Intel vs. AMD

i can tell you right now on the 680i mobo, your performance will increase/benefit from using HIGHER bandwidth kits, sure you can OC'in your current CAS3 kits up to 800mhz speed, but can you maintain the timings @ current 4-4-3-10 like your Mushkin kit? i seriously doubt it, perhaps 4-4-4-12 or 5-4-4-12, but i doubt 4-4-3-10 can be achieved with a pc2-5300 kit.

you have to consider while they are CAS3 kits, the speed is 2 "notches" below that of a pc2-6400 kit, that would be a very CONSIDERABLE overclock to pc2-6400 speeds and i ultimately think they will suffer after prolonged periods of time at such a high overclock...with more than likely CAS5 timings to be stable.

stick w/ the Mushkins, you'll have a better performing system and you can fully enjoy the product for which you have just recently spent your hard earned $$ on

docTY

p.s. i've easily overclocked that Mushkin kit you have to PC2-8500 speeds maintaining the CAS4 setting...the subtimings had to be loosened, but CAS4 is very doable.

 

I see your point.

I guess I still have an @$$load of things to figure out with RAM. I don't really understand timings other than lower timings means better overall performance. And being able to hold those timings at high speeds points to good RAM.

I don't really get how the timings work over all. I've just let my motherboard auto-adjust them. So don't feel like a jerk if I sound a bit dumbfounded as I enter new territory here.

 

LOL have i ever been a "jerk" to you!? wait, i HAVE in the past, LOL.

kidding aside, memory/RAM is what i consider MY OWN "expertise"/market in the overclocking world...yeah, i've gotten some pretty impressive overclocks on my cpus and video cards, but my specialty lies in high-end ram kits that i push like no other~

we all have strengths and weaknesses in pc builds/components, and i've learned a LOT from those who are more experienced than i am when i started my overclocking journey years ago, sometimes we just need to put our pride aside and just absorb the info from those more knowledgeable than you, i've done it and it's a very rewarding experience to share what you've learned with others

we all start somewhere when we dive into new and uncharted territory, feel free to ask about how to go about setting your timings and such and i can give you some figures to TRY with your particular kit...as is overclocking the cpu, your mileage will vary but it's very helpful that you are starting with a very strong foundation in the Mushkin kit, i think you will be impressed at what they can do~

docTY

 

Honestly, I'd be happy If I could keep stock or slightly loose timings in the high 900's/ low 1000's. And if that holds stable I'd leave'em. But if it becomes an issue I'm gonna ask you or some of the other regulars for advice.

EDIT:

Just for the record. What kind of timings did you have at the PC2 8500 speeds? That's an incredible OC.

 

i had that Mushkin kit long time ago and it was on my Asus P5W-DH Deluxe, not on a 680i mobo that i have now, but if my memory serves me correctly, it was along the lines of 4-5-4-12 (something like that) 100% stable for everyday use~

 

Estuansis,

a couple different ways you can shoot for 3.4ghz:

378 buss x 9 running your memory at either 756mhz @ 4-4-4-12 (fsb:dram ratio of 1:1) or 945mhz (fsb:dram ratio of 4:5 I think) (this is pushing it and would most likely require loser timings).

or 425 buss x 8 running your memory at 850mhz @ 4-4-4-12 (fsb:dram ratio of 1:1).

just a couple of suggestions.

 

actually, with that particular kit, hitting 900mhz @ 4-4-3-10 is quite POSSIBLE, whether or not it will stay stable or not varies on the stability of your system as a whole and how much volts u give it...and slightly looser timings might need to be applied...

mem volts might need to be bumped up to 2.1v (i assume you are trying to run the memory stable at the least volts possible at this point, so more than likely you are @ 1.9v currently)

what's good about the 680i is that you can choose to link/unlink or sync/unsync memory to your fsb...this will give you more headroom to work w/ your FSB overclock first or if you choose to work on your memory overclock first, separate from the fsb there is ALSO the possibility that you can run the memory @ 1T as well, though that is largely dependent on how well your system takes to it. i've only been able to accomplish this STABLE with my Corsair Dominator PC2-9136 kit, all the others ran @ 2T no matter what i did. lots to explore in that realm, if you have the patience for it

docTY

 

forgot you can unlink the fsb:dram with that mobo

 

PC8500 and still at CAS4 that's nuts! My PC6400 remains at 800mhz and has to be downed to CAS5 to work with my motherboard...

