My current RAM got corrupted, and I'm looking to replace it. I'm trying to decide between two options: 2x16GB of DDR5-6400 or 2x24GB of DDR5-5200. I have an AMD Radeon 6950XT with a Ryzen 9 7900X. I primarily use my PC for gaming (including demanding titles like Modded BG3) and photo/video editing with Photoshop and Premiere Pro. I'm wondering if the differences in capacity and speed will make a noticeable impact on my usage or if the distinction is negligible. I know I probably don't need more than 32GB, but since both options are the same price and the 48GB option matches my setup in white, I'd like to get some opinions before making a purchase.
2 Answers
Be cautious about that 6400 setting. It defaults to a slower mode which can compromise performance because of latency. Many of the Ryzen 7000 series CPUs struggle with 1:1 speeds at 6400. Aim for something in the 6000-6200 range with the lowest CAS latency you can afford—it'll give you a solid performance boost without sacrificing speed.
For gaming, you generally want higher-speed RAM, as it can make a decent difference in performance. Typically, Ryzen setups do well with speeds around 6000CL30. If you're doing heavy video editing and running out of RAM, then you might prefer the extra capacity, but 5200 speed is a bit on the slow side for gaming.
Thanks for the insight! That's really helpful!