Question on memory for an AM3 build

[JTP709]

I'm building a new system this June, with an Phenom II x3 720 on an AM3 board with DDR3 memory. My current system build has 4GB (2x2GB) OCZ Platinum DDR3 1600 with 7-7-7-24 timings.

My quesiton is: I am planning on overclocking, but for the time being only to 3.6ghz since speeds of 3.8 and 4.0 don't improve performance much with mysystem configuration. Should I consider DDR3 1333 with slightly tighter timings, 6-6-6-20 vs 7-7-7-24 on the DDR3 1600? Also, for the same price of the 4GB of DDR3 1600 I could get 6GB of DDR3 1333 with the same timings of 7-7-7-24, but would the extra memory really be worth it over faster memory and overclocking?

I want to stick with DDR3 versus DDR2 because I want to "future proof" as much as possible so I can make incremental upgrades as time goes on.

All I am planning on doing is gaming, some 3d modeling and photoshop experimenting, and of coarse the internets.

 

[daft]

ok, 6GB sets are tri channel. i wouldn't go for it unless you had an i7 platform. though, what you can do is keep your current ram and underclock it to 1333. im not entirely certain on this, but any higher and the cpu will only be able to read in single channel mode. this is unless you bump up the HT link speed by upping the FSB.
in short, keep current memory, underclock to 1333, set for tighter timmings, and adjust voltage as necessary.

 

[JTP709]

Sorry, what I meant by "current build" was my current wish list. I have still yet to purchase this system.

 

[daft]

ah, ok, that works. though stick with 1333 memory. unless you overclock by means of the FSB, then you wont be able to have to much higher without loosing dual channel capability

edit. toms just did a story that reminded me that DDR3 1333 is a single channel only for AMD platforms. so you will have to go down to 1066 if you want dual channel