RAM Size & Speed Recommendation

[8tyone]

Hi I would be using the B560 chipset based motherboard along with an i5 11400F processor; and I would like to know RAM size and speed according to my needs, which are:

1) Gaming at 1080p mostly with some old games down-sampled from 1440p. I play single-player games only.
2) I would be using 1 or at most 2 virtual machine(s). Wont use everyday, I would dual-boot after I become good at the OS I would be learning.
3) I game with my anti-virus turned on and also MSI Afterburner. Just for your information
4) I would be learning LibGDX in the future.
5) I will be using Android Studio and its emulator.
6) Might be some AI as well if Android Studio requires it.
7) Should last 3 years (atleast from the gaming requirements perspective).

I would like to add: I was pretty sure about 2x8GB 3200MHz but Middle Earth: Shadow of War which takes up 11.6GB, Forza Horizon 5 14.5GB RAM usage, Halo Infinite 11GB RAM usage etc I am not (sure) anymore.
And yes also I do not keep my browser open all the time with 10+ tabs but only when researching or learning something from the internet.

Thank you.

Edit: I would also like to know the timing and voltage as well. Sorry

 

[Frick]

I have 2x8GB and haven't noticed problems, the heaviest title being Cyberpunk 2077 @ 4K. But more is always more.

 

[8tyone]

I have 2x8GB and haven't noticed problems, the heaviest title being Cyberpunk 2077 @ 4K. But more is always more.

What speed would you recommend for 2x8GB or 2x16GB?

 

[FreedomEclipse]

What speed would you recommend for 2x8GB or 2x16GB?

at a minimum DDR4-3200. You can spend more but you wont really get a whole lot more for your money.

Unless you do a lot of 3D or video editing/rendering 24/7 and need to do all that stuff in the quickest time possible its not worth the money going for faster ram

 

[8tyone]

at a minimum DDR4-3200. You can spend more but you wont really get a whole lot more for your money.

Unless you do a lot of 3D or video editing/rendering 24/7 and need to do all that stuff in the quickest time possible its not worth the money going for faster ram

Oh sorry just updated my post. Please do comment on the timing and voltage of the ram too. According to you how much ram should I get according to my usage scenario that I listed?
Thank you.

 

[ir_cow]

Since your playing at 1080p, memory frequency will play a role in higher FPS. Probably not enough to spend a lot of extra money on though,

I would recommend 3200 CL16 2x16GB since you have a lot of applications running at once. Its hassle free and costs the least.

If you are daring - 3600 will be better and keep that 1:1 mem ratio. Though sometimes this requires some hands on tuning. Depends on the MB honestly. I haven't had issues with the Z590, but that B560 may not be up to the task with dual rank memory.

 

[8tyone]

Since your playing at 1080p, memory frequency will play a role in higher FPS. Probably