Matching AMD64 to memory help

LRTom · 25 Jan 2006 at 13:06

Hi all, first post here.

Is it worth getting memory faster than DDR400 3200 for an AMD 64? I ask this question because I have read that this is the fastest memory AMD 64 will support.

I'm running at the moment:

3500+ Winchester
Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe
2GB standard DDR400 3200 memory
6600GT

I have just got the board and want to start some mild overclocking, but can see my memory is going to be the stumbling point.

GAMEfreak · 25 Jan 2006 at 14:12

why would it be your stumbling point? dividers dont hurt amd 64 systems really. amd socket A chips got hurt by their usage, but you can run the pc basically unaffected now with the use of dividers, because the memory controller is integrated into the cpu , lowering memory latencies.

LRTom · 25 Jan 2006 at 15:02

Ok. Thanks.

So to follow on, is there any advantage to running faster memory than DDr400 3200 on an AMD 64? i.e. might it give me more head room when overclocking etc

HangTime · 25 Jan 2006 at 15:37

Not really, because you can use dividers to lower the RAM speed whilst still increasing the FSB (HTT). I.e. lets say you raise your HTT from 200 to 230, getting a nice overclock on your cpu. But OH NOES! Your ram doesn't like that and isn't stable running at 230mhz (DDR460). No Problem, you simply change the dividier to run the memory at say 9/10 or 5/6 the HTT speed.

The days of memory limiting your cpu overclock are gone. Of course, it's better to run your memory at a higher speed, but you won't lose much performance by using to dividers to keep it around the 200mhz mark, or whatever is stable.

LRTom · 26 Jan 2006 at 07:44

Excellent, thank you! All is clear now

foxxx · 26 Jan 2006 at 08:24

in my experience using the freaky dividers at higher clock speeds on something with anything less than the latest mem contoller will cause instability. when im using 285 on the 9/10s it screws me up, 1:1 gives better stability without tons of overvolting

Jimbo Mahoney · 26 Jan 2006 at 09:49

Excellent article here:

http://www.neoseeker.com/Articles/Hardware/Guides/athlon64oc/

My own experience is the same. I wouldn't worry about the memory - overclocking it doesn't offer much performance increase [on the AMD64 platform].

You want to get the CPU as high as possible and use dividers to keep the memory where you want.

Of course, having good memory and tweaking it is never a bad thing, but I always find my CPU (specifically, the memory controller) gives up before the memory does, so I don't spend money on the memory.