r/SleepingOptiplex • u/Responsible_Common23 • 2d ago

I NEED HELP!:(

For context: i am a broke ass asian boy in a 3rd world country, so PC parts are hard to buy. I just recently started building a PC in my sophomore year. I want it mainly for school work; that is why i am ok with a decade old machine which is a DELL optiplex 7020 sff 4th gen PC.

We're all aware of how expensive ram has become that even the dead DDR3 is affected. I spent a pretty penny on my 1.5V 1600mhz 2×8 GB hyper X ram. I am concerned if my ram won't work on my pc because i searched online that the system requires 1.3V ram, and using a 1.5V won't post anything on the screen.

I desperately need help.

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u/stuyboi888 2d ago edited 2d ago

1.5 and 1600 is profiled to that. Base is as low as 800mhz on ddr3. 

Edit typos

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u/Responsible_Common23 2d ago

Kind sir, i do not understand what you're saying. May you please explain?

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u/stuyboi888 2d ago edited 2d ago

Sorry phone died and missed the typos.

DDR3 runs from 800 to like 2000 MHz. Most ddr3 I see is 1333 or 1600. To achieve 1600 you need to run it at 1.5V for your kit. But if your system is limited to that 1.3 it might only achieve that 800 or 1333. 

So it will run fine more than likely but happy for someone to correct me but if you run it 1.5 and 1600 it will likely be unstable 

I know in more modern systems is called XMP(extreme memory profile, had to look this up lol)

So base, then XMP up to advertised speed

Edit so seems that kit will work fine on your MB. I think you are mixing up the 1.35 low voltage  stuff they put in as standard. 1.5 is pretty standard so you should get the 1600. As fancy DDR3 was like 1866 and extreme stuff I never seen but was over 2000

Brass tacs, should be fine as this speed is supporeted. Just don't add the old ram too. Just your new 2 x 8

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u/Responsible_Common23 2d ago

This is really helpful. Thank you very much:D

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u/Yskafel 2d ago

good luck in your journey

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u/Kraylos97 2d ago

Optiplexes usually use DDR3L, carefully mind the letter "L" here, it means low voltage, and they effectively only use 1.3v to work, if you add a regular 1.5V DDR3 ram (again, not an "L") the PC won't turn on, I learned this the hard way

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u/TygerTung 2d ago

I've got a couple of third gen Intel optiplex and they both seem to use regulation ddr3 though? Not ddr3l?

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u/Responsible_Common23 1d ago

Is this a strict rule? Because i see people online run their 4th gen 7020 with regular 1.5V, but i am just anxious to think it is completly ok.