DDR3 RAM stuff

[Curt Howland]

The last time I rebuilt my system I "forgot" to include any swap. As a
result, I've been paying attention to RAM use, speed, etc.

I've had no problems. 4GB of RAM seems to be sufficient, but that
doesn't stop me from using lshw to pull up the mobo, check the specs,
and see what 16GB costs today on NewEgg.

Anyway, it's finally gotten to me that the freq given in lshw for my
DDR3-1600 RAM is 800MHz.

        *-bank:0
             description: DIMM Synchronous 800 MHz (1.2 ns)
             product: STT-W1600UB2G90000
             vendor: Manufacturer00
             physical id: 0
             serial: 00000000
             slot: DIMM0
             size: 2GiB
             width: 64 bits
             clock: 800MHz (1.2ns)

I know I've fiddled with the BIOS before, and I'm quite sure that I've
verified that it's correctly detecting the 1600, but it's always said
800MHz in lshw.

Today, when giving the issue yet another look-see, I came across this:

http://www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/processors/phenom-ii/Pages/phenom-ii-model-number-comparison.aspx

Support for unregistered DIMMs up to PC2 8500(DDR2-1066MHz) and PC3
10600 (DDR3-1333MHz)

Now I always thought that RAM was handled by the mobo, not the CPU,
and if the mobo was built with that CPU then it would deliver the RAM
at whatever speed the mobo would deliver it.

Is this telling me, actually, that the CPU can only handle up to
DDR3-1333 on that mobo, or do I go by the mobo speed limits?

Either way, 800MHz doesn't look right.

Curt-