Best DRAM frequency for i7-920 @ 3.33 ghz?

[The Wildcard]

I intend on leaving my computer overclocked to 3.33 ghz. I've got a baseclock set at 166 and the dram frequency at 1333. Everything else is set at Auto in my ASUS p6x58d bios.

My ram is DDR3 6 GB (3 x 2 gb) Corsair Dominator TR33X6G1600C8D which is rated at 1600 mhz at 8-8-8-24. Current speed is 1333 mhz.

Shot at 2010-04-04

Shot at 2010-04-04

Shot at 2010-04-04

The current timings at 663 mhz is 8-9-9-24.

My questions are:

1) What is the optimum DRAM speed (1333, 1600, etc) should I be running this ram at, if I want to maintain the 3.33 ghz CPU speed?

2) Can I set the Asus Bios Ai Overclock Tuner setting to XMP, then set the baseclock frequency to 166, then set the dram frequency to 1666?

3) Should I manually enter in the timings?

 

[Ben90]

My questions are:

1) What is the optimum DRAM speed (1333, 1600, etc) should I be running this ram at, if I want to maintain the 3.33 ghz CPU speed?

2) Can I set the Asus Bios Ai Overclock Tuner setting to XMP, then set the baseclock frequency to 166, then set the dram frequency to 1666?

3) Should I manually enter in the timings?

1: Imagine CPU and memory two completely different systems. The optimum is whatever the fastest you can run each independently.

2: I recommend not using XMP and setting everything manually.

3: Definitely. From your current overclock you can either keep the DRAM speed the same and push timings lower, or raise DRAM up to the rated ~1666@8s. Either way it really doesn't matter as your not going to see impressive gains from either solution.

I would personally stick with 1333@low voltage. But most others would opt to go the 1666@higher voltage path. Be aware that increasing memory speed forces your uncore higher. My motherboard doesn't automatically re-lower the uncore after going from a high to low memory clock and it caught me off guard with some stability problems.

 

[SunnyD]

i7's don't give too much of a rats ass about memory speed. You're running triple channel, which is more than enough bandwidth. I say stick with aggressive timings with lower frequencies, which will net you a bigger performance gain over loose timings at higher frequencies.

 

[JAG87]

Put the BCLK down to 160
Enable turbo for 21x
Set memory to 2:10
Enable XMP

3.33 Ghz, DDR3-1600, 8-8-8, and away you go.

 

[tweakboy]

Your doing fine, stick with the RAM you have. Your next choice is 2000Mhz kit , which aint cheap.. gl