Memory bandwidth Vs. CPU clock speed

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Golden Member
Jan 10, 2000
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400mb/s of memory bandwidth vs. 300mhz of CPU clock speed. Which one has more influence on system performance?
Can't have both at the same time. CPU must lose 300mhz in order to gain 400mb/s more memory bandwidth, and vice versa.
 

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Golden Member
Jan 10, 2000
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It's the mobo limitation. ASUS P4B266. At FSB above 132mhz, cpu and memory must run in sync, and my cpu, 1.6A, is doing 2.4Ghz (16x150). At 132mhz, I can run cpu:mem at 3:4, which equals to 176mhz for memory.
So if I want to run it at 2.4Ghz I'll lose 400mb/s of memory bandwidth.
 

phamtastik

Senior member
Apr 24, 2000
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I would go with the 300 more mhz in CPU I think it would be faster overall.
Whats the point of the extra memory bandwidth if the CPU does not use all of it.

You should benchmark it and see to be sure :)
 

KenAF

Senior member
Jan 6, 2002
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Definitely take the 300MHz in processor improvement...

Apparently Asus intends to make accessible another memory divider at >133MHz with an upcoming bios update...although I don't know what that divider will be. I guess it will depend on what the 845 chipset supports.
 

THUGSROOK

Elite Member
Feb 3, 2001
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if you are a serious gamer you are going to want the memory bandwidth.
if you care more about cpu speed, then go for that.

check out these benchmarks i did.