CPU for DDR2-1066 memory?

howiejeon

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Jun 21, 2007
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I'm building my first comp and I bought some DDR2-1066 Ballistix ram first. Now I'm looking at the Intel chips since the price cut is in effect but I'm confused about FSB compatibility. I'm eyeing the E6750 and E6850 but I'm wondering if they will be optimal for my memory. Will I have to overclock the processors? the ram? any help will be greatly appreciated.
 
I think you can just run them without OCing either.

If you're NOT ocing, why bother getting 1066 ram? Its a waste. ddr2 800 will more than suffice.

It depends clearly on what what your FSB speed is.

Q6600s tend to OC better with higher multiplier and lower FSB. Say 9x425 or so. You can OC the ballistix ddr2 800 to 850 without a problem.

I'd say save some money, get ddr800. If the FSB is even lower, get ddr 667 (to match a 333mhz FSB) if you don't plan on OCing. (if the fsb is higher than 333, look for DDR2 800 then).

 
But, he bought the 1066 RAM already. I'm not sure but you might have to go into your motherboard's BIOS (depending on what board you buy) and select the higher speed RAM. Depending on the motherboard, many support the higher speed but I think I read it is only a benefit in certain cases. I bought that RAM, too, when it was discounted quite a bit. Don't quote me on any of the statements, though, as I'm only guessing.
 
The FSB on the E6750 and E6850 is 1333Mhz if i'm not mistaken. So would that mean they will run 1:1 with the RAM? and i DO plan to overclock.

sorry if my questions are noobish.
 
since you said this is your first build I will assume your not fully current how it all ties togather. So let me toss out a little explaination to hopefully help you better understand when you put your rig togather and hit that BIOS for the first time.

First off let me just say this, the overall system performance increase you'll get running DDR1066 vs DDR667 is in reality is about 1.5% increase. Yea you heard me right. Less than 2% "OVERALL SYSTEM PERFORMANCE" increase. If you benchmark the memory at the different speed you will see the big difference, but since the memories "effective" speed is way way faster then the FSB of the CPU, the memory is inevitably always waiting for the CPU to catch up. Thus negating its potential back down to the level of memory running at slower speeds.


The times that that paragraph is not true, is in the case of running at a ratio of 1:1 (or 2x memory miltiplier) DDR667 and running a CPU's FSB of 1333 (fsb 333 set in BIOS). Or 1:1 DDR800 and your CPU is running a FSB of 1600 (FSB400 set in BIOS). Or in your case to get the full potential out of that memory you'll need to run 1:1 DDR1067 and your CPU's fsb is 2134MHz (FSB set to 533 in BIOS). Not all mobo's will do fsb 500Mhz. In fact I say the majority wont. alot do but probably not "most"

The simplest explaination I can offer is this. Because DDR is doubl-data-rate, it transfers data on both the up AND down swing of the clock. thuse making its "effective" speed doubled its rated speed. And since the rated memory speed, at 1:1 ratio, is 2X the FSB set in bios, Its effective speed is now 4X the FSB set in BIOS, and that is exactly how the CPU FSB is clocked. 4x whatever you set the FSB to in BIOS. So if you set you FSB to 333MHz x 4 = 1333FSB for the CPU. Just dont confuse this with how fast the CPU is actually running. The fsb of 1333 is just how fast the the motherboard is running (to put it very simplistically).

Dont feel bad though, I'd say 90% of the people out there figured this out AFTER spending big on high end memory over DDR667 or 800. Most people probably never really figure it out. Or even bother to really think about it. If if works they set it and forget it.

The only time that high end memory really pays to have, is if your going for very high overclocks. But until Intel integrates a memory controller on the die as AMD does, the CPU and the video card are what will give you the biggest increase in performance.

