Yes, there are distinctions between XMP and OC.
Yes, there are distinctions between XMP and OC.
XMP works differently depending on the motherboard and RAM speed. If your RAM is 3200 MHz but you're using a non-Z motherboard that supports XMP up to 2933 MHz, it means the motherboard limits performance to that frequency for compatibility reasons. So even though the RAM can run at 3200 MHz, the system won't exceed 2933 MHz on that board.
Motherboard support reaches 4400MHz, beyond that performance isn't assured. Intel claims it can run up to 2933MHz, but exceeding that isn't confirmed. Anything above 2933MHz isn't reliably supported.
Moonzy mentioned that the RAM and Mobo are designed for high speed, but a non-K Intel chip wouldn't work.
It depends on the motherboard compatibility. A RAM with a speed above 3200 MHz usually needs a specific type of motherboard to work properly. If you have a non-Z motherboard, it might not support that fast RAM. Make sure your motherboard matches the required specifications for the RAM you're using.
With a 3200 MHz RAM and an M.2 slot but no PCIe X slot, it should be possible to overclock.
Memory OC and CPU OC are separate features. With an enabled OC motherboard, you can use both simultaneously.
Technically anything above 2933 is considered an overclock to the imc. This doesn't imply it's impossible to exceed that number, but it technically qualifies as an overclock. The board's design allows handling up to 4400, yet anything beyond 2933 is still an overclock according to my explanation. Some dimms enable you to reach the advertised speeds and apply one of the SPD profiles (which maintains those speeds) when XMP is active. I didn't phrase it exactly as intended, but I was just waking up lol.
I'm not sure if Intel secured it; I haven't worked with Intel Z chipsets before.