -you're asking great questions!

1. What Happens to CL at Lower Speeds?

Your RAM's advertised specification (6000 MHz, CL30) means it’s designed to run with those settings when using its XMP profile. However, if you manually lower the speed (e.g., 5600 MHz or 5200 MHz), the motherboard will often adjust the latency (CL) automatically to maintain system stability.

For example:

• At 5600 MHz, the latency might change to CL28.
• At 5200 MHz, it might adjust to CL26, or another compatible value.

The final timings depend on the RAM’s capabilities and your motherboard's BIOS settings.

 

2. Can You Manually Adjust CL?

Yes, if your PC allows it, you can manually adjust the RAM speed and latency (CL) in your system's BIOS. Here’s how:

• Enter the BIOS (usually by pressing F10, DEL, or a similar key during boot).
• Locate the memory settings or XMP profile settings.
• Disable the XMP profile to allow manual adjustment.
• Set the speed (e.g., 5600 MHz or 5200 MHz) and timings (e.g., CL28, CL26).

Remember: Lower latency (CL) generally improves performance slightly, but stability is more important.

 

3. Will CL30 at 6000 MHz Be Safe?

Yes, if your system runs stable at CL30 with 6000 MHz (as per the XMP profile), there’s no risk to your motherboard or CPU.

Higher frequency with slightly looser timings (higher CL) can still result in excellent performance.

4. How to Test Stability:

If you decide to tweak the settings:

• Use tools like MemTest86 or Prime95 to test system stability.
• Monitor for crashes, freezes, or performance issues during gaming or heavy workloads.

 

5. Performance Considerations:

The difference in real-world performance between 6000 MHz CL30 and 5600 MHz CL28 is minimal. If stability concerns persist, lowering the speed (e.g., 5600 MHz or 5200 MHz) can provide peace of mind without a noticeable performance hit.

 

6. Your PC Will Be Fine!

Your motherboard and CPU are designed to handle a wide range of memory configurations. By following the steps above, you can enjoy the benefits of your new RAM without any worry about damaging your system.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[oliverfromdk]

Thank you so much for the help. I really appreciate it. Can't wait to play games with my new ram.

Oh and one small question. Will the 6000mhz make the lifespan of my ram and cpu or any other of my pc components shorter? And is my 600 W PSU enough?

And thanks for the help again.

[NonSequitur777]

@oliverfromdk,

These are great questions! Here's a breakdown to address both concerns clearly:

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1. RAM Speed and Component Lifespan:

• RAM Speed Impact: Running your RAM at 6000 MHz will not inherently reduce the lifespan of your CPU, RAM, or other PC components as long as it's within the specifications supported by your motherboard and processor.
• XMP/EXPO Profiles: If the RAM is being overclocked via XMP or EXPO profiles, ensure that the voltage is not excessively high. Most DDR5 RAM modules operate around 1.25–1.35V at 6000 MHz, which is safe. Prolonged operation at much higher voltages could theoretically reduce component lifespan, but modern hardware is designed to handle these configurations reliably.
• Cooling: Good airflow in the case will help ensure the components stay within safe temperature ranges, which is key to long-term reliability.

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2. 600-watt PSU with i7-14700F and RTX 4070 Super:

• Power Requirements: The i7-14700F (65W base TDP, ~200W peak under heavy load) and RTX 4070 Super (~240-250W under load) together can draw around 450-watt at maximum. Adding in other components (motherboard, storage, fans, etc.), the total power consumption should be around 500-watt under peak load.
• Safety Margin: A 600-watt PSU gives a 100W buffer, which is generally sufficient. However:
  • Make sure the PSU is of high quality (80 Plus Gold or better) and from a reputable brand.
  • If the PSU is old or from an untrusted manufacturer, it might struggle to maintain stable voltages under load, which could impact component longevity.

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Recommendations:

• RAM and Cooling: Ensure proper cooling for the CPU and RAM, especially when running high-performance configurations.
• PSU Longevity: While the 600-watt PSU is likely sufficient, I would strongly encourage you upgrading to a 750-watt or higher PSU for more headroom if you plan to add more components, upgrade your CPU (i7-14700KF, i9-14900KF, etc.) or overclock in the future. A higher-rated PSU will also operate more efficiently at lower loads.

Hope this was helpful.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[oliverfromdk]

Thank you so much. This has been really helpful information. 

[NonSequitur777]

@oliverfromdk,

You are very welcome -it was my pleasure to assist you!

Please return any time for any follow-up questions you may have.

Kind Regards /  Venlig hilsen,

NonSequitur777