I've been digging around online but can't find a clear answer to my question about RAM timings. I know that with RAM advertised as 3200MHz or 3600MHz, they won't actually perform at those speeds until XMP is enabled in BIOS/UEFI. But do the same rules apply to the memory latency timings, or do they come set at the advertised numbers right away? I'm asking because I'm not keen on overclocking—I prefer stability and minimizing wear on my components. Should I invest in RAM with faster timings rather than just aiming for higher speeds?
2 Answers
Yeah, you definitely want to enable XMP in your BIOS. That will set all your RAM parameters, including the timings, to their optimal values. Without XMP, the RAM will run at its default settings, which might be slower but usually more stable.
You don’t need to enable anything for the timings specifically; if you're just using the RAM at its default settings without XMP, it should run based on the default SPD timings. Just keep in mind that they might not be the advertised timings. Default for DDR4 typically is 2133MHz, but timings can vary.
Related Questions
Lenovo Thinkpad Stuck In Update Loop Install FilterDriverU2_Reload