PC3200 compatability with 533Mhz FSB CPU

[Cavalier90]

Just bought a new motherboard that accepts upto PC3200 (DDR400) memory sticks, a PC3200 memory stick to go in it, and an Intel Celeron D with 533 Mhz FSB. When I picked the components everything seemed compatible, but when I read the motherboard guide fitting a CPU with 533 Mhz FSB seems to restrict memory support frequency to the PC2700 and PC2100 (DDR333 and DDR266 respectively). Would the PC3200 still work but at a lower frequency?

Thanks

[saphalline]

PC3200 will work just fine at the slower PC2700 speed. All DDR RAM is backwards compatible with slower speeds. Also, I'd be curious to know which mobo you got, because there's probably a way to run PC3200 RAM at its full speed. It may not be a default setting, but I'm sure there's some sort of manual setting that would work. ;)

[Cavalier90]

Saphalline, the board is an ASRock P4i48. This does support PC3200 according to the spec. It's just that I chose a Celeron D Processor 340 with 2.93Ghz and 533 Mhz FSB which is where I think the mismatch lies, according to the installation instructions with the motherboard. As you can see I'm going for a budget build as I do not use the computer for complex games.

[saphalline]

the board is an ASRock P4i48.
Oh, that explains it. That mobo uses the i848P chipset, which lacks dual-channel RAM, so that's where the limitation lies. Of course, if you're not worried about maximum performance then who cares? :p As long as it works, and it will, you'll probably have more than enough computing power for what you want to do.

[Cavalier90]

Thanks for the advice, but as I got mixed messages from this and other discussion boards I've played safe and sent the PC3200 back and bought a PC2700.