RAM Speed and CAS

[Haaydon]

Hi, I'm building my first PC and am a bit confused about RAM speed and CAS latency.
I read online that CAS latency is not the right way to compare and that true latency is more important and is calculated with the formula:
True Latency = (CAS Latency * 2000)/RAM Speed

So does that mean a 3200MHz CL16 kit is actually same as a 3600MHZ CL18 kit?
If so is it worth it for me to spend 20% more for a 3600MHz CL16 kit?

[OneOfYas]

If you can afford a 3600mhz kit you can likely afford 3733 which is Ryzen's sweet spot. (Limit) for RAM scaling.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Patriot-Viper-3733MHz-Gunmetal-heatshield/dp/B07N43CYMS?th=1

[Jurrunio]

4 minutes ago, Haaydon said:

So does that mean a 3200MHz CL16 kit is actually same as a 3600MHZ CL18 kit?
If so is it worth it for me to spend 20% more for a 3600MHz CL16 kit?

Same latency, but bandwidth doesn't scale that way. If latency is roughly the same, bandwidth of the higher frequency kit is still higher.

[xg32]

7 minutes ago, Haaydon said:

.

depends on alot of things, the gpu and resolution, workload of the build, and your location, in the US the cl16 3600 2x16 is cheap enough that i wouldn't recommend cl18

[Haaydon]

10 minutes ago, xg32 said:

depends on alot of things, the gpu and resolution, workload of the build, and your location, in the US the cl16 3600 2x16 is cheap enough that i wouldn't recommend cl18

is 2x8GB sufficient? I'm just looking to play games and do light work on it only. No content creation or anything like that

[SorryBella]

10 minutes ago, OneOfYas said:

(Limit) for RAM scaling.

Or you can overclock a 3600 kit to 3733 rather than relying on XMP on a rare speed combination, and really the diminishing return already starts at 3200C16/14 so moot point.

 

And also, the RAM you linked is 3733C17, which is 1ms slower compared to a 3600C16 in latency. Another reason to shop for 3600 is of course the ability to take a lot more brands that offer better binning like Gskill and Crucial.

19 minutes ago, Haaydon said:

So does that mean a 3200MHz CL16 kit is actually same as a 3600MHZ CL18 kit?
If so is it worth it for me to spend 20% more for a 3600MHz CL16 kit?

Honestly the 3200C16 is good enough, dont feel pressured. But if you want to get the most, ball it out and get the 3600 kit.

[xg32]

3 minutes ago, Haaydon said:

is 2x8GB sufficient? I'm just looking to play games and do light work on it only. No content creation or anything like that

honestly you can try ocing the cl16 3200 to 3600, but the timings might be ugly for a 20usd diff, 16gb is enough for light gaming, something like this

 

https://www.newegg.com/ballistix-16gb-288-pin-ddr4-sdram/p/N82E16820164173?Description=cl16 3600&cm_re=cl16_3600-_-20-164-173-_-Product

[Haaydon]

5 minutes ago, SorryClaire said:

Honestly the 3200C16 is good enough, dont feel pressured. But if you want to get the most, ball it out and get the 3600 kit.

I'm on a bit of a budget and from where I'm from a g.skill 3200MHz CL16 kit and 3600MHZ CL18 kit cost almost the same whereas the g.skill 3600MHz CL16 kit cost 20% more.
I'm more inclined to go with the cheaper option but not to sure if the 3200MHz CL16 kit vs 3600MHZ CL18 kit has any difference.

[OneOfYas]

10 minutes ago, SorryClaire said:

Or you can overclock a 3600 kit to 3733 rather than relying on XMP on a rare speed combination, and really the diminishing return already starts at 3200C16/14 so moot point.

 

And also, the RAM you linked is 3733C17, which is 1ms slower compared to a 3600C16 in latency. Another reason to shop for 3600 is of course the ability to take a lot more brands that offer better binning like Gskill and Crucial.

Honestly the 3200C16 is good enough, dont feel pressured. But if you want to get the most, ball it out and get the 3600 kit.

