What is AMD EXPO? | Why Does My Computer Need It

AMD EXPO is a technology that is introduced to improve the performance of computer memory.

Commonly found on most modern motherboards, it can be configured to optimize your system memory for specific tasks, such as gaming or streaming.

If you’ve ever built a computer, you know how confusing it can be. There are many different things to consider when purchasing components, and each has its own set of acronyms and technical terms that are not always easy to understand.

That being said, if you want to build a fast and stable computer with the latest features and technologies, you need to understand everything about your hardware before you build it.

See Also: Is 16 GB RAM Enough for your Gaming PC

In this article, we will explain what EXPO (the alternative to Intel XMP) is and how it can help you get the most out of your CPU and RAM when it comes to gaming or any other type of memory intensive tasks.

What is AMD EXPO?

AMD EXPO is a feature that allows you to overclock your memory, it is also open, royalty free and with extensive and clear documentation to facilitate implementation.

If you’ve ever overclocked your processor, you’ve probably experienced increasing the clock speed of your computer. The same goes for RAM.

Like XMP, which was developed by Intel, EXPO is also here to help users push their RAM to the limit without having to fiddle with voltages.

So, if your computer has an XMP profile for the exact model of RAM you have installed, you can optimize the settings in the BIOS to take full advantage of the faster speeds.

XMP is usually enabled by default when you buy a new motherboard, processor, and new RAM.

This means you can install your hardware and not worry about adjusting any settings – everything should work exactly as designed.

As we have already explained, EXPO is a function that allows you to configure your RAM memory optimally. This means that it increases the voltage and speed of your memory above what it is designed to do.

It works by reading certain information inside the chip of your new RAM memory. This information tells your motherboard exactly what settings to use.

Also, it’s important to note that both EXPO and XMP work with both Intel and AMD CPUs, as well as DDR4 and DDR5 memory.

You can configure it to work with certain types of applications, such as games and video editing. You can also choose the voltage your motherboard uses when running these active technologies.

Because every motherboard is different, there is no sure way to tell if your motherboard has it enabled.

However, there are ways to solve this, such as accessing the BIOS/UEFI to check if it is supported or not, and if it is, if it is active or not.

See Also: How to Overclock Ram Easily

AMD EXPO Numbers

If you’re looking for more details about AMD EXPO and the benefits it can bring to your system.

You should be aware of the numbers AMD has shown in their presentation to demonstrate what this technology can do in the motherboard. Some of the more interesting figures are:

• Up to +11% performance in video games with 1080p resolution.
• +6% performance in the F1 2021 video game.
• +6% performance in the League of Legends video game.
• +5% performance for GTA V.
• +11% performance in CS: GO.
• +7% performance in Wolfenstein: Youngblood.
• Low latency for DDR5 of approximately 63 ns.
• Optimized for Ryzen 7000 Series.
• DDR5-6000 is the memory that hits the optimization sweet spot.

Regarding the brands and models of supported RAM memory, we see that the list includes at the moment:

• ADATA Caster RGB Gray DDR5-6400
• Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB DDR5-6000
• Geil EVO V DDR5-6200
• Skill Trident Z5 Neo DDR5-6000
• Kingston FURY Beast RGB DDR5-6000

Why does my Computer need AMD EXPO

Although most of us don’t think about it, computers consume a lot of power, to the point that desktop computers can have trouble running on regular household current.

For this reason, the components inside your PC, particularly the processor and memory are designed to run at a lower voltage so they use less power and generate less heat.

While this makes sense when it comes to saving power, it also affects performance. When you install a new processor or upgrade your RAM, your computer still expects it to run at the voltage it came with, which may cause problems.

For example, if you install new RAM and set it to run at the same voltage as the old one, it will most likely not work.

Because the new RAM cannot supply the voltage that the motherboard expects. But there is something you can do to avoid this problem: You can adjust the voltage of the new memory.

When to use AMD EXPO?

As we just mentioned, AMD EXPO is designed to ensure that your system performs optimally. This means that it demands more of your hardware than it would with a basic.

See Also: Is SSD Good for Gaming

If you use a high-end gaming PC with a high-quality motherboard, CPU and RAM, you can use EXPO to squeeze all the performance out of your system.

As we have already said, this technology is activated by default when new hardware is installed.

So, if your motherboard supports EXPO, just enable it from the BIOS and it should work fine. But please note that your system might not work stably.

Problems with AMD EXPO

In general, we love XMP and EXPO. We think it’s a great way to get the most out of your hardware. However, XMP and AMD never give benefits in each single case.

For example, if you use these technologies with a system that does not already have the AMD EXPO option enabled, it may not allow you to do so.

We have already verified that there are Intel Z690 boards that are not compatible with the AMD EXPO profile.

On the other hand, if you have a high-quality gaming PC, you can probably use XMP and EXPO without any problem. You just need time and new BIOSes.