Turn on your RAM's rated speed (XMP / EXPO)

The goal

Unlock the memory speed you already paid for — the number-one low-risk gain for CPU-heavy games and 1% lows.

Steps

1. This one lives in the BIOS, and every board's BIOS looks different, so this is the concept, not exact clicks. If reading that already makes you uneasy, that's a perfectly fine reason to skip it.
2. Restart and enter the BIOS (usually by tapping Delete or F2 right after powering on).
3. Find the memory profile setting — labeled XMP, EXPO, or DOCP depending on your board — and switch it from Off or Auto to Profile 1.
4. Save and exit. If Windows loads normally, run a memory stability test for a while to confirm it's solid.
5. The recovery path to know before you start: if the PC won't start up after enabling it, clearing CMOS resets the BIOS to defaults and everything is back to normal.

To undo

Re-enter the BIOS and set the memory profile back to Off or Auto. If you can't get into the BIOS, clearing CMOS — via the board's jumper, button, or by briefly removing the coin battery — resets it.