OK, my FIRST post to a hardware/overclocking forum in my LIFE (after over 10 years of building & servicing PC's). Here goes ...
I'm about to do an upgrade & got the strong feeling (after some research) that I need some advice.
Thanks in advance for any & all useful pointers you may have for me on this one.
I'm currently running an Opteron 165 on a Gigabyte GA-K8N-SLI motherboard with 4 1GB strips of OCZ DDR400. (I maxed the RAM out to enable smooth HD digital video editing, if I end up doing that with this PC.) Other than an active aftermarket copper Evercool cooler replacing the stock, passive chipset cooler on the motherboard, all is stock. I'm running all stock voltages, stock CPU cooler, and stock 3-3-3-8 timings on the OCZ. (This particular M/B is not at all known for overclocking, & has been known to only run DDR at a max. of about 210MHz, so I'm expecting some BIG improvements in DDR speeds after this upgrade. I'm running a mem. divider so that the CPU is running with a 273MHz FSB, running the 4GB of DDR at just 182MHz.)
Here's what's about to change: I'm going to an Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe motherboard, and a Thermaltake Big Typhoon CPU cooler (w/ a 120mm fan). I've wondered whether or not a memory change is in order to get all that I can out of my new motherboard &/or this CPU. I've been looking into some superfast DDR400-DDR600 RAM, but do NOT know what will perform best -- on this SPECIFIC motherboard. I have utterly failed to find any forum posts with reports on what specific RAM modules have been found to run the absolute fastest with this M/B. Also about to change: going from an off-brand (Hikari) 550W P/S to a Corsair HX620W P/S (arguably the BEST on the market in its power rating range = should be great for superstable overclocking).
With current prices even for USED OCZ DDR400 3-3-3-8 2X 1GB RAM kits on eBay, I could sell all 4GB of my memory & get close to -- or even MORE than -- all the money back out of them that I paid for them new. (DDR1 RAM has went up lately = seller's market.) What this does is enable the FULL spectrum of 2X 1GB DDR1 kits to be opened up, while simultaneously putting some of my $ back into my pocket. So, I could now sell my 4GB of DDR400 & replace them with 2GB of DDR_buttkicker_superspiffy RAM, then upgrade to 2GB more at some later date right before starting to do something that loves gobs of RAM.
So, which DDR1 RAM (one or two kits of 2X 1GB) would run the absolute FASTEST on the A8N32-SLI Deluxe ? Given the HUGE 120mm fan on the HSF I'm about to install, the DDR slots should receive PLENTY of air for cooling, & given the new HX620W P/S, superstable power should now be a given. The M/B maxes out at like 3.x DDR voltage, so that'd be about the only limiting factor on RAM, I'd think.
Here's what I'm asking you gurus of overclocking for:
1) ADVICE -- SPECIFIC MODEL NUMBERS of 2X 1GB DDR kits to buy in order to achieve the highest superstable RAM speeds on THIS motherboard (Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe).
2) What exact MEMORY SETTINGS to use to achieve such speeds, and
3) What settings to use to max out my Opty 165 on this motherboard with my new parts (such as max. "safe," superstable CPU Vcore).
I imagine there are at least a few overclocking enthusiasts out there with this particular board, maybe even using this same CPU & HSF.
Thanks again in advance for any useful info. you provide. It's appreciated.
I'm about to do an upgrade & got the strong feeling (after some research) that I need some advice.
Thanks in advance for any & all useful pointers you may have for me on this one.
I'm currently running an Opteron 165 on a Gigabyte GA-K8N-SLI motherboard with 4 1GB strips of OCZ DDR400. (I maxed the RAM out to enable smooth HD digital video editing, if I end up doing that with this PC.) Other than an active aftermarket copper Evercool cooler replacing the stock, passive chipset cooler on the motherboard, all is stock. I'm running all stock voltages, stock CPU cooler, and stock 3-3-3-8 timings on the OCZ. (This particular M/B is not at all known for overclocking, & has been known to only run DDR at a max. of about 210MHz, so I'm expecting some BIG improvements in DDR speeds after this upgrade. I'm running a mem. divider so that the CPU is running with a 273MHz FSB, running the 4GB of DDR at just 182MHz.)
Here's what's about to change: I'm going to an Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe motherboard, and a Thermaltake Big Typhoon CPU cooler (w/ a 120mm fan). I've wondered whether or not a memory change is in order to get all that I can out of my new motherboard &/or this CPU. I've been looking into some superfast DDR400-DDR600 RAM, but do NOT know what will perform best -- on this SPECIFIC motherboard. I have utterly failed to find any forum posts with reports on what specific RAM modules have been found to run the absolute fastest with this M/B. Also about to change: going from an off-brand (Hikari) 550W P/S to a Corsair HX620W P/S (arguably the BEST on the market in its power rating range = should be great for superstable overclocking).
With current prices even for USED OCZ DDR400 3-3-3-8 2X 1GB RAM kits on eBay, I could sell all 4GB of my memory & get close to -- or even MORE than -- all the money back out of them that I paid for them new. (DDR1 RAM has went up lately = seller's market.) What this does is enable the FULL spectrum of 2X 1GB DDR1 kits to be opened up, while simultaneously putting some of my $ back into my pocket. So, I could now sell my 4GB of DDR400 & replace them with 2GB of DDR_buttkicker_superspiffy RAM, then upgrade to 2GB more at some later date right before starting to do something that loves gobs of RAM.
So, which DDR1 RAM (one or two kits of 2X 1GB) would run the absolute FASTEST on the A8N32-SLI Deluxe ? Given the HUGE 120mm fan on the HSF I'm about to install, the DDR slots should receive PLENTY of air for cooling, & given the new HX620W P/S, superstable power should now be a given. The M/B maxes out at like 3.x DDR voltage, so that'd be about the only limiting factor on RAM, I'd think.
Here's what I'm asking you gurus of overclocking for:
1) ADVICE -- SPECIFIC MODEL NUMBERS of 2X 1GB DDR kits to buy in order to achieve the highest superstable RAM speeds on THIS motherboard (Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe).
2) What exact MEMORY SETTINGS to use to achieve such speeds, and
3) What settings to use to max out my Opty 165 on this motherboard with my new parts (such as max. "safe," superstable CPU Vcore).
I imagine there are at least a few overclocking enthusiasts out there with this particular board, maybe even using this same CPU & HSF.
Thanks again in advance for any useful info. you provide. It's appreciated.