Memory Dividers on Core 2

[firewolfsm]

A simple question that no one seems to be able to answer, what's the performance hit?

Anyone buying the newer EXX50 processors will probably need to use one to get a decent OC. If the reviews are even close to what we can expect from these chips, people with the E6550 will need FSBs of at least 500 to hit their chip's potential. The P35 motherboards can do it, but most ram can't.

What's the performance hit of running a high FSB with only 667 or 800 memory?

 

[n7]

Hard to say, but bear in mind using dividers lower than 1:1 is only an option on nForce chipsets.

On Intel, you don't have a lower than option, which could very well be why i don't ever recall seeing benches done lower than 1:1.

This is also something i called half a year ago.

By that i mean, i remember posting that i didn't like the prospect of these higher FSB C2Ds, since it means that getting a decent OC is going to be dependent on very high FSB speed, & yup, RAM speed.

My suggestion? Don't wait. Get an E6600 now, etc.

RAM is very cheap, & getting RAM capable of DDR2-1000 isn't hard either these days, not to mention that DDR3 is what these chips are really made for, but still...i'm not sure i'm seeing too many benefits of waiting right now.

 

[PCTC2]

yeah. i agree with n7. but you could always go with DDR2/3-1066 or DDR3-1333 on a P35 chipset if you really want to.

But an idea on performance hit using SiSoftware Sandra XI:
E6400 @ 3.2GHz (400FSB) on eVGA 680i w/ Corsair DDR2-800 XMS2 Dom
@ 667 (5:6) 3-3-3-3: 6900 MB/s
@ 800 (1:1) 4-4-4-10: 7400 MB/s

 

[firewolfsm]

Wait up, you can't run lower RAM speeds with the P35? So I'm completely limited by how high my ram can go?

 

[drakore]

no it can't go lower than 1:1, so for example, if you are running an FSB of 300 the minimum the ram can run at on an intel board is DDR2-600.

You can get by with DDR2-800, just use a 1:1 link/sync method and u'll be fine.... It's better to have tight timings at a lower speed, especially if you can obtain CAS3.

Go for ram with micron D9's (preferably GMH's). Personally i think the PC2-8500 Ballistix is an awesome deal right now.

 

[firewolfsm]

Well I bought C5 Corsair PC6400.

We'll see how far it can go, I've seen 1000 speeds on stock timings with these so I might be ok but it'll still be the limit in my OC.

 

[StopSign]

Just don't get the E6x50 chips. Stick with the 1066 ones.

 

[firewolfsm]

But there's a tradeoff, the newer XX50 chips have the G0 revision...if I can just get to DDR900 then 450*8 on the E6750 should get me 3.6.

Or I can get a quad and stop worrying about my overclock.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Originally posted by: firewolfsm
But there's a tradeoff, the newer XX50 chips have the G0 revision...if I can just get to DDR900 then 450*8 on the E6750 should get me 3.6.

Or I can get a quad and stop worrying about my overclock.

Yeah right, the dark side will bring you over and you will just O/C a quad.

 

[drakore]

Good luck with ocing a quad

 

[firewolfsm]

I might just get a decent cooler, undervolt it, and take it to 2.93GHz.

Just have to wait until that price drop...

 

[amking]

Originally posted by: firewolfsm
But there's a tradeoff, the newer XX50 chips have the G0 revision...if I can just get to DDR900 then 450*8 on the E6750 should get me 3.6.

Or I can get a quad and stop worrying about my overclock.

yep thats basically what i hope to be shooting for with a e6750... unless of course i just go quad