I recently got a good deal on some 6400 CL38 RAM but I'm trying to figure out how it stacks up against my current option of 6000 CL30, especially since I'm using a 9800X3D. Will the performance difference be noticeable in gaming, or is it better to stick with the 6000 CL30? Any insights would be much appreciated!
4 Answers
Honestly, that extra 400 MHz is not likely to make a big difference, but the CL38 will have more of an impact than you'd think. If you can, try to find some 6000 MHz CL30 RAM instead — it's definitely a better choice for the long run!
There’s been testing, like with LTT, showing FPS differences of about 5-10 FPS between slower RAM kits and faster ones, especially with Ryzen 7000. While the 9800X3D won’t feel the difference as much, you shouldn’t potentially cheap out on RAM for such a powerful CPU. You'll need to tweak some settings manually, like setting uCLK to 3200 MHz too.
I found 6400 CL38 for like $60, which is a bit better compared to the $90 for 6000 CL30. If the pricing is right, I’d say go for the 6400.
The 6400 CL38 has a latency of around 11.9 ns, while the 6000 CL30 is about 10 ns, so the 6000 RAM is technically better on latency. However, the 6400 gives you about 7% more bandwidth. If you're on a 9800X3D, the performance gap in gaming won’t be huge. If the price is right, it’s worth snagging the 6400 and you can always tighten the timings later.
The difference isn't as huge when using an X3D chip though — it’s more about the first-word latency, which won't be vastly different. You’re looking at 11.875 ns compared to 10 ns for the 6000 MT/s CL30.