How much performance will I gain going from DDR4-2666 to DDR4-3200?
Asked by
MellowOrbit42
I'm considering upgrading from a 2x8GB DDR4-2666 kit to 2x8GB DDR4-3200. My system has a Ryzen 5 5600 and an RTX 9060 XT 16GB, and I mainly play AAA games at 1080p. What kind of improvement should I realistically expect in average FPS, frame-time consistency, and 1% lows?
Answers
If you’re upgrading anyway, consider 32GB, ideally as a 2x16GB kit. DDR4-3600 with reasonably tight timings can also be a good pairing for Ryzen, but check motherboard compatibility and pricing first. Increasing capacity may help more than moving from 2666 to 3200.
Reply to this answer
For demanding AAA games with graphics settings turned up, the difference may be too small to notice. If your current 16GB is not causing memory-capacity problems, I’d generally save the money rather than replace it solely for the speed increase.
Reply to this answer
You’re more likely to notice smoother frame pacing and better 1% lows than a large increase in average FPS. At 1080p, the Ryzen 5 5600 has more influence on performance, and 3200 MT/s is its officially supported memory speed, so the upgrade makes sense if it’s inexpensive.
Reply to this answer
The improvement will probably be modest—around 3–5% in CPU-limited games, and sometimes close to zero if the GPU is doing most of the work. Memory timings matter too, since a faster-rated kit can have similar real-world latency.
Reply to this answer
Add your answer
Answers are reviewed before publication.
AmberQuill31: If the current 16GB kit is already enough for the games and applications being used, adding slower sticks isn’t necessarily better. A matched 32GB kit is preferable for stability and dual-channel operation.