I was wondering if someone would be able to help me understand XMP. As I understand it, it allowes you to auto OC your memory in the BIOS under XMP. Does it allow you to manually adjust it as well? I'm looking to build my own computer and thinking of getting the ASUS Sabertooth with GSKILL 2400 9-11-11-31. Newegg offers two of these. One that is outrageous in cost and is on the QVL list under ASUS Sabertooth, and the other is lower in price but not on the list. Would I still be able to set up the lower cost one under XMP, or am I taking a chance that it may or may not work? The two I'm looking at are the Trident X Series 16GB (4x4GB F3-2400C9Q-16GTXD not on the QVL list) and the Ripjaws Z Series 16GB (4x4GB  F3-19200CL9Q-16GBZMD on the QVL list). I looked at the reveiws in Newegg for the Trident X Series and noticed some were using it on the Z87 chipset. When I went to GSKILL website to look under DRAM qualifications, they didn't list the Sabertooth but a few other ASUS MB's. Looked at thoses MB's QVL and they too only listed the F3-19200CL9Q-16GBZMD DRAM. So, it seems I'm getting conflicting info between the two sites. I hope this didn't seem too confusing and thanks in advance.

Absence from the QVL only means it hasn't been tested by the mobo manufacturer.  The retailer and/or memory manufacturer might have received feedback from users and as a result may list some memory as compatible that the mobo manufacturer does not.  Absence from anyone's compatibility list is one thing...being listed as a known incompatible module is something else entirely.

 

The XMP settings are just a set of higher-performance timings that are known to work and are written into the DIMM's firmware.  If you set the mobo to use the XMP settings it will read the XMP settings and use them...of course you can also manually set your own timings.

 

So no guarantees with the cheaper RAM, but my experience is that even if XMP doesn't work, in most cases you can find manual settings that will work--if you have patience and have some idea of what you're doing.

 

Regards

Absence from the QVL only means it hasn't been tested by the mobo manufacturer.  The retailer and/or memory manufacturer might have received feedback from users and as a result may list some memory as compatible that the mobo manufacturer does not.  Absence from anyone's compatibility list is one thing...being listed as a known incompatible module is something else entirely.

 

The XMP settings are just a set of higher-performance timings that are known to work and are written into the DIMM's firmware.  If you set the mobo to use the XMP settings it will read the XMP settings and use them...of course you can also manually set your own timings.

 

So no guarantees with the cheaper RAM, but my experience is that even if XMP doesn't work, in most cases you can find manual settings that will work--if you have patience and have some idea of what you're doing.

 

Regards

Thanks for the help. I now have a better understanding of XMP and how it works. This will help me in deciding what RAM to get.