 

that sucks, time to consider a new mobo much like Estuansis did~

 

I don't think I'm going to have problems with ratios or the OC. I understand ratios well enough. My Asus M2N-SLI Deluxe actually worked the same way.

That's actually about what I'm shooting for. Nice high OC and if all goes right I'm going to need to relax timings only a little.

What's going to kill me is when I push my RAM higher. I'm going to need help on what timings to set. I understand them about as well as I understand Klingon.

I usually adjust my FSB:RAM ratio to set my memory as close to its rated speed as possible at stock. And I OC from there. In the end my memory will run on a ratio to my FSB that is comfortable with me.

I intend to hit 3.4GHz while pushing it as little as possible. So I'm going to keep my stock 9x multi. But I'm going to take my RAM into the 900 range. A 1:1 sync isn't all that important to me.

 

Estuansis,

I'm sure I don't need to tell you this but keep your fsb:dram ratio at 1:1 until you achieve your cpu OC target to keep the memory out of the picture. you can then play with the memory frequency, voltage, and timings.

 

That's actually a very good idea lol. I will have to do that. It would make it SOOO much simpler LMAO*retard moment*

For the record, I'm mostly self taught in overclocking. But how something so simple failed to hit me... what the heck am I smoking?

I suppose my method is just as effective for results but I think keeping it down *might* save some time.

One of the many reasons I joined afterdawn. lol

EDIT:

Honestly, I didn't ever see that. I'm actually still a novice overclocker. One with some knowledgeable friends albeit.

I might have a few more questions before this be over.

 

Double but important.

By unlinked RAM/FSB on the 680i, do you mean that I can set it to any clock I see fit? Does that eliminate the need for my ratios? It would be like OCing a CPU with no BUS equations to work out then. Am I right?

EDIT:

It's midnight here and I haven't gotten much sleep in the past few days. I'm gonna call it quits and zonk out. I'll be OCing tomorrow. With docTY's help hopefully.

 

Estuansis,

Yes and no! How's that for a slick answer! LOL!! Actually you may have to tweak the memory buss a little to get the computer to run at the exact frequency you want. I think I had to raise Gina's to 804MHz in the setup to get it to report 800MHz in the post and CPU-z, otherwise it would show up as 788MHz!

When I overclocked my DS3, I concentrated on raising the FSB knowing that I couldn't reach 800MHz on the memory. After I had it running solid at 3.276GHz with the memory at 728MHz, I upped the memory multiplier to 2.50 and it now runs at 910MHz with timings of 5-4-4-12. I can run it at 4-4-4-12 but I have to raise the memory voltage to 2.3v so the memory gets a bit warmer than I want it to be so I left it at cas5 with the cas4 sub-settings. I then attacked the video card and raised the core clock from 570 to 653MHz. I raised the memory clock from 1450 to 1600MHz. The result is one sweet running, fast and very capable computer.

BTW! I don't know how well your finances are, but considering how much you like your Sceptre, here's a 22" widescreen for $149. $199 with a $50 mail in rebate!
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=3169545&sku=S197-2017

I don't have to tell you, that's a terrific price but the sale ends Monday!

Clock On,
theone :}

 

Although as far as I'm concerned that's $199 and the potential to be extremely lucky and win a free $50.

 

sammorris,

I got a $50 rebate with mine and got it in about 4 weeks! The only rebate I never got was from Razor for my scooter. What do you expect when you buy something from Pep Boys! LOL!!

Clock On,
theone :}

 

Guess you've been one of the lucky ones. Rebates aren't used in the UK so I can't say I've had any experiences.

 

Right? But I'm fine with my 17" for now. It's really pretty huge compared to most of the others I've used. I might hit one up in a few weeks/months or so but right now I'm cruising fine with my current one.

But can I freely adjust it like my FSB or is unlinked just a fancy word for ratios? Was the DS3 unlinked? Were the RAM multipliers just its way of being unlinked?

I'm still just a novice for the most part. I always just did what worked and was fine with it.

 

you can freely adjust it when it's unlinked, independent of your FSB...when you SYNC/LINK it, that's where the ratios come into play~

docTY