Intel 200S Boost: A New Era for High-Speed DRAM with Intel-Backed Assurance

Intel introduced a game-changing BIOS feature, Intel 200S Boost, for its Core Ultra 200S Series CPUs. This new mode not only improves the overall performance but also brings something unprecedented to the table, official three-year warranty coverage for overclocking. For DRAM enthusiasts and system builders, this marks a major shift in how memory tuning can be approached, with higher speeds and tighter voltages backed by Intel itself.

Intel 200S Boost is a specialized BIOS option available exclusively on Intel Core Ultra 200S Series processors. The users need to upgrade to the latest BIOS to be able to use 200S Boost. When enabled, it pushes two internal frequency domains, D2D and NGU up to 3.2 GHz.

This ensures higher bandwidth communication within the CPU, which directly benefits high-performance tasks, including gaming and content creation.

In tandem with these frequency enhancements, Intel imposes specific voltage limits:

• VCCSA: Up to 1.2V
• VDD/VDDQ: Up to 1.4V
• VDD2/Memory Controller: Up to 1.4V

Memory frequency support is also critical. Intel 200S Boost requires DRAM to run up to 8000MT/s. This is where CORSAIR's DDR5 CUDIMM kits, with hand-screened ICs and custom-tuned XMP profiles, truly shine. You can find out more information by reading our page where we take a deep dive into CORSAIR CUDIMM.

Historically, overclocking DRAM via XMP (Extreme Memory Profile) has been a "use at your own risk" endeavor. While motherboard and memory manufacturers offer support, Intel has traditionally not provided warranty coverage for XMP-enabled configurations. Intel 200S Boost changes that narrative. With strict voltage regulations and clearly defined frequency parameters, Intel now offers three years warranty coverage for the 200S Boost program.

To test this new mode, a DRAM kit of CORSAIR VENGEANCE 8000MT/s CUDIMM, an Intel Core Ultra 265K CPU and an ASUS ROG MAXIMUS Z890 HERO motherboard paired together alongside an RTX4090. The comparison was between the system defaults (5600MT/s) and the 200S Boost option (in this case 8000MT/s). The games in the graphs below were tested at 1080p resolution.

The testing results are crystal clear. 200S Boost option with CORSAIR 8000MT/s CUDIMM boost performance up to 27% and 15% in average for the benchmarks tested.

Intel 200S Boost is more than just a BIOS tweak, it's a signal that the industry is maturing in how it handles DRAM performance and user expectations. With Intel’s official support for XMP under defined parameters, users can now push their systems further with confidence. And with CORSAIR’s cutting-edge DRAM in the mix, you’re not just keeping up, you’re leading the way.

You can find the compatible CORSAIR DRAM with Intel 200S Boost program at Intel’s XMP 3.0 certification page.

Note: At time of publication, the 200S Boost program supports the kits linked at the bottom of this page. More DRAM kits will get the 200S Boost support in the very near future. You can find more information about Intel 200S Boost program at Intel’s website.