Matching RAM for an E6600 overclock?

[Pixel Eater]

I want to try my first overclock with an E6600. I'm aiming for 3.5GHz or so and might want to go higher in the future. Anticipating this, I was wondering if there's a point in getting DDR2 1000 PC2 RAM. I'm debating between Crucial BallistixDDR2 1000 (PC2 8000) or just G.Skill DDR2 800 (PC2 6400).
Prior to OCing, I'll probably run stock for a month. Would I then need to underclock the RAM for any reason?

On paper, my build is looking like...
CPU: Intel E6600 (w/ ThermalRight Ultra-120 extreme)
MOBO: Asus Commando or Asus Striker Extreme
PSU: Silverstone ST75F 750W or Silverstone ST85F 850W
GFX: 2X nVidia 8800 GTX (triple screen)
HD: 2X 150GB WD Raptors in RAID 0

What would be an ideal match for this setup?

 

[bashPenguin]

At stock, the E6600 has a 1066 Mhz FSB (266 real, quad pumped to 1066). So DDR2-533 would match a 1:1 FSBRAM. Your RAM will run at 266 Mhz at stock speed.
The multiplier on the E6600 is 9x (266 Mhz FSB * 9 = 2.4 Ghz). To get to your 3.5 Ghz, you would need ~390 Mhz FSB, so still reachable at DDR2-800. However, I don't know how commonly E6600s can hit this kind of speed without exotic cooling or heavily increasing voltages.

Anyway, I don't have opinions either way about the actual RAM in question.

edit: sorry, I was mistaking the E6700 with the E6600.

 

[Markyip1]

There is no need for overclocked RAM with an E6600, unless you're planning to water cool in hopes for a stable 3.8Ghz+ overclock with 1:1 RAM timings. Then, maybe you'd benefit from 900Mhz or 1000Mhz RAM.

The general high end on air cooling for an E6600 is 3.6ghz. PC-6400 RAM will run at 800mhz spec with a 400Mhz FSB, which if you use the default x9 multiplier of the E6600, will give you a 3.6Ghz processor. In that case, if you buy overclocked RAM, you'd be paying for extra mhz you won't use.

Good luck,

Mark.

 

[TheCur]

snip
In that case, if you buy overclocked RAM, you'd be paying for extra mhz you won't use.

Good luck,

Mark.

Unless of course you unlink them and run the memory at the speed you want it too..

Then you can decide whats more important to you, bigger BW numbers or tighter timings / lower latencies.

 

[Markyip1]

This is indeed true.

I'm not sure if all motherboards allow you to run RAM unlinked (I know the nForce 650 and 680i boards do, and that most P965/975x boards don't.) There is also much debate as to whether you suffer a performance decrease by running RAM at anything other than a 1:1 divider. The consensus is that you don't for games, but that you very well may when performing media-intensive tasks.

Mark.

 

[TheCur]

Aye Mark, he listed a pair of 680i boards, which is why I posted that. Not trying to play one-ups'manship stuff. Just making sure he can make an informed choice.

Cheers.

 

[Markyip1]

Ah, I see Striker or Commando. Didn't catch that. Sorry.

Mark.

 

[Pixel Eater]

Well the ASUS Commando is an Intel board, not 680i, right? To be honest, I don't fully understand the difference.

Also, I'm considering the Asus P5W DH Dlx.

 

[luihed]

Any overclocking board should have an option to run your memory unlinked, the 6801/650 just gives you more precise options..... unless unlinked is different from dividers.....

To answer your questin, I think you should just buy one of the 2 you listed as they are cheap enough.....

 

[TheCur]

Any overclocking board should have an option to run your memory unlinked, the 6801/650 just gives you more precise options..... unless unlinked is different from dividers.....

To answer your questin, I think you should just buy one of the 2 you listed as they are cheap enough.....

Unlinking is a feature of the "new" nForce 500/600 series north bridge chipsets. It is very different from memory "dividers".

 

[luihed]

Whats the difference?

 

[Mansize_tissue]

Whats the difference?

It means that the memory frequency can be set independtly from that of the CPU FSB. Actually, it's not totally dividerless but it has so many dividers that you can basically run the memory at whatever frequency you choose and not be restricted to the limited dividers (e.g. 2:3, 4:5... etc.) on Intel motherboards.