Memory confusion

[Red Rider]

I'm upgrading from an AMD Opteron config to a new core 2 quad config but I'm doing it slowly for money reasons. I picked up a Q6600 and the Asrock 4CoreDual-Sata2 motherboard to use as a stop gap so i can continue to use my x1950pro agp card for a little longer until I can afford to move on to something bigger and better. So far so good as I've have absolutely no problems in upgrading so far. Where my questions are is concerning memory so hopefully someone can answer the following questions for me.

1) Since the mobo fsb runs at 667mhz, can i install faster memory (800 or even 1066mhz) and have it running at a slower rate until I can afford to purchase a new mobo that will take full advantage of the speed of the newer ram?

2) I've seen several configs built buy various companies out there with the q6600 being matched to slower ram on newer mobo's. Is there any performance benefits to going with the slower ram instead of ram at 1066mhz or is it just a money thing to keep prices down?

If anyone can clear up these questions for me, Id appreciate it.

 

[jonmcc33]

If you are doing it slowly then wait for the Penryn quad cores to come out...

 

[Red Rider]

I'm sure it will be too expensive initially when the penryn chips come out so to improve on what I have now, this is the route that I have chosen to take.

 

[Cerb]

1. Yes (it's 1066MHz FSB). But, don't be surprised if, when that time comes, your RAM will be obsolete.

2. The FSB is saturated with two channels of RAM at half its speed. 1066MHz matches DDR2-533. There's no added bandwidth for going faster. You may as well go DDR2-800, just because the prices are so close between 533, 667, and 800MHz DDR2. There's technically some benefit to running faster RAM, but it is very small these days, except for a minuscule number of apps (WinRAR comes to mind).

 

[Red Rider]

Now that I see your response it makes much more sence. I'll probably go out and get some DDR2-800 ram cause if as you say there is minimal gain in the extra mhz, it probably doesn't make any sense in the performance to dollar ratio. Now if only AMD/ATI would release their latest and greated video cards so I can see what the pricepoints will be for the other cards currently on the market will be like. Hopefully it will knock the prices down a bit.