DDR333/DDR400 for DDR266 motherboard....POSSIBLE???

[idoc]

My old Gigabyte 7DXR is rated for DDR200/266. I'm replacing my 2x256 Crucial PC2100 with 2x512 for total of 1 Gb for video editing. Was planning on getting Crucial 512 Mb PC2100 but I found out that the cost is almost the same as faster DDR being sold. Here is current pricing at NewEgg:

Geil Value 3200 CL2.5 $83
Corsair Value Select 3200 CL2.5 $85
OCZ 2700 CL2.5 $88 3200 CL2.5 $90
Crucial 2100 CL2.5 $85 2700 CL2.5 $89 3200 CL3 $87
Kingston ValueRAM 2700 CL2.5 $86 3200 CL3 $88
Kingmax 2700 CL2.5 $80 3200 CL2.5 $81 3500 CL2.5 $86 3700 CL3 $86 4000 CL3 $105

Looking at these prices, it would seem foolish to be getting PC2100 if the faster DDR can also run in my board. I have heard of some people who had this old board and were using DDR333, even DDR433. I would like to ask if this is really possible, and if so how? I have absolutely no knowledge about manually adjusting the DRAM settings in the BIOS. Is this going to be necesary to make the faster DDR run on the 7DXR? Or is it a simple matter of installing them in the slots?

I'm considering getting the faster DDR for use in a possible future motherboard upgrade, and maybe for better performance. It does not matter to me that DDR400 will still have to run at 266 MHz speed. ONLY AS LONG AS IT WILL RUN STABLE. Otherwise, I'll just have to settle for same-priced DDR266. Help will be greatly appreciated.

idoc

P.S. I run my 2400+ at stock FSB of 133. Memory settings set to AUTO.

 

[cheapherk]

Yes, it's possible. I did the same thing when I owned a KT333 MB and I'm still using the same memory in my Athlon 64 board. It's wise to think ahead as you are trying to do.

 

[idoc]

That's my sentiments exactly. Plus they cost the same. My only concern is the disparity between 266 (mobo) and 400 (RAM). Hope it works

 

[Algere]

Plus it's possible to use faster memory timings if you downclock DDR400 to 266.

 

[Peter]

The "speed" of the RAM chips is just a _maximum_ speed. The mainboard provides the clocking, and the RAM syncs up to that (hence the S in SDRAM, "synchronous").

Now SDR SDRAM has no lower speed limit at all, while DDR SDRAM is typically specified at 12 nanoseconds maximum cycle time, which is 83 MHz. No need to worry when you're running them at 133, even if those you have _could_ run at 200 too.

 

[idoc]

ok. thanks for responses. Maybe I can take the plunge and hope for the best