Isn't Opteron 170 with 10 multiplier better than 165 with 9?

[ablatt]

I am considering an Opteron 165.

Most people get their's running at around 2600-2700 MHz which means their FSB is at 288 - 300.

In order to run your RAM synchronously at 1:1, that means your RAM would have to do 576-600. Therefore, most people use dividers for their RAM. I know there is some debate as to whether using a divider makes any difference in performance.

Wouldn't a Opteron 170 with a 10 x multiplier be a better bet since then you'd have a way better chance of running good RAM at 1:1 - that is, at 520 - 540, vs. 576 - 600 with the 165?

 

[peleejosh]

No debate, using a divider on a64 platform is ok, no performace hit. The 10x multi is nice, but also remember that 2 system running same cpu speed, if one is running higher htt (289 x 9) vs (260 x 10), the one running the higher htt will be slightly faster.

 

[mwmorph]

there is no debate. there is a proven ram thread for these things.

this thread used to be stickied and it is the offical memory matrix.
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=28&threadid=1475190&enterthread=y

really depends on what you want ot do. the difference is extrememly small for gaming, but bigger for sythentic benchamrks(useless) and compression programs(be ti winrar or video compression)

a 165 is chosen for bang for the buck since very few pwoplw choose to run 1:1 ram whemn ocing amd64s due to the low performance to price ratio.

you can go 170 if you feel you need 1:1 ram though.

 

[nealh]

now my understanding is there almost 0 difference with 9x 289 vs 10x 260..I asked this once before ....ie is 8x 325 vs 9x 289 any different ..and the result was no difference....

I am curious are there real world performance difference...

 

[mwmorph]

Originally posted by: nealh
now my understanding is there almost 0 difference with 9x 289 vs 10x 260..I asked this once before ....ie is 8x 325 vs 9x 289 any different ..and the result was no difference....

I am curious are there real world performance difference...

well depends at htt speed and motherboard itself. those both can affect performance.
a 225x5 htt will be faster than a 225x4 htt.

 

[Aversio]

Originally posted by: nealh
now my understanding is there almost 0 difference with 9x 289 vs 10x 260..I asked this once before ....ie is 8x 325 vs 9x 289 any different ..and the result was no difference....

I am curious are there real world performance difference...

Don't worry about the insignificant difference, leave that to the dorks in their mother's basements, masturbating to their latest synthetic bench mark. :disgust:

 

[nealh]

Originally posted by: mwmorph

Originally posted by: nealh
now my understanding is there almost 0 difference with 9x 289 vs 10x 260..I asked this once before ....ie is 8x 325 vs 9x 289 any different ..and the result was no difference....

I am curious are there real world performance difference...

well depends at htt speed and motherboard itself. those both can affect performance.
a 225x5 htt will be faster than a 225x4 htt.

yes a realize there is a slight speed benefit from 4x vs 5x although angry at dfi street has shown it is essentially nil

 

[ablatt]

Yes, but the divider forces you into certain frequencies.

For example, if I know my RAM can do 520 MHz safely, but I'm using an Opteron 165 at 290 Mhz FSB then at the 5:6 divider, which is the least divider I can choose, I'm forced to 484 Mhz on the RAM.

Alternatively, with an Opteron 170 at 260 Mhz and a 1:1, I can run the RAM at 520.

You can't tell me the RAM frequency makes no difference at all otherwise why have RAM dividers to choose from in the BIOS and why not just always use a really low value.

 

[nealh]

Originally posted by: ablatt
Yes, but the divider forces you into certain frequencies.

For example, if I know my RAM can do 520 MHz safely, but I'm using an Opteron 165 at 290 Mhz FSB then at the 5:6 divider, which is the least divider I can choose, I'm forced to 484 Mhz on the RAM.

Alternatively, with an Opteron 170 at 260 Mhz and a 1:1, I can run the RAM at 520.

You can't tell me the RAM frequency makes no difference at all otherwise why have RAM dividers to choose from in the BIOS and why not just always use a really low value.

Check Zebos thread here and this thread...
http://www.dfi-street.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27875

the most important issue with the AMD chips are cpu speed ..period

yes faster ram setting will help a small amount but is the cost/perfromance worth it...that is up to you

RAM dividers are for the enthusiast..they make very little real world differences..that is games may gain a few fps, apps work a little faster but nothing significant

they performance gain amounts depend on what is important to you and $$$

I can afford to buy any compnent I want..but I refuse to spend $500 on videocard, $1000 on cpu etc...the differences IMHO are not worth it...that is not true for other people

BUT this is the reality...AMD A64/Opteron/X2 CPU SPEED IS KING....better ram speed if you can get is fine but paying alot more is not a good bang for the buck