NForce2 and Barton questions...need help

[Wolfchild]

I just bought a used Asus A7N8X and am trying to decide what Barton to buy for it.
I have a 2400+ TBred and Abit KX7-333 and 768 megs of PC2700 right now.

I'm going to at least temporarily have to use that same memory in the new setup till
I can afford some better PC3200. With that PC2700 will I definitely be limited to a 333
FSB or can the memory and cpu clocks be run asynchronously?

I'm leaning towards a 2800+ if that's the case if the memory and cpu clocks can't be different.
But if they could be run asynchronously
then I might consider a 2500+ and go for the OC.

 

[Kdiver58]

I'd go for the 2500+ it overclocks well (KEEP IT COOL) and the
gains you get for the price penalty of going to a 2800+ just
don't make it worth it. I have mine overclocked to over 2800+
speed and it runs fine. add a couple of good fans and you will be
fine. Wait for the faster FSB chips to come down and then
go for the 3000 with the faster bus. I run samsung pc3200

 

[Wolfchild]

Well the thing is all the newer 2500+ Bartons are multiplier locked
so OCing that way is out of the question.

And if the memory clock can't be run asynchronously, I'm stuck with
something that's a lower clockspeed than my 2400+ even if the
extra cache makes it close to the same speed or slightly faster, but
it would be $80 spent on a new cpu that's not a lot faster.

 

[MDE]

The multiplier isn't that big of a deal. Raise the bus to 200 and you have a 3200 for $90. You don't have to OC to an 'official' AMD speed, you can stop at 193x11 (if your board stops there).

 

[Wolfchild]

Well cooling shouldn't be a problem, I have a Thermalright AX-7.
The board is a 400 mhz fsb model so that shouldn't be a problem.

But I can run the fsb at 200 and the memory at 166? No one has
answered that.

 

[BG4533]

Originally posted by: Wolfchild
Well cooling shouldn't be a problem, I have a Thermalright AX-7.
The board is a 400 mhz fsb model so that shouldn't be a problem.

But I can run the fsb at 200 and the memory at 166? No one has
answered that.

Yes you can, but nForce2 boards don't like Async that much. You probably won't end up with much of a performance increase from doing it. What kind of PC2700 do you have? Some of it easily overclocks to PC3200 speeds.

 

[Wolfchild]

It's Kingston ValueRam so I'm skeptical that it would OC at all.

 

[NesuD]

I had some pc2700 value ram that would run 200 although at very relaxed timings. My valuram used winbond chips on the modules. You never know for sure until you try it. You can run it async for now until you can get better ram or you can use the 2400+ with your cuurent ram at 166 until you have enough to get the cpu and pc3200 ram. If you are intent on getting a 2500+ Barton and some pc 3200 ram eventually then it doesn't really matter if you get the cpu now or later although it is still possible to find unlocked ones if you shop around at Brick an Mortar shops where you can examine their week codes. If you wait then you most likely will have to definately settle for a locked one.