Heres a link to the ram I ordered
Amazon.com: Patriot 16GB(2x8GB) Viper III DDR3 1600MHz (PC3 12800) CL9 Desktop Memory With Black Mamba Heatsink - PV316G160C9K: Computers & Accessories
Heres what I see in CPU-Z
I'm actually just using windows 7 with classic theme by the way.
I don't quite understand the timings and stuff comparing them to Memory and SPD tabs in CPU-Z compared to the website
SPD just reads a chip on the RAM that tells you the spec - look under the memory tab to see what actual freq the RAM is running at.
Note that DDR means double data rate ie the RAM operates twice per cycle, so DDR 1600 shows as 800MHz etc.
Yes, your DDR3 1600 (PC12,800) CL9 is running on its default - normal settings.
So is xmp not required or something for it to operate at highest "rated" specs?
or is xmp already on by default?
Also I read command rate being on 1 is difficult when all 4 ram slots are filled so is that going to be a problem?
I dont have any bios options for xmp or ram timings/settings or voltages. or even CPU clocks voltages or settings my bios is extremely limited Q77 motherboard and bios.
eXtream Memory Profile (XMP) is when you overclock the memory with a overclock profile (frequency, voltage, latency etc).
I have a DDR3 1600 that is overclocked to 2400. But to overclock it, your MoBo has to be capable to do it ( not only overclock but also over voltage) and and your memory must be designed to accept it, and that is not your case (your memory isn't designed to be overclocked).
Why does my ram have xmp support then? is that just optional? or is that just what it happens to support overclocking natively and be more meant to be overclocked than standard memory
I don't think your memory has xmp support. I think that CPU-Z has an option to show if you had.
If you take a close look on CPU-Z, you see that under xmp it has same specs as JEDEC 5 (Same frequency (800MHz), same voltage (1.50V), same timings (9-9-9-24-38)
so why does the amazon product page say it supports xmp? is that just meaning it supports overclocking more than standard memory?
It is more likely that your RAM supports XMP but the motherboard does not.
For XMP to work you need both the RAM and motherboard to support the XMP technology.
The RAM has XMP profiles stored on its circuitry. Each XMP profile represents RAM speeds that the RAM manufacturer thinks the RAM will work at.
However, in order to select one of these profiles. your motherboard BIOS needs 1) to select if XMP technology is switched on, and 2) allow the user to select which XMP profile you going to use.
Normally then, once a XMP profile has been selected in BIOS, the BIOS will program the memory controller to operate at that XMP setting.
but the SPD section doesnt seem to show any faster profile options than what its at in the realtime "memory" tab. so is it already running at top speed?
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