Overclocks are not guaranteed. Many kits can't even do 20 mhz more.

[xg32]

2 minutes ago, Haaydon said:

I'm on a bit of a budget and from where I'm from a g.skill 3200MHz CL16 kit and 3600MHZ CL18 kit cost almost the same whereas the g.skill 3600MHz CL16 kit cost 20% more.
I'm more inclined to go with the cheaper option but not to sure if the 3200MHz CL16 kit vs 3600MHZ CL18 kit has any difference.

if you have to pay more for 18 22 22 3600, don't do it

[Guest]

IBTC

 

Wanted to comment but went South

 

 

[Haaydon]

1 minute ago, ShrimpBrime said:

IBTC

 

Wanted to comment but went South

 

 

Do share your insights please, need as much help as I can get!

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Haaydon said:

Do share your insights please, need as much help as I can get!

Well what's the specific questions you may have?

[Guest]

Just now, OneOfYas said:

What that most kits won't go above 20 more than it is rated for? 

Paying for higher quality lower speed RAM just to OC it when you could have paid less for the faster rated stuff?

Well all kits will do it. The rest of the hardware and know how are a different thing. But there isn't a set I couldn't squeeze 20mhz from default xmp. Really a 101 to 102 bclk would do the trick.....

[Haaydon]

42 minutes ago, ShrimpBrime said:

Well what's the specific questions you may have?

I'm on a bit of a budget and from where I'm from a g.skill 3200MHz CL16 kit and 3600MHZ CL18 kit cost almost the same whereas the g.skill 3600MHz CL16 kit cost 20% more.
I'm more inclined to go with the cheaper option but between the 3200MHz CL16 kit vs 3600MHZ CL18 kit is one better than the other? Also is it worth to go for the 3600MHz CL16 kit?

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, Haaydon said:

I'm on a bit of a budget and from where I'm from a g.skill 3200MHz CL16 kit and 3600MHZ CL18 kit cost almost the same whereas the g.skill 3600MHz CL16 kit cost 20% more.
I'm more inclined to go with the cheaper option but between the 3200MHz CL16 kit vs 3600MHZ CL18 kit is one better than the other? Also is it worth to go for the 3600MHz CL16 kit?

I'd say go for the CL16 3200mt/s kit honestly. AMD memory controller only supports up to 3200mt/s. Intel is generally a little more flexible and will keep scaling with frequency, then the 3600mt/s CL18 kit would be better. 

 

Just because a kit is CL 16 3600mt/s, does not mean it's a quality "B-Die" kit. The way to tell is by the primary timings. If they are 16-16-16-36, it's a fast kit. Get that one. If it's 16-18-18, It'll probably be A-Die if it's a newer production date. 

 

Here's an example part number of a budget B-Die kit. F4-3200C15D-16GTZ About 120$ US. This kit with some user intervention, changing timings from 15-15-15-35 to 16-16-16-36, has a higher chance of running 3600mt/s over most other kits.

 

What country?

[Haaydon]

22 minutes ago, ShrimpBrime said:

I'd say go for the CL16 3200mt/s kit honestly. AMD memory controller only supports up to 3200mt/s. Intel is generally a little more flexible and will keep scaling with frequency, then the 3600mt/s CL18 kit would be better. 

 

Just because a kit is CL 16 3600mt/s, does not mean it's a quality "B-Die" kit. The way to tell is by the primary timings. If they are 16-16-16-36, it's a fast kit. Get that one. If it's 16-18-18, It'll probably be A-Die if it's a newer production date. 

 

Here's an example part number of a budget B-Die kit. F4-3200C15D-16GTZ About 120$ US. This kit with some user intervention, changing timings from 15-15-15-35 to 16-16-16-36, has a higher chance of running 3600mt/s over most other kits.

 

What country?

I'm from Singapore, PC components aren't widely available some retailers carry them but I can still purchase from amazon and newegg but from what I know the prices and shipping cost is also higher for me than in the US