FSB conflict question

[Shadow1020]

I currently have an ASUS A7V8X-X mobo which supports up to 333MHz FSB, paired up with an AMD Athlon XP 1800+, which runs its 333MHz FSB just fine. I am looking into the Athlon XP 3200+, the best Athlon XP money can buy IMO, except that it has a FSB of 400Mhz. My question is: Can I run the 400MHz FSB chip on my max 333 MHz mobo without any problems, or do I have to buy the 3000+, which can do 333?

 

[JohnAn2112]

You can get a 3200+ and run it at 333, but then it would essentially be just a 2500+ so why not get that instead?

 

[Shadow1020]

the 2500+ is considerably slower than the 3200+, the 2500 running at 1.83 GHz and the 3200+ running at 2.2GHz, that's a 370 MHz difference. I'm just making sure though, I CAN put a 400 MHz FSB chip into a mobo with a max of 33 MHz FSB and it will work? How does it compensate?

 

[Concillian]

It compensates by running the processor slower.

A 3200+ put into a board that only supports 333MHz FSB will run at 1.83 GHz. This is why "the poster with a name I refuse to read" says "why not get a 2500+ instead?" ... because a 3200+ will run the same speed as a 2500+ when put in your board.

 

[Shadow1020]

Understood.

Now, the XP 3000+, which is a 333MHz FSB and is 2.16GHz (pretty darn close to 2.2) would run at 2.16 with no problems, correct?

 

[JohnAn2112]

The 3000+ should be perfectly fine.

 

[TheStu]

listen if you are going to be spending that much on the 3000+ $150 on newegg..... why don't you jsut get a mobile chip? It will run in your board.... is unlocked meaning you can adjust the multiplier so your RAM isn't as much of a limiting factor and will run better since the Mobile chips are the cream of the Barton crop when it comes to chip selection time....

 

[Shadow1020]

umm but the mobile only has a 266MHz FSB vs the non-mobile's 333. any ideas why it would still be better? explain the unlocking thing further...if i have no need of overclocking, then am i better off with the non-mobile one?

 

[TheStu]

OK... FSB means next to nothing to the Barton chips... look at my sig. I am running the Mobile Barton at a 440 FSB (220 * 2) which is higher than the 3200+... you can run the mobile at 333 FSB no problem. When a processor is unlocked that means the user can change the multiplier on the chip. FSB * Multiplier = Clock Speed. Additionally they run at a lower default voltage so they have a lot more headroom.

Regardless of overclocking you still would be better off with the mobile. The mobile, since it is OEM, forces you to get an aftermarket heatsink and fan thus allowing it to run cooler than the desktop counterpart. Since it can also run at equivalent speeds at a lower voltage that also helps the heat issue. Also the price is a major factor, the mobile and heatsink is gonna run you at most $120 maybe even as little as $105.... so that is a plus as well.

 

[fleflikr]

athlon 3200 = $150
why not get a new nf2 motherboard and 2500 barton for less than $150 and easily oc to
athlon 3200 at 200 fsb.
sorry, you didnt say what kind of ram you have