Use frequency lower than RAM standard?

[phthanh85]

Hello,

I have a P5G41T-M LX mobo with 1333 (O.C)/1066 MHz RAM frequency. I have 2 DDR3-1333 MHz RAM units installed in it, along with a Duo-Core E6500 CPU (1066 MHz). The mobo's normal frequency is 1066 MHz. If I want to use 1333, I have to overclock the CPU.

My question: Should I use mobo's default configuration (1066) or overclock it to 1333 to utilize maximum RAM?
If I use 1066, would it harm the RAM (because the RAM will operate at a lower speed)?
If I overclock to 1333, would it harm the mobo or CPU? Would the system be stable in the long run?

Thank you!

 

[warhead0]

So long as your temperatures and voltages are within reason you can certainly overclock your ram.

1. There will be very little to no noticeable difference in performance between ram at 1333Mhz and 1066Mhz.

2. down-clocking your ram will cause no harm at all, so long as you arn't putting excessive voltage than it requires.

3. Any overclocking has the potential to damage your hardware, if you are careful about what settings you change you should be quite safe overclocking your RAM slightly.

I can't guarantee your RAM will be 100% stable at you desired clock speeds, but it's well within a reasonable goal.

 

[phthanh85]

Best answer selected by phthanh85.

 

[nikorr]

This topic has been closed by Nikorr