Choosing RAM for gaming - MHz or CL?

[jappe]

I'm upgrading my gaming PC and I'd like to get it as optimized as possible for best gaming performance.

Here's what I currently have:

 

CPU: Ryzen 9 5900X (getting it when it releases)

CPU Cooler: Corsair H115i RGB Platinum

Motherboard: ASUS TUF GAMING X570-PLUS

GPU: ASUS TUF 3090 OC Edition (preordered)

SSD: Samsung 970 EVO 1TB (my current M.2 drive, leaving this for OS)

SSD: Samsung 980 PRO 1TB (getting this for game storage)

PSU: ASUS 850W ROG THOR

Case: BitFenix Aurora

 

So what I'm left with is choosing the best RAM for this setup. I have two different choices but I need help choosing which one would be better for gaming performance.

My choices are:

 

G.Skill 32GB (4 x 8GB) Trident Z Neo DDR4 3200MHz, CL14, 1.35V

G.Skill 32GB (4 x 8GB) Trident Z Neo DDR4 3600MHz, CL16, 1.35V

 

Price difference between these two is 23 euros so that doesn't matter at all. Basically I just need to decide if I'm going for 3200MHz CL14 or 3600MHz CL16.

So far what I've looked up and gathered is that the MHz is more important than CL but I'd like to hear more opinions or maybe even facts on this matter.

 

Cheers!

[SFFDesigns]

2 minutes ago, jappe said:

 

G.Skill 32GB (4 x 8GB) Trident Z Neo DDR4 3200MHz, CL14, 1.35V

G.Skill 32GB (4 x 8GB) Trident Z Neo DDR4 3600MHz, CL16, 1.35V

Both are quite similar, but don't get 4 x 8gb. Get 2 x 16gb. 

[minibois]

1 minute ago, jappe said:

G.Skill 32GB (4 x 8GB) Trident Z Neo DDR4 3200MHz, CL14, 1.35V

G.Skill 32GB (4 x 8GB) Trident Z Neo DDR4 3600MHz, CL16, 1.35V

Price difference between these two is 23 euros so that doesn't matter at all. Basically I just need to decide if I'm going for 3200MHz CL14 or 3600MHz CL16.

So far what I've looked up and gathered is that the MHz is more important than CL but I'd like to hear more opinions or maybe even facts on this matter.

CAS Latency and Frequency (Mhz) are both important and the easiest way to find the fastest set is just doing:

Frequency / CAS Latency.

where higher = better.

 

With these two sets, you will get ~225-229, so they are very similar or even about equal.

Choose the cheaper between these two.

[jappe]

4 minutes ago, Hymenopus_Coronatus said:

Both are quite similar, but don't get 4 x 8gb. Get 2 x 16gb. 

Why is this?

[boggy77]

get 2 x16, not 4x8. otherwise, the kits are similar.

also, keeping a 1tb ssd empty just for windows sounds unreasonable.

just create a 200gb or so windows partition and use the rest of the drive as well.

[boggy77]

Just now, jappe said:

Why is this?

using 4 sticks puts more strain on the memory controller. and ryzen's memory controller is not great, it might find it difficult to run the ram at their rated speed if they are in a 4 stick kit

[jappe]

8 minutes ago, minibois said:

CAS Latency and Frequency (Mhz) are both important and the easiest way to find the fastest set is just doing:

Frequency / CAS Latency.

where higher = better.

 

With these two sets, you will get ~225-229, so they are very similar or even about equal.

Choose the cheaper between these two.

Alright, thanks.

Now I checked out also G.Skill 32GB (2 x 16GB) Trident Z Neo DDR4 3600MHz, CL16 as suggested by Hymenopus_Coronatus and surprisingly it is more than 100 euros cheaper. But I noticed the latencies are 16-19-19-39 whereas with 4 x 8GB they are 16-16-16-36. Both are sold as CL16 though.

[xentropa]

CAS Latency has units of clock cycles.

 

3200 DDR MHz is 1600 MHz.  So a clock cycle is 0.625 nanoseconds or 1/1600 MHz.

 

Then if the CL is 14, that means a latency of 14 x 0.625 ns or 8.75 ns. 

[jappe]

3 minutes ago, boggy77 said:

get 2 x16, not 4x8. otherwise, the kits are similar.

also, keeping a 1tb ssd empty just for windows sounds unreasonable.

just create a 200gb or so windows partition and use the rest of the drive as well.

It's not empty, it's currently ~70% full and I have a lot of files I work with in there (psd, ai etc.)

I just want to get a dedicated drive for storing my games and free up space for work stuff on the 970.

 

The motherboard has 2 slots for M.2 so I thought I'd go this way instead of getting one drive for 2TB.

2 minutes ago, boggy77 said:

using 4 sticks puts more strain on the memory controller. and ryzen's memory controller is not great, it might find it difficult to run the ram at their rated speed if they are in a 4 stick kit

Okay I can see that. So probably getting a 2x16GB kit then after all.

[Milos Sladic]

It seems like you have a machine worth millions so don't waste money on F4-3600C16D-32GTZNC coz it looks like it is not samsung b die. Get the b die from the b die finder website and then overclock it to "whatever cl you want".
 

Also 32 is useless for gaming, you will not get even 1%. Get the 2x8gb with over 4200mhz from the b die list and enjoy the max performance.