What does this mean "DDR3 2000(O.C)"?

  • Thread starter Thread starter John Doe
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J

John Doe

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131365

DDR3 2000(O.C)/1866(O.C)/1800(O.C)/1600(O.C)/1333

That notation is used on many other boards, but usually only one of
the numbers has the suffix "OC".

Does that mean that the motherboard/mainboard will not automatically
show the correct memory timing? But that the correct timing all the
way up to 2000 is in fact adequately supported? If it were a matter
of overclocking, I would think that only the last highest number
would be labeled as "OC". In other words... How can you overclock
from 1333 all the way up to 2000, without anything in between being
normally supported?

Thanks.
 
John said:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131365

DDR3 2000(O.C)/1866(O.C)/1800(O.C)/1600(O.C)/1333

That notation is used on many other boards, but usually only one of
the numbers has the suffix "OC".

Does that mean that the motherboard/mainboard will not automatically
show the correct memory timing? But that the correct timing all the
way up to 2000 is in fact adequately supported? If it were a matter
of overclocking, I would think that only the last highest number
would be labeled as "OC". In other words... How can you overclock
from 1333 all the way up to 2000, without anything in between being
normally supported?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

The memory controller is within the processor itself. (P6T Deluxe V2 LGA1366)

Generally, the "O.C" notation, means that clock rate can only be achieved,
if some other clock is run out of bounds.

Intel generally has their own idea of what speeds a chipset or processor
supports. They intentionally, don't document all possible combinations
of dividers or other feature bit settings. Occasionally, a motherboard
designer gets lucky, and figures out how it really works, and then the
fun begins. Eventually, everyone in the industry discovers whatever
these tricks are, so all can enjoy.

When I look in the Intel 320834 document for Core i7, it says

- [Core frequency] Available at 3.20 GHz, 2.93 GHz, and 2.66 GHz
- DDR3 speeds of 800/1066 MHz supported

That means Intel intended stock speed to be max DDR3-1066. But
if there are dividers available to support other operating speeds,
then a motherboard maker may choose to refer to those as "O.C" options,
simply because Intel doesn't claim to support them.

This is the first article I managed to find, that tests with different
memories.

"Exploring the impact of memory speed on Core i7 performance"
http://www.techreport.com/articles.x/15967/4

Paul
 
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