3 Reasons Not to Use 1.35V RAM on a 1.2V CPU

The CPU’s memory controller is rated for 1.2V max Running 1.35V RAM overvolts the integrated memory controller (IMC). This can cause instability, data corruption, or permanent CPU damage over time.

Some motherboards may not boot or will silently degrade your chip Not all boards handle the overvoltage gracefully. You might get a no-boot situation, or worse, a slow degradation that kills the CPU weeks or months later.

The performance gain isn’t worth the risk Check if your RAM has an XMP/EXPO profile that runs at 1.2V at lower speeds. If not, don’t force it. Slightly faster RAM is not worth replacing a dead CPU.