- Joined
- Apr 6, 2011
Hmm but memory overclock won't overclock the cpu, I mean if I bring FSB up yes, but If I manually overclock just memory it will only overclock memory. I have i3 2120 cpu if it's important.
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Noob Question: Mobo Memory Requirements
- Thread starter DigitalMonkey
- Start date
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2015
First let's be clear on one thing... I haven't got 100% confidence that what I'm telling you is correct so don't forget to confirm it elsewhere 
Intel spec sheet shows that your cpu support 1066/1333. So no matter what your Mobo takes and no matter what size you put in the Mobo, the max your gonna see is 1333.... Until you overcclock. You cannot overcclock the ram past what the cpu will "see" . But if you raise the fsb then your cpu IMC (integrated memory controller) will raise by the same factor, but the memory has it's own multiplier ( independent of the cpu multiplier,) I believe. I hope that makes sense... And is in any way correct
So for example on a fictional system with round numbers. Your fsb is 200 and your multiplier is 10 and can take 400mhz ram modules, ram multiplier is also 10, based speed is 10mhz, (don't forget it's fictional ram) and it's max frequency is 1000 mhz. Now when you start your cpu speed will be 2ghz and your ram will be clocked @ 1ghz, but your cpu will only be able to see 400mhz of it. If you raise the fsb to 210 this changes your speeds to 2.1gg and also raises your ram by a factor of 10 changing its base clock from 10 to 20, thereby making it run @ 2000 mhz. Your cpu still can only see a fraction of that. In this case you will see a five percent T increase in what the IMC can see because you raised the fsb by five percent.... However your ram raised much more than that, so you'll have to downclock it's multiplier to get within the appropriate speed range. Once again I'm trying to clear the issue but feel I've only made it muddier I hope my example is correct as well!
Intel spec sheet shows that your cpu support 1066/1333. So no matter what your Mobo takes and no matter what size you put in the Mobo, the max your gonna see is 1333.... Until you overcclock. You cannot overcclock the ram past what the cpu will "see" . But if you raise the fsb then your cpu IMC (integrated memory controller) will raise by the same factor, but the memory has it's own multiplier ( independent of the cpu multiplier,) I believe. I hope that makes sense... And is in any way correct
So for example on a fictional system with round numbers. Your fsb is 200 and your multiplier is 10 and can take 400mhz ram modules, ram multiplier is also 10, based speed is 10mhz, (don't forget it's fictional ram) and it's max frequency is 1000 mhz. Now when you start your cpu speed will be 2ghz and your ram will be clocked @ 1ghz, but your cpu will only be able to see 400mhz of it. If you raise the fsb to 210 this changes your speeds to 2.1gg and also raises your ram by a factor of 10 changing its base clock from 10 to 20, thereby making it run @ 2000 mhz. Your cpu still can only see a fraction of that. In this case you will see a five percent T increase in what the IMC can see because you raised the fsb by five percent.... However your ram raised much more than that, so you'll have to downclock it's multiplier to get within the appropriate speed range. Once again I'm trying to clear the issue but feel I've only made it muddier
I hope my example is correct as well!
Last edited:
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2011
I think I'm getting it.
I'm on sandy now, but even Ivy bridge on 1155 socket mem. type can't go over 1600Mhz so OC is needed even if 1866 memory is in. I think I saw somwhere that my Asrock Z77 Pro4 can adjust herself when this type of memory that have higher freq. is inserted or did saw something else...
Yeah, but whats up with that what guy up said ?
I'm on sandy now, but even Ivy bridge on 1155 socket mem. type can't go over 1600Mhz so OC is needed even if 1866 memory is in. I think I saw somwhere that my Asrock Z77 Pro4 can adjust herself when this type of memory that have higher freq. is inserted or did saw something else...
Once you install the 2400, go into the bios and under memory set XMP profile. Once you reboot it will run at it's native 2400 speed/settings. Easy peasy
Yeah, but whats up with that what guy up said ?
Last edited:
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2015
Beats me
I know that x.m.p stands for extreme memory profile and that's about it, but I think it has something to do with what you were talking about earlier.... Your board automatically adjusting to the higher ram speeds or something. Like I said, maybe someone who knows for sure what there talking about can save you from my half-knowledge. It's tough because when you go searching half the results are to one forum or another and if you ask your question they tell you to search! if I find anything goes I'll post back- Joined
- Apr 6, 2011
If someone else have anything more to add to this.
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2010
- Location
- Manassas, VA
Just a note that might clarify some things: on the Intel side of things, the memory controller is currently on the CPU, not on the motherboard. The reason it says OC next to those memory speeds on the motherboard specs doesn't actually have anything to do with the motherboard (right?). It's simply that the stock clock speed for the memory controller puts your memory at 1600MHz. Going over that is technically overclocking thay part of your CPU. However, practically speaking, the memory controllers are very robust and "overclockable", so it's a 99.999% chance that faster memory will work. However, the BIOS is always going to default to the "stock" clock speed, which is 1600MHz on the recent Intel CPUs.
Now obviously motherboard/CPU/memory manufacturers know this and want to make it a bit easier for the customer to get his memory running at the right speed. Intel made this thing called XMP. Basically, your memory will have a "XMP Profile" stored on it, which just contains it's correct clock speed and timings. Somewhere in your BIOS should be a setting to load the XMP profile from the memory and it will automatically update all the settings for you.
Now obviously motherboard/CPU/memory manufacturers know this and want to make it a bit easier for the customer to get his memory running at the right speed. Intel made this thing called XMP. Basically, your memory will have a "XMP Profile" stored on it, which just contains it's correct clock speed and timings. Somewhere in your BIOS should be a setting to load the XMP profile from the memory and it will automatically update all the settings for you.
