Hey everyone! I'm diving into PC building and just installed CPU-Z. I noticed that in the SPD section, it shows a max bandwidth of 1600 MHz for each of my two RAM slots. Is that 1600 MHz per stick or the total max bandwidth for both? Also, in the performance tab, it shows a speed of 1200 MHz—should that refer to each stick or the total? Should my BIOS and performance metrics reflect 1600 MHz or 3200 MHz (the combined effective speed)? Any clarity would be super helpful as I want to maximize my PC's performance. Thanks!
3 Answers
Exactly! The actual clock speed of DDR RAM is half of the effective speed it advertises. So, your RAM is actually running at 1600 MHz, which is why it's showing 3200 MT/s. What CPU and motherboard are you working with?
The 3200 MHz isn't a sum of both sticks. The real frequency is 1600 MHz per stick, but because it's DDR (Double Data Rate) RAM, it operates at an effective speed of 3200 MT/s. Also, check the 'Memory' tab in CPU-Z for the current running frequency; that will give you more accurate info!
Got it! So I should see 1200 MHz on my current frequency, right?
Yep, that’s just how DDR memory works. The marketing can be a bit confusing, but it's all about the double data rate. You're doing great for a newcomer!
I have an AMD Ryzen 5 2600 with an MSI B450M Pro-M2 V2.