What RAM should I get?

[cmmcnamara]

Ok so I know I have been starting threads like crazy but I'm trying to get all the answers for my upcoming purchase program. Basically I'll be getting a motherboard, quad core CPU, and a copy of OEM Windows Vista although I'm not sure exactly what version of any of those it will be. I do know it will only be around 200 to 250 bucks for all of it. However based on a little research and comparisons to past programs I think the motherboard will be possibly a DG33TL board, the processor could be a Q6600, Q6700, Q9300 or a Q9450, and the Vista is like 32-bit Home Premium. Basically the RAM and video card is up to me. I'll be getting the 9800 GTX but the RAM I'm stuck. If I get the Q6600 or Q6700 I'll be overclocking the FSB to 1333 MHz so that I can get 3.0 GHz or 3.33 GHz resoectively and if I get the 9300 or 9450 I'll be going to 3.0GHz or 3.2 GHz by overclocking the FSB to 1600MHz. Here is where I run into a problem. In either case the 1333MHz or 1600MHz FSB far exceeds the fastest DDR2 of 1066 MHz (standard) or 1111 MHz (OCing quality). What should I do? Should I ditch the DG33TL board for one capable of using DDR3 for the faster speeds so I have a 1:1 between RAM and CPU FSB frequencies? Or will the performance of having a ratio less efficent than 1:1 not be such a performance hit as to switch to the lower latencied DDR3? If I stick with DDR2 do I get DDR-800, DDR2-1066 or pay a premium for the rar DDR2-1111? Or am I not getting something and this is perfectly ok? I'd really appreciate the help I have been racking my brain on this.

 

[bobjmoran]

Intel's FSB is 4 times the clock rate, and the memory runs at the clock
rate ( X2 = DDR) so for a FSB of 1333MHz you need DDR2-667 and for a
FSB of 1600MHz you need DDR2-800.

 

[cmmcnamara]

Oh yea I forgot about that. Then what would be the purpose for DDR2 1066? Is that just another name for DDR2-266? Is it for over clocking purposes? Wouldn't you computer die if you pushed it to that kind of FSB (1066x2)?

 

[cmmcnamara]

Ok so I think I figure it out...DDR2 is two times the rated FSB, which DDR2-800 is 1600 MHz FSB which would work just like bobjmoran said, so the uses of things like DDR2-1066 or even DDR2-1300 I've seen is for OCing to incredibly high bus speeds (theoretically) like 2600, but my question is why would you need that to go that high? Wouldn't that fry your motherboard? Let alone your CPU! If you took a Q9450 which the multiplier is 8X that would mean your over clock would be to 650(quad pumped=2600) FSB for the full potential? That would make the CPU speed 5.2 GHz?! Why on earth would you need RAM like that?! I;ve never heard of an overclock like that have you guys?!