RAM upgrade question

Stratassj · January 28, 2023

I have a simple question.

I'm looking at upgrading my current Ryzen 2600 build to hopefully last me another 5 years. Planning on picking up a 5800X3D for the CPU, but im ending alittle stumped on what to do for the RAM.

Currently I have 16 gigs total (2x8) of DDR4 TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z 3200 CAS 16. I want to push that up to 32 gigs total, but i'm not sure if it would be better, to get another 2x8 kit for four total sticks, or replace it with a pair of 2x16 sticks. I know my current MB doesn't support higher frequencies, so 3200 is what I'm looking for.

aDoomGuy · January 28, 2023

If you go with 4 sticks you may have trouble running them at 3200 without loosening timings.

RONOTHAN## · January 28, 2023

2x8GB would be a bit faster since it would be effectively dual rank (2x16GB DIMMs are nearly all single rank nowadays), 2x16GB would be more reliable to work. Personally I'd be getting the 2x16GB kit and flipping your current set, given the pricing situation with 2x8GB vs. 2x16GB configs it would likely be cheaper, and the 5800X3D doesn't really care about memory speed, but there's arguments to go either way.