3 0GHZ processor what kind of RAM do i use

theotherguy88

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I have a dell dimension 2400 with a 2.4 celeron. I have a pentium 4 3.0GHZ i am installing but i dont what kind of ram that i will need to run my pc. the processor will be sustainable on the motherboard that i am useing along with the chipset i have a Dell 0F5949 motherboard. So what kind of ram should i get? PC2100 or pc2700? I am running PC3200 right now.
 
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Simple really, PC3200 is its rated speed (up to 400MHz) If your system runs at a slower speed, say 333MHz it simply runs at the lower speed. Theres never any problem using ram rated at a higher speed than what you need, as long as its the same type, you just won't see any benefit from it. But like I said, since...

theotherguy88

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This is what I dont understand. Many sites that I go to, depending on the processor FSB is depending on the memory that you should use. Like before I saw that with a 3.0GHZ processor I should use PC2700. Dont understand that at all.
 
theotherguy88 all you really need is a rear vent to counter the heat, and i wouldnt have spent that cash on such an old 478 system - its just too old and crap

make sure your motherboard supports that 3.0cpu, especially if your running a board that doesnt support a prescott and your 3.0 is a 3.0e/prescott chip etc

DDR400 is correct for the E/C series processors, and actually incorrect for the 2.4 if anything (DDR266 for FSB400 and 266/333 for FSB533 etc)
 

kiren

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Simple really, PC3200 is its rated speed (up to 400MHz) If your system runs at a slower speed, say 333MHz it simply runs at the lower speed. Theres never any problem using ram rated at a higher speed than what you need, as long as its the same type, you just won't see any benefit from it. But like I said, since you already have it keep using it, it will not perform any worse than 2700 would.
 
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LoneWolf_53

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Since you had the thing given to you it's quite possible whoever had it before upgraded at some point and chose to use PC-3200.

The pins on the memory are the same and PC-3200 is backwards compatible with the slower specification memory.

If you were to mix the memory (not a good idea) for example and put PC-3200 in one slot and PC-2700 in the other the PC-3200 would operate at the speed of the PC-2700.