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RAM timing and xmp not clear...

Forum Motherboards & Memory : Memory - RAM timing and xmp not clear...

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Innuendo   09-16-2009 at 10:00:16 PM

After putting some research into the thing, I still don't get it.

Let's say that there are two different RAM modules..
Both run at 1600 Mhz, but one has 8-8-8-24 latency , the other 6-6-6-18.

Is a 1600 Mhz RAM module with 8-8-8-24 slower than a one with 1600 Mhz 6-6-6-18 ?

If yes, then isn't the XMP a kinda low standard ?

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MRFS   09-16-2009 at 10:58:25 PM
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As I understand XMP, it is a chipset feature which
reads the extended information in a DIMM's SPD chip,
and automatically optimizes RAM settings without
requiring manual overrides in the BIOS.

 

Thus, you appear to have 2 different DIMMs
with SPD chips that contain two different sets
of optimal values.

 

The BIOS will most probably choose the lowest
common denominator, so that the latency settings
will be the same for both DIMMs, because the 8-8-8-24
module may not be able to run stably at 6-6-6-18.

 


It's not the "XMP standard" that is "kinda low":
you just appear to have 2 different sets of
optimal settings there.

 


If someone else can expand, elaborate or correct
what I wrote above, I'd like to know more myself.

 


MRFS

 


Message edited by MRFS on 09-16-2009 at 10:59:29 PM
Reply to MRFS
Silver Motherboards badge mongox   09-17-2009 at 06:03:55 PM
- 0 +

Innuendo wrote :

Is a 1600 Mhz RAM module with 8-8-8-24 slower than a one with 1600 Mhz 6-6-6-18 ?

If yes, then isn't the XMP a kinda low standard ?



I think the above explanation is correct. But your question perhaps misunderstood.

Yes, the RAM with a CL=8 is slower than CL=6.

But the XMP is not going to be the same for the two modules. From my understanding, the XMP info, which matches the SPD data to show exactly what the various latency numbers are, will be grabbed by the Intel X-38 motherboard automatically. It's not going to set ALL 1600 RAM at the same standard, but set an individual modules at the exact specs it will perform best at - and those best performance specs are in a special type of SPD called XMP.

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