So to answer your question: Go with the E6850 and its 9x multiplier, It seems to OC higher, and since it has a higher multiplier than the E6750, it is a bit more flexible in that it can be set to higher GHz without the need of a super high end motherboard. Although the E6750 is a full $100 cheaper, I have been seeing alot of hit and miss for overclocking. The E6750 with its 8x multiplier... if you mobo cant handle over 400fsb then your OC will be motherboard walled at 3.2Ghz. Whereas the E6850, with its 9x multi, on same mobo wil be able to reach 3.6GHz. Now if your buy a motherboard that will do 500+MHZ FSB then you will wont be hindered by the mobo and should be able to find the CPU's max.

I have a DS3 which is supposed to readily hit close to if not over 500MHz. I personally dont know because it doesnt like Allendales which is what I have in my DS3. The P5B Deluxe is another world class overclocking mobo and is also none too expensive, unlike the P5b'S wi-fi brother or the workstation class motherboards.

Wow that got long and I hope you are now absolutely limp with emthusiasm about your new build. hehe
 
The FSB is actually 333MHz and it is 'quadpumped' for the cpu (4*333=1333) and doubled for the ram, so you'll only need DDR2-667 to run at stock speeds with the 1:1 ratio. Your ram is way faster than that so there is plenty of room for overclocking. You could even tighten the ram timings a bit
 
Wow thanks alot for all the help. I got the RAM b/c it was $80 after rebates. lol. I was actually planning to get the Gigabyte GA-P35-DSR3 mobo. Hopefully it'll give me a good OC
 
Hopefully?? You should do some reading and make sure. Keep in mind that the P35 chipset gives around 0-4% performance increase over the P965 chipset. So do your homework and make sure your purchase is not cost prohibitave. Basically Im saying dont buy a P35 chipset that isnt a known stellar OC'er especially when you can get the P965 for pretty cheap. http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/06/19/eight_p35-ddr2_motherboards_compared/
se ems the P35 were not hitting 500FSB where as alot of P965,s will do over 500Mhz. Just make sure you do your homework and be comfortable with your purchase. And dont buy anything because someone "told you to"
 
And a couple more things. You will need a good heatsink. The stock HS and fan just dont cut it for OC. So budget for one. Keep in mind that just because your cpu CAN do 3.6Ghz doesnt mean you SHOULD berunning it there. same with the mobo, just cause it will do 500 fsb doesntr mean you SHOULD be running your components right on the ragged edge. Its like running your engine redlined all the time. Dont do it.
 
the reason I chose the DSR3 is I want the new Exx50 intel chips, which have a 1333FSB. The cheaper P965 boards don't support that speed. hmm, does this matter or am I making a moot point? haha
 
Just because a motherboard doesnt officially "support" fsb of 1333 doesnt mean the newer chips dont run on them. I have seen 2 examples of 965P DS3 rev1.0 boards that have E6850's in them. My understanding is that most P965 chips do run them, if not totally support them witht he bios update. My 965P DS3 rev 3.3 natively supports 1333. and it only costs $100. Im not trying to tell you not to get the newer P35 chipset, I'm just explaining that for me(on a budget) paying a 50% higher price for a board that only gives me a 2% increase in performance is bad economics. Especially when my cheaper board overclocks higher....seems to anyways.
 
howiejeon, just do a Google search on the Gigabyte DS3R board. I figure it's a very good overclocker. I was thinking of the same board but wasn't going to overclock. It's nice to know that's an option, though. I also bought the 1066 RAM and the 800 RAM is a higher price than what I paid for the 1066 RAM. I only bought it because of price although I didn't realize the 800 RAM would have been good enough. Oh well.

I don't know of any issue with RAM with the DS3R board. It sounds like some people don't know how to set up their boards.
 
little_scrapper, where did you find your DS3 for $100? If you can find me could you let me know? it seems like a good price. The DS3R is $130 on newegg
 
E6850 is basically an overclocked version of the E6600.

Looks like Intel noticed their chips were great overclockers, so thats exactly what they did and slapped a new price on them!!
 


You make it sound like the DS3R has a RAM issue that should be common knowledge. Where exactly are you getting this from??? Please reference a source. Thanks