I'm in the process of building a new PC and I'm planning to use up to 256GB of RAM, starting with 128GB. My current setup is an AMD Ryzen 2700x with 64GB of DDR4, which I've found sufficient for my needs, particularly for running multiple virtual machines. However, I'm hitting the memory limits with my current setup. I've been considering DDR5 RAM kits at 5600 or 6000 speeds but came across some concerns regarding compatibility and performance. AMD's site mentions that the Ryzen 7 9700x has a maximum supported RAM of 192GB and 3600 speed when using 4 sticks, which is a little worrying and makes me lean towards Intel. However, information about Intel's support for 256GB RAM and specific speed combinations seems scarce. Will using 4x 64GB sticks at 6000 speed with Intel result in performance drops, similar to what I'm seeing with Ryzen? How do others manage high RAM capacity with DDR5 effectively?
4 Answers
The info on AMD’s site is more about guaranteed performance. They list speeds at lower voltages for DDR4 and whatnot, but with DDR5, your actual speeds might be higher under normal conditions. Just keep in mind that anything outside their specs might void warranties, but plenty of people overclock or undervolt with good results anyway.
If you really don’t care about RAM speed, you could go for a HEDT platform like Threadripper. Those platforms officially support much higher RAM capacities without the same concerns you might face with a consumer CPU.
From what I've gathered, Ryzen 9000 series does support 5600MT/s with 2 sticks, while you get 3600MT/s with 4 sticks. Intel’s Arrow Lake supports 4800MT/s with 2DPC (Dual-DIMM per channel). That’s something to keep in mind as you weigh your options!
You should know that 5600 or 6000MT/s is technically considered overclocked because the JEDEC standard for DDR5 starts at around 4800MT/s. When you're using four sticks of RAM, you often have to choose between maintaining speed and maximizing capacity. So it's likely that if you go for 4x64GB sticks, you might see some speed drops, even on Intel.
Yes, that's definitely something to consider. Even if it works most of the time, it's good to check specific compatibility.
I get that! I didn't realize 5600 was overclocked. Does that mean I should be worried about stability with four sticks?