I'm setting up a gaming and rendering rig with a Ryzen 5 5600X and GTX 1660, running 4 sticks of 32GB DDR4 RAM at 3600MHz. I've heard mixed opinions about using all four RAM slots, especially concerning overclocking and system stability. While I love how it looks with four sticks and plan to multitask with gaming, rendering, and even recording at the same time, I'm worried about performance issues that might come from the CPU's memory controller. Do I need to switch to a motherboard with only two RAM slots for better performance, or can I stick with my current setup?
3 Answers
You might need to adjust the speed settings; 3200 MHz could be a stable option instead of 3600. It sounds like your motherboard bios might be auto-adjusting to a lower speed like 2400 MHz. If you've set up the XMP profile correctly, you should be able to overclock without switching to just two slots.
Using all four RAM slots shouldn't be a problem for your setup! CPUs like the Ryzen 5 5600X are designed to handle DDR4 at 3600-3800 MHz quite effectively. The real issue with four sticks only arises with higher speeds and DDR5 due to signal quality. So, it seems like you're good to go!
But what kind of tests should I run to ensure stability with four sticks? I've heard overclocking can improve performance and longevity, but I want to make sure.
I get that, but can it really handle multitasking like playing, rendering, and browsing all at once without crashing?
It's true that running four sticks can put more strain on the memory controller, but it doesn't always lead to issues. However, you might have to lower the speed for stability. Dialing it down to 3200 MHz can often do the trick!
I've enabled XMP, but the BIOS keeps reverting to 2400 MHz. Is there something more I should be trying, or should I just consider using only two slots for simplicity?