How do you match memory speed to processor?

Soldato
Joined
16 Nov 2003
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Afternoon chaps.

This is hurting my brain. It used to be simple when I last built my main system (back when the only choice was DDR1) but how do you match RAM to processors in general?

Obviously you have either DDR2 or DDR3 but beyond that I'm confused.

For example I'm looking at quad core processors that have a 1333MHz FSB. There isn't (as far as I can tell) DDR2 RAM that runs at this speed. I'm told that PC2-6400 (which runs as 800MHz IIRC) will support it, but surely the two devices will be running at difference speeds?
 
You can set a divider in the BIOS. The way you do it tho depends on the chipset on your mobo. Nvidia chipsets allow you to run the memory totally independantly of the CPU, so i can run my CPU FSB at 1533Mhz, but keep the RAM at 1066Mhz.

With an intel chipset its a bit different tho
 
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