Someone please explain RAM and RAM speeds to me!

[hurubi]

Okay... right now my motherboard can support PC3200 RAM. But I feel like gettin PC4000 RAM..but the ram will not function at that level because of the motherboard right? it will automaticly go down to PC3200. How do I get the full potential of the PC4000? And what is the whole deal with FSB? Does the FSB (333Mhz on mine) have anything to do with the RAM or the CPU? Whats the point of OCing the FSB?

 

[imported_whatever]

If you are only running 166 (333) FSB, there is absolutely no reason to run faster RAM than that on NF2 - running asynch either way will generally slow it down.

 

[hurubi]

Okay, but I just want to know in geneal.

 

[ShadowBlade]

if you have an a64, ram speeds are unlimited as they have an on-die memory controller
not sure how mobo's limit ram speed though, i never bother with more than pc3200

 

[CrispyFried]

Originally posted by: hurubi
Okay... right now my motherboard can support PC3200 RAM. But I feel like gettin PC4000 RAM..but the ram will not function at that level because of the motherboard right? it will automaticly go down to PC3200. How do I get the full potential of the PC4000? And what is the whole deal with FSB? Does the FSB (333Mhz on mine) have anything to do with the RAM or the CPU? Whats the point of OCing the FSB?

For the memory, PC4000 is better than PC3200 because even if run at PC3200 speeds you can (almost always) run tighter memory timings, giving a bit more performance than stock PC3200 RAM can. But only if your mobo supports custom memory timings.

The FSB etc stuff is complicated, there is a ton of stuff if you search. More than you probably want 🙂

 

[hurubi]

I figured it all out over at Guru3D forums. 😀