DDR2 800Mhz vs. DDR2 1066Mhz

[Dirtman73]

I'm using a Gigabyte GA-MA790X-UD4P mobo with a Phenom II X4 955 proc and 8 gigs of G Skill DDR2 memory. Currently, the memory is running at 800Mhz, and due to limitations with the 790X chipset can only run at 1066Mhz if I cut the memory down to 4 gigs.

I'd like to get better performance out of my system, and I've become convinced that my current memory settings are preventing me from achieving anything over a 3.6Ghz overclock with the CPU. Can anyone tell me if it would be beneficial to me to remove 4 gigs of RAM and run the remaining sticks at 1066Mhz? Would I see any increase in performance? I'd like to get some advice before I wank with the settings and run tests.

The G Skill RAM I'm using (F2-8500CL5D) is notorious for being unstable at anything but stock timings. Does anyone here have specific experience with my mobo/CPU/RAM combination running at 1066 speeds?

Thanks in advance for the help guys!

 

[mister g]

I would say go for it, except for that point about stability issues. nless you're running apps that require that 8GB(I don't use any) I don't see a problem with going that path.

 

[saint19]

Don't go for it I used 800MHz and 1066MHz and believe me the difference between both is only notable in benchmarking and not in normal or games use.

Keep the 8GB and maybe u can re-sell it for buy AM3 and DDR3 or wait for Bulldozer.

 

[Dirtman73]

I would say go for it, except for that point about stability issues. nless you're running apps that require that 8GB(I don't use any) I don't see a problem with going that path.

I've been pretty comfortable with the 8 gigs so far, but from what I understand this particular memory is rated at 1066 natively. G Skill's forums are filled with people who can't get the sticks to run properly at 1066 speeds no matter what they do or what settings/configurations/hardware they are using.

From what I've been able to gather, there are several factors involved here:

1. My mobo has a particularly hard time with the G Skill's stock 1066 timings;
2. The Phenom II X4's 790X Northbridge chipset limits how many sticks can run at 1066;
3. And the memory itself is unreliable when set to 1066. At 800, it's all rock solid.

I even attempted to run 8 gigs at 1066 at one point (some users have claimed long-term success with this setup), but it consistently crashed during heavy use.

 

[Dirtman73]

Don't go for it I used 800MHz and 1066MHz and believe me the difference between both is only notable in benchmarking and not in normal or games use.

Keep the 8GB and maybe u can re-sell it for buy AM3 and DDR3 or wait for Bulldozer.

That's pretty much my only regret with my current setup- no DDR3 support. Not a huge deal really, but it would've been a nice addition .

 

[whiteboy101]

I'm using a Gigabyte GA-MA790X-UD4P mobo with a Phenom II X4 955 proc and 8 gigs of G Skill DDR2 memory. Currently, the memory is running at 800Mhz, and due to limitations with the 790X chipset can only run at 1066Mhz if I cut the memory down to 4 gigs.

I'd like to get better performance out of my system, and I've become convinced that my current memory settings are preventing me from achieving anything over a 3.6Ghz overclock with the CPU. Can anyone tell me if it would be beneficial to me to remove 4 gigs of RAM and run the remaining sticks at 1066Mhz? Would I see any increase in performance? I'd like to get some advice before I wank with the settings and run tests.

The G Skill RAM I'm using (F2-8500CL5D) is notorious for being unstable at anything but stock timings. Does anyone here have specific experience with my mobo/CPU/RAM combination running at 1066 speeds?

Thanks in advance for the help guys!

i know it"s been a long time since lots of people were having problems running 1066 ram speeds with the GA-MA790X-UD4P board+phenom II, but i had an itch that's been bugging me since i ordered and installed my 4 gigs of 1066 ram, so i dug out the beast and gave the ram another chance at running 1066... if anyone really wants that 1066 speed "chuckle" the only way i found out how to do it is putting one module in each of the colors of my ram slots. So one would go in the "yellow" and one would go in the "red" slot. I was even able to get a minor overclock and be stable. Yet you i was only able to keep 4gigs stable.. not many programs use that much anyway.

maybe there's a few people out there still wishing they could get what they payed for... meaning what was written on the box of the hardware when they ordered and received the product. "shakes fist"

 

[nikorr]

This topic has been closed by Nikorr

 

[nikorr]

Best answer selected by nikorr.