Did you know empty DIMM slots on your four-channel motherboard can cause interference on your two filled slots? The team at Asus partnered with the slot manufacturer and developed a new type of DIMM slot for high-end motherboards that reduces this interference, granting a boost of up to 400 MT/s – that’s 200 MHz for DDR.
In a video from der8auer, he explains how he visited the RND team at Asus HQ to find out exactly how this is achieved. Using a different pin shape in the DIMM slot itself, Asus were able to negate some voltage interference from the empty DIMM slots. With the current shape of pins that we all have on our motherboards currently, the pins almost act like a type of antenna, sending out a voltage that interferes with the DIMM slots in use.
The video shows that, even though there is an improvement in lower frequencies like 3600 Mhz, there isn’t much interference from the open DIMM slots. However, when cranking the RAM speeds up to 5000 MHz or 10000 Mt/s, there is just enough interference negation to switch a PC from not booting to booting and perhaps even passing a memory test.
Because this technology only really affects high-end users, we aren’t likely to see it on mid-range motherboards soon. However, Asus’ X870 Hero motherboards should start shipping with the updated DIMM slots called NitroPath.
Asus also designed the technology open-source, meaning other brands will soon have access to the updated DIMM slots. However, there is a year of exclusivity between the slot manufacturers and Asus before everyone can get their hands on it.
If you are an overclocking fiend, at least now you know that you need to either fill up those empty DIMM slots or pick up one of these new NitroPath boards to really push your RAM to the limits.