How to Check RAM and Motherboard Compatibility

If you're looking to upgrade your current machine, or build a new PC from scratch, it's worth checking that the memory kit you have in mind is compatible with the prospective motherboard.

To be clear, most CORSAIR memory kits will just work with most motherboards, but still there are edge cases, or combinations that don't want to play ball. If this is the case your memory should still work, but it may not be operating at the optimal frequency and latencies.

The good news is that you can check whether a memory kit is compatible with a motherboard by tracking down the motherboard's Memory QVL. QVL stands for Qualified Vendor List and it's a vital resource for anyone looking to pair RAM with a motherboard. Basically, if the memory kit appears on the Memory QVL then it's pretty much guaranteed to work. If it isn't on the list then don't assume that it definitely won't work, it may just be that the memory has been released after the QVL was last updated, or that particular kit hasn't been tested but one almost exactly like it has and works fine.

If you're unsure about compatibility and at a point in the build where you're picking the components to go together, then making sure the kit is on the Memory QVL is a good idea.

Say for example you're building an AMD Ryzen 9 7900X system and have set your sights on the ASUS ROG CROSSHAIR X670E HERO. This motherboard and chip combo offers up extensive memory support by default, but how do you know for sure that the CORSAIR VENGEANCE RGB 96GB DDR5 is going to work with your high-end chip and motherboard? By checking the ROG CROSSHAIR X670E HERO Memory QVL page. This is by far the most reliable option, so if you prefer to play it safe, the QVL is your friend.

Here you can either search for the memory SKU (in this example the CMH96GX5M2B6000C30) or if you're still trying to pick the best kit for your setup, you can select the capacity and speed to see which kits are supported. This particular motherboard supports AMD EXPO memory, as you'd expect, but also supports Intel XMP memory—kits that are usually designed for Intel platforms, but that work on this motherboard too.

Not all motherboard manufacturer websites have such versatile search options as ASUS does for this motherboard, and sometimes you may simply be faced with a download link to a PDF that has all these different memory options listed, but the basics are still there:

• Find the website for the motherboard in question
• Go to the Support section for that motherboard
• Search the Memory QVL for a kit that meets your needs

CORSAIR also provides online tools to help you get the right memory for your motherboard too. Head over to the main CORSAIR memory page and select Find By Compatibility and you'll be able to pick between Find by System and Find by Motherboard. From here you can select the Manufacturer and then the Model to show which memory kits will work with those motherboards.

It's worth taking the guess work out of your memory and motherboard compatibility to ensure that you end up with a working system with the minimum of fuss.