Hardware What do all the numbers mean for overclocking memory?

[Fishaman P]

For example:

1066MHz DDR3
1333MHz DDR3
1600MHz DDR3
2600+ MHz DDR3 (Overclocking)

Does that mean that 2600MHz can only be reached by overclocking 1600MHz memory? Or will 2400MHz memory work with overclocking?

And what about speeds between 1600MHz and 2600MHz?

 

[Berthenk]

It just means that the RAM runs at a higher clock speed. Common stock speeds are 1333 MHz and 1600 MHz. Generally, RAM at higher clock speeds is faster, though you don't notice the difference that much with general use, mostly with benchmarks. RAM with speeds higher than 2000 are mostly expensive although that speed can be acquired by overclocking. The overclocking can be done with any RAM you have, but if you're going higher than 2000 I advise you to put a cooler on the RAM sticks. There are companies that make RAM at clocks of 2200 MHz and up, but they almost if not always have passive cooling on it, as can be seen on the linked picture.

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2009/05/corsairmemory.jpg

 

[Fishaman P]

And that pretty much sums up my background info. It doesn't answer my question, however.

 

[Berthenk]

"The overclocking can be done with any RAM you have". Yes, thanks. Any RAM will work just fine.

 

[Fishaman P]

So in theory I could use 2400MHz RAM on that mobo, crank it up to 3000MHz, cool it properly, and have a speed demon computer? Thanks!

 

[Berthenk]

If your motherboard is compatible with a speed that huge, then yes.

 

[Fishaman P]

Well, the highest Non-OC it supports is 1600MHz. So 2400MHz OC'd to 3000MHz would work on a board like the one described on the first post?

 

[Berthenk]

Sorry for the lateness. Also, you didn't notice a motherboard anywhere in the first post.

 

[Fishaman P]

Sorry about the confusion, but I posted SPECS for the mobo on the first post. Copy pasta'd from TigerDirect.