Relationship between FSB and RAM speed

[wikus]

I couldn't find any article which describes the relationship between the CPU FSB and the RAM speed in layman's terms.

Can anyone explain to me in the simplest terms what is acceptable in terms of matching CPU FSB with with RAM speed and how it will impact performance

 

[MadMailMan]

I think (might well be wrong) that it's an efficiancy thing. If they mach then neither the RAM nor CPU will end up waiting for the other. Well that's my guess.

 

[Other Pineapple Smurf]

As a rule of thumb you install the RAM based on the boards FSB - 800Mhz on 800FSB; 1333Mhz on 1333FSB

Your RAM will downclock itself to the slower of the two speeds - FSB and RAM FSB. Also mixing RAM causes all the RAM to group and down clock to the lowest FSB (ie a 1333 chip and 800 chip will both run at 800Mhz).


There are also many other factors in your computers architecture that influences the hardware organization choice. For desktop PCs its not worth it to go into such detail as any performance improvement is usually too costly and negligible.

 

[kayvee]

This article does a reasonable job of explaining.

 

[wikus]

Has the CPU FSB been replaced in newer CPU's such as Intel i5 or i7?

 

[DJNgoma]

Has the CPU FSB been replaced in newer CPU's such as Intel i5 or i7?

Yes.