Overclocking Education – Kingston FURY

Overclocking is the adjustment of clock speeds beyond the standard specifications for better performance. For example, raising the clock speed and lowering latency (wait states) of industry-standard values (JEDEC) on RAM can significantly impact PC application performance. Kingston FURY memory modules feature two simple approaches to overclocking memory: Plug N Play for novices and Extreme Memory Profiles for experts.

For PC enthusiasts (formerly known as hobbyists), overclocking is an art form that has its own subculture. The most extreme overclockers will go to great lengths to attempt to break world records, such as cooling their components with liquid nitrogen. However, not everyone who wants a powerful gaming rig needs to be an extreme overclocker to get better performance from their hardware. In the mid-2000s, Intel, AMD and NVIDIA devised methods that would allow for a simple overclocking of memory through profiles programmed onto the DIMM. These profiles defined clock speed, voltage and latencies. A system of checks and balances developed between the chipset/processor makers, the motherboard manufacturers and the memory companies to provide a stable platform. This makes it easier for enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike to push the performance of their memory modules.

Memory read 39248 MB/s

Speed	Latency	Voltage
2666 MHz	13-15-15	1.35V

Memory read 38032 MB/s

Speed	Latency	Voltage
2666 MHz	16-18-18	1.2V

Memory read 37463 MB/s

Speed	Latency	Voltage
2666 MHz	19-19-19	1.2V

The Plug N Play method of memory overclocking is a concept pioneered by Kingston. Featured on the Kingston FURY Beast and Impact memory product lines, Kingston FURY Plug N Play automatically overclocks memory with presets that are configured by our engineers at the factory.

There’s no need to change settings and timings manually. You don’t even need to select a profile. Since the profiles work at standard voltage, you can simply plug them in and they’re ready to go. Plug N Play is ideal if you have a system that doesn't allow for memory adjustments in the BIOS, or if you want an easy solution to get better performance from your memory. In most systems, Kingston FURY Plug N Play will auto-overclock itself up to the maximum speed allowed by the BIOS.

Intel’s approach to memory overclocking is called XMP (Extreme Memory Profile). XMP profiles are preset overclock settings programmed into the DIMMs at the factory. For DDR3 and DDR4, the Intel XMP 2.0 specification provided up to two overclocking profiles: one aggressive and the other slightly less aggressive. For DDR5, Intel created XMP 3.0, which supports up to five overclocking profiles, two of which are user programmable. With the exception of Plug N Play featured parts, all Kingston FURY modules include the default JEDEC values (industry standard speed, timings and voltage). XMP is Intel’s solution to safe and guaranteed memory overclocking on Intel platforms. XMP profiles can be enabled within the BIOS, or through Intel’s Extreme Tuning Utility (XTU), which is available for download on the company website.

There are two classifications of Intel XMP: Certified and Ready. Intel XMP Certified means that the DIMMs have been verified to work by Intel on specific models of motherboards. These results are compiled and posted on Intel’s XMP website. Intel XMP Ready means the DIMMs come with XMP profiles and have been tested at the memory manufacturer and/or by the motherboard vendor at the advertised speeds; however, they have not been submitted to Intel.

Memory read in MB/s (higher is better)

Performance profile
Kingston FURY Renegade DDR4

Memory read 50004 MB/s

Speed	Latency	Voltage
3600 MHz	17-18-18	1.35V

Memory read 42411 MB/s

Speed	Latency	Voltage
3000 MHz	15-17-17	1.35V

Memory read 37463 MB/s

Speed	Latency	Voltage
2666 MHz	19-19-19	1.2V

AMD’s overclock profile specification for DDR5 is called EXPO, which is short for EXtended Profiles for Overclocking. Featured on AM5 and newer systems, EXPO provides for two overclock profiles plus a user-programmable profile that can be selected in the BIOS. Kingston FURY parts with EXPO utilise Profile 0 for the advertised speed and latency, and Profile 1 for a secondary, less aggressive overclock. The user-programmable profile is also available for customised specs, and the default JEDEC values (industry standard speed, timings and voltage) provide for a stable boot out of the box. Kingston’s FURY parts with EXPO are AMD certified at the advertised part/kit speed.

Overclocking pushes the stable industry standard specifications of memory (speed, latencies, voltage) to achieve higher performance. While generally safe and supported by Intel, AMD and the motherboard/system manufacturers, overclocking is done at your own risk. System stability may be compromised by some speeds and configurations. The FURY parts listed are based on motherboard manufacturer testing (QVLs) and Kingston internal testing. However, some systems may require premium components (high-end processor models, motherboards, power supplies and water cooling) to achieve stable overclocking, particularly at extreme speeds.