Am2 question

[Tbirdkid]

I need to buy some ram, and a mobo. Thing is, i dont know what the fastest ram I could use on a am2. Is it ddr800 or 1066? Obviously, i really dont want to overclock, so that isnt an option. I want stability.

 

[heyheybooboo]

The memory divisor for your X2 4200+ is 6.

2200Mhz divided by 6 = 366MHz x 2 ('double-pumped') = 733MHz

The memory controller on an AM2 cpu is optimized for 800MHz.

If you drop the HT to x4 and increase the base clock to 218MHz ....

218MHz x 11 (the cpu multiplier) = 2400MHz

2400MHz divided by 6 = 400MHz x 2 = 800MHz RAM speed

 

[Tbirdkid]

so the fastest ram i could probably use is 800?

 

[heyheybooboo]

Originally posted by: Tbirdkid
so the fastest ram i could probably use is 800?

Yup

edit: What is your motherboard? If it is an AM2+ and in the future you might consider a Phenom you may purchase DDR2 1066 and downclock to 800MHz.

edit 2: I fergit.

AMD does not technically have a front-side 'bus'. With the integrated memory controller the cpu communicates with RAM over a 'hypertransport' (or 'HT') link ...