XMP stands for Extreme Memory Profile, which is a technology created by Intel for DDR3 RAM. It is an extension of SPD (serial presence detect) which provides higher frequencies and tighter timings for your memory to run at. XMP allows high-performance RAM, which runs above industry DDR specifications, to be appropriately set up for your system. When you install memory in a system, there is a set of standardized speeds/timings your memory will run at, called JEDEC. XMP profiles are additional performance profiles available on select memory modules, and they enable higher performing speeds or restore performance when users experience a system-level downclocking of their memory to slower speeds.

XMP profiles can be accessed from within the BIOS or UEFI on supported motherboards. These profiles may provide different levels of overclocking, which can all be checked via the BIOS. When you purchase XMP compatible memory, you must also pair it with an XMP compatible motherboard and a CPU that will support the memory speeds. Typically, the profile must be manually enabled in the BIOS or UEFI settings as well. If you install XMP memory in a non-XMP motherboard, or don’t have the feature enabled, the memory will simply run at whatever JEDEC timings the computer decides.