processor question and memory question

[iffy]

I have ascertained that as a general rule I should match components to fsb speed. Now I am looking at this processor-Intel® Core™ i3-540 Processor
(4M Cache, 3.06 GHz), and from the spec I cannot find the fsb speed. Please advise. Also what is the good memory brands please?

 

[johnb35]

http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=46473

You'll want to use either 1066 or 1333mhz sticks.

As far as what brand to get?

Corsair,gskill, crucial, kingston, mushkin

 

[iffy]

thanks for that, but what about fsb for motherboard?

 

[johnb35]

You have to find a motherboard that supports the processor, is basically all you need. And the motherboard determines what speed memory can be used.

 

[StrangleHold]

The i3 doesnt have a FSB aymore. It runs on a base clock BCLK of 133mhz. Depends on the board you pick by what speed memory it supports.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...iption=&Ntk=&CFG=&SpeTabStoreType=&srchInDesc=

 

[2048Megabytes]

The i3 doesnt have a FSB anymore. It runs on a base clock BCLK of 133 MHz.

If the Intel Core i3 Processors do not use front side bus, how do the south bridge devices now communicate with the processor?

 

[StrangleHold]

Socket 1156 doesn't have a southbridge. Socket 1366 uses QPI, like AMDs HT. But connects the southbridge to the northbridge on a DMI bus.

 

[iffy]

ok im with you on that, but what about ram? The motherboard I am looking at supports ddr3 1066/1333/1600/2000. But which ram should I get? Actually does the CPU support all three ram speeds?

 

[StrangleHold]

For price wise, I would go with DDR 1600. Just pick it out with default voltage of 1.65 or lower.

 

[2048Megabytes]

If the motherboard supports DDR3 1066/1333/1600/2000 megahertz RAM, the processor will also be able to use the RAM that runs at any of those speeds.

Listen to Stranglehold. Double Data Rate 3 1600 RAM is the best value out there right now for DDR3.

 

[2048Megabytes]

Socket 1156 doesn't have a southbridge. Socket 1366 uses Quick Path Interconnect, like AMD's Hyper Transport. But connects the southbridge to the northbridge on a DMI bus.

So Intel's Socket 1366 does have a south bridge chipset?

I just looked thru my notes and saw that Socket 1156 only has a north bridge chipset. All devices connect to the processor with Socket 1156 by Quick Path Interconnect or thru north bridge DMI.

"DMI" stands for "Direct Memory Interface" doesn't it?

 

[StrangleHold]

Socket 1366 uses QPI to connect the processor to the memory, but uses DMI between the northbridge and southbridge. The PCIe lanes runs off the northbridge.

Socket 1156, the PCIe lanes run off the CPU. The CPU connects to (really what is left of the northbridge with the southbridge in one chip) Intel likes to call it the PCH (Platform Controller Hub) through the DMI bus.