Performance Tuning Guide

Intel
®
Desktop Board DP55KG and Intel
®
Desktop Board DP55SB Extreme Series
Performance Tuning Guide
18
5. Memory Optimization
5.1. Optimizing Memory Performance
A wide variety of memory timing parameters can be adjusted in the BIOS setup.
Although each memory parameter can be modified individually, the easiest method of
optimizing memory performance is to use memory that supports XMP profiles. These profiles
are pre-programmed by the memory module manufacturer in the memory module itself and
can be selected through the BIOS Memory Configuration. These profiles are validated by the
manufacturer and are optimized for both performance and system stability.
The BIOS is designed to use the XMP memory profiles as a starting point for extending memory
performance by more sophisticated system tweakers by then taking manual control after
selecting an XMP profile.
In addition, memory population will also affect system performance. The Intel Core i7-800 and
Intel Core i5-700 processor series have two independent memory channels. On Intel Desktop
Board DP55KG/DP55SB, these are indicated by the two blue memory sockets. For best
performance, populate the DIMM 0 of each channel, signified by the color blue with memory
matched by manufacturer, size, speed, and type first. This matching allows the processor to
access data across each of the memory channels by interleaving. Interleaving greatly reduces
the latencies of waiting for memory to return data.
The two black memory connectors allow the end user to double the board’s system memory
capacity. Higher total memory capacity can have a positive benefit in very data-intensive
applications. Always populate the blue memory sockets first for best system performance.