I'm planning to upgrade my setup with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D and the STRIX B850-F motherboard. The dilemma I'm facing is about RAM. Amazon has a Corsair Vengeance 2x16GB 6400MHz kit for just under $125, but I've heard that Ryzen chips really hit their stride at 6000MHz and anything above could lead to stability issues. The 2x16GB 6000MHz kit is currently priced at $184. What's the best option here: Should I buy the 6400MHz kit now or hold out for the 6000MHz kit to go on sale?
2 Answers
In my experience, the performance difference between 5200 CL40, 6000 CL30, and 7200 CL34 isn’t very noticeable on an X3D CPU. Just stick with 6000MHz and lower latencies if possible (like CL30 or 32). If you go for the 6400 CL36, you might need to fiddle with your settings to avoid performance drops—like setting Infinity Fabric to 2133. But it’s a bit of a gamble since you can't guarantee it'll work perfectly. Stress testing is a must afterward!
For X3D chips, I've found that the cache reduces the need for frequent interactions with RAM. If the CAS latencies are similar, go with the cheaper option. Like, if you have 6000 CL30 and 6400 CL32, the performance difference should be minimal. Just grab the more budget-friendly one!
The 6000MHz kit is CL30, while the 6400MHz one is CL36. Does that change anything?
Sounds like a plan! I think I’ll wait for those 6000MHz CL30 kits to be back on sale. I just missed the sale yesterday because I got paid today, haha.