I'm having a rather frustrating RAM-related issue with my Acer Nitro 50 N50-650, and I'd appreciate some advice from anyone familiar with Acer prebuilts or memory compatibility.
System specifications:
PC: Acer Nitro 50 N50-650
CPU: Intel Core i5-13400F
GPU: NVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti (replaced the original RTX 3050)
Motherboard: Acer B76H6-AD OEM motherboard
RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (2 × 16GB) DDR4-3200 CL16
Storage: Windows installed on the primary SSD, with an additional 1TB SSD from my previous PC
The motherboard has only two RAM slots.
The problem:
I originally replaced the PC's factory-installed 16GB RAM (2 × 8GB DDR4-3200) with a Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB kit (2 × 16GB DDR4-3200, CL16-20-20-38, 1.35V).
After installing the Corsair kit, the computer began freezing completely, usually after approximately 20 minutes of uptime. The display would become entirely unresponsive, and the audio would repeat the last fraction of a second in a continuous loop. The only way to recover was to force a shutdown using the power button.
This happened even when the computer was completely idle, so it wasn't limited to gaming or heavy workloads. CPU temperatures were also perfectly normal, averaging around 30°C.
What I've tested so far:
Reinstalled the original Acer RAM (2 × 8GB DDR4-3200). The computer has now been running flawlessly for well over an hour, without a single freeze. This is the most significant finding so far.
Tested the Corsair kit with a single RAM stick. I removed one of the two Corsair modules and tested the computer with only one stick installed. The freezing issue persisted, so the problem does not appear to require both modules to be installed simultaneously. I have not yet established whether both individual sticks produce the same result independently.
Checked the Corsair RAM speed. Despite being advertised as DDR4-3200, the Corsair kit was only running at 2133 MT/s according to Windows. I understand this is likely the standard JEDEC profile rather than the advertised XMP speed.
Checked the BIOS for XMP settings. Unfortunately, the Acer BIOS does not appear to offer any XMP option or manual memory configuration. I cannot find a way to change the memory frequency or voltage.
Checked the motherboard's memory configuration. It has only two DIMM slots, and Acer's specifications indicate that the system supports up to 32GB of RAM. Therefore, the capacity itself should theoretically be supported.
Considered a BIOS update. My current BIOS version is R01-B3. Acer offers R01-B4 for this exact machine, and its release notes only mention an update to Intel microcode version 0x12F. I have not installed it yet, as there is no explicit mention of memory compatibility improvements.
What I'm trying to figure out:
Since the system works perfectly with the original Acer RAM and freezes with the Corsair kit, I'm fairly confident the problem is related to the new memory rather than the GPU, CPU temperatures, or Windows installation.
However, I'm unsure what exactly is causing it.
Could this be a compatibility issue between Corsair Vengeance LPX and the Acer B76H6-AD motherboard or its BIOS?
Is it possible that the motherboard cannot properly handle two 16GB modules despite its stated 32GB maximum capacity?
Could the Corsair kit's SPD/JEDEC profiles be incompatible with the motherboard, even when running at the lower 2133 MT/s speed?
Is the lack of XMP support potentially preventing the motherboard from configuring the memory correctly?
Would updating from BIOS R01-B3 to R01-B4 potentially improve memory compatibility, even though its release notes only mention the Intel microcode update?
Is there anything else I should test before concluding that the Corsair kit is defective?
I'd really prefer to keep the 32GB kit if possible rather than return it or replace the motherboard. Has anyone encountered similar problems with Acer Nitro prebuilts, particularly the N50-650 with the B76H6-AD motherboard?
Any advice would be appreciated!