FSB:RAM Ratio question

[VampD]

I heard someone once say a FSB:RAM Ratio of 1:1 was the best and anything besides that will slow down a computer system. Since I have a q6600 running at stock 2.4 ghz with 2 gigs of ddr800 ram, my BIOS automatically set the ratio to 2:3.

266.66 bus speed x 1.5 = 400 mhz speed the ram is running at

my question is, how significantly slower is my system running due to this? If I overclock should I try to achieve a 1:1 ratio? Is it worth it?

 

[veedubfreak]

Unless you are overclocking, leave the ram divider set to auto. I run synchronous (1:1) because i overclocked my q6600 to 3600 which makes my ram run at 800mhz. You definately arent hurting anything by leaving it at 3:2.

 

[VampD]

Unless you are overclocking, leave the ram divider set to auto. I run synchronous (1:1) because i overclocked my q6600 to 3600 which makes my ram run at 800mhz. You definately arent hurting anything by leaving it at 3:2.

hmm wait that doesn't make sense, if you overclocked your q6600 to 3.6 ghz that means you have a bus speed of 450 mhz right. If your ddr2 ram is running at 800 mhz then its at 400 mhz. So 450 and 400 isn't 1:1? Your q6600 should be at 3.2 ghz ( 400 mhz bus speed ) to be a 1:1 ratio with your ram.

Am I mistaken?

 

[gurusan]

last time I checked 400 x 9 was 3600.

 

[kobe24]

yeah u need to have the quad at 3.6 with stock ddr800 ram to have a 1:1 ratio

 

[Sora]

Well honestly the best ratio is 1:2 (or higher theoretically) on a FSB : RAM ratio. However you need some pretty sick ram to be able to max out a Q6600 and double the ratio so thats why 1:1 is the next best.

Honestly your ram isn't being hurt at that much becuase while it may run at 400 FSB stock, it is being downclocked in speed and timings to do 266 FSB. The lowered timings helps make up for it. However you should overclock not becuase of the 1:1 ratio but becuase your CPU is slower than cheap E2140's that are overclocked right now. Overclocking is a great idea anytime just about.

 

[veedubfreak]

Ya, with all settings auto, my FSB would be 266 with a 9x multi and memory running at 800. I run 1:1 sync due to the overclock.

 

[VampD]

last time I checked 400 x 9 was 3600.

oops I kept thinking the multiplier was x8 for the q6600 not x9

anyone know what the ratios are when the BIOS uses system memory multipliers. Like what does 3.20 mean ratio wise?

 

[VampD]

bump anyone know the answer to my question?

 

[Sora]

it means that the ram runs 3.20 times faster than your FSB in DDR2....keep it at 2.0 for a 1:1 ratio. That means if your FSB is at 400 and it's at 2.0, your ram would run at DDR2-800 which is where you want it. Basically 2.0 is all you will want to make it a good ratio.