nforce2 memory question

[jreinsma]

Everybody has noticed that the nforce 2 performs the best with the same memory speed as the bus speed on the cpu, yet nobody has tested the smaller memory timeings of the boards. I am wondering if we even need to purchase ddr400 to get the speed results of running a cpu at 200/400fsb. I am thinking if the chipset was designed correctly one might be able to get the same results out of cheaper ddr200 memory. This thought comes because the bandwith of the cpu would then be 3200mb/s and the ram would then be 2X 1600mb/s. Would sombody that gets there hand on a board soon please test this theory and see if the half fsb dual channel ddr timings produce any significant drop in speed on the benchmarks.

 

[Gnufsh]

I've also been wondering about this. Running 200mhz fsb with 2 sticks of PC2100 in dual channelshould give you more then enough bandwith, correct?

 

[jreinsma]

the bandwith is correct, but the the question is is the hardware setup to do this correctly.

We need a tester!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[snyper1982]

no, an athlon at 200mhz fsb has a bandwidth of 3,200. PC2100 ram at default speed only has a bandwith of 2,100(which is why it was called pc2100) PC3200 should match it up perfectly though. Now i could be mistaken, but that is how i had it explained to me. so if you are planning on running at a 200 mhz FSB, then i would suggest a minimum of pc3200(which is running at 200mhzx2=400mhz). i think where you guys are getting mixed up is in the ram, ddr500 is only runing at a clock speed of 200mhz, and its from the actual clock speed that you use to get the bandwith. clock speedx2(because it is ddr)x8. so if you have your fsb running at 200mhz, then you should definately have at least pc3200. i hope i didnt confuse anyone, and i mostly hope that i am not mistaken on this, i would hate to be passing along false info.

 

[snyper1982]

oops, sorry i just reread your post and i see what you are talking about now, and i am now curious if that will work also. i plan on building a new NF2 setup so hopefuly i will be able to find out first hand.

 

[OC-Master]

Everybody has noticed that the nforce 2 performs the best with the same memory speed as the bus speed on the cpu, yet nobody has tested the smaller memory timeings of the boards. I am wondering if we even need to purchase ddr400 to get the speed results of running a cpu at 200/400fsb. I am thinking if the chipset was designed correctly one might be able to get the same results out of cheaper ddr200 memory. This thought comes because the bandwith of the cpu would then be 3200mb/s and the ram would then be 2X 1600mb/s. Would sombody that gets there hand on a board soon please test this theory and see if the half fsb dual channel ddr timings produce any significant drop in speed on the benchmarks.

Been there, done that, and it works flawlessly. nForce2 runs smooth at 400MHz FSB without loosing any memory benchmarks while using two old sticks of Micron PC2100 memory.

What the 1 stick of Micron memory lacks in performance, that performance is made up with the second stick in Dual Channel configuration!

On the ASUS A7N8X, simply set the memory speed to -100% when your running your FSB at 200.


OC-Master

 

[Mambo]

This board is gonna rock with the barton core, 200fsb stock and the ability to run memory @ 500 will be so sweet

 

[snyper1982]

well what kind of memory do you guys recomend then? i want to get corsair xms with my new setup, think i should?