You mean I have even
more to consider??
And just when I thought I had reached my befuddlement saturation level...
I've already figured if I get a good clock the 1:1 is probably not a viable option. That's the problem -
if I get a good clock. So much rides on a relative unknown.
I'm guessing that if I run much more than around 240-245 on the cpu, which is decent, the ram won't keep up, so I'd have to drop down to 5:4 which will put me at around 200 on the ram. Not wonderful for bandwidth, but I could shoot for low latencies. After all, a very wise man - RAM Yoda - once said this:
Since our bandwidth in dual channel is sufficient to very nearly maximize system performance when running the ram at 400MHz, if it costs us latency performance to raise the bandwidth we lose, lose, lose.
If I can achieve low latencies
and push it up to 230 or so I'm looking at 290 and up on the cpu. Outstanding overclock in my opinion, but I don't want to
count on it. So, which way to go...
I could pick up a 2.6, but that won't change the picture to any great extent. Or, I could go with a 2.8 and keep my fsb down in order to run 1:1 with decent ram as long as I don't sacrifice latency on the altar of bandwidth.
I'm beginning to think, currently, the best option may be to go with a 2.8 at around 245 and 5:4 shooting for tight timings. The 2.8's are running out of steam at around 245 anyway, I read, which would give me 3430. Running quality ram at 200 I might be able to hit the holy grail of 2-2-2-6 - if the planets line up and I wear my favorite and very well-worn James Gang t-shirt on the second Tuesday. [the young guys are asking "who the heck is the James Gang...". Ask your folks - I may have been sitting next to them at one of the concerts, though neither of us would remember it. So, never mind.] That would give me good cpu performance and decent ram performance with low latencies.
So, it seems as though the hub of the wheel is the ram - buy high quality ram and lessen the risk of a wash. That's why I would rather overspend, if I have to, on the ram so as to increase my odds of having a good cushion on the cpu/motherboard performance.
Ya gotta love this hobby...