Running RAM on lower spec motherboard question

Hi,

I'm doing a cheap upgrade for my dads PC, i've bought this motherboard http://www.giga-byte.com/Motherboard/Products/Products_GA-7VKMP.htm and a 2nd hand athlonXP 1900+

All I need now is some RAM, the board supports PC1600 and PC2100, however,if I stuck PC3200 in it, would it work?

I only ask, because if some RAM of ebay is only a few quid cheaper than new stuff, I'll buy the newer stuff!

Cheers,

 

You should be able to run the memory at the lower clock speed without any problems.

 

Cool cheers, i thought that may be the case, but it's good to hear someone else say so!

 

The RAM speed stated on the RAM is its maximum guaranteed speed, but the speed it runs at it determined by the mobo, so if the mobo sets it to 166, then it will run at 166.

In other words it will be fine.

 

you might have to play with the ram settings though my shuttle refuses to run DDR3200 at DDR2700 when using a 333mhz fsb speed so I had to stick in some DDR2700. Then again that boards bios is a pig

 

In 99% of cases it won't be a problem. Some ram is finnicky about going slower than it's rated. Mine for instance doesn't seem to like looser timings below like 500mhz (pc4000). Shouldn't matter though.

 

In my desktop PC (Asus A7N8X-X mobo with Athlon XP 2600+) I have PC3200 ram running at PC2700 speeds, to keep in sync with the processor, and there's no prob with it

 

Cool, cheers for all the comments! i'll bear them all in mind when i choose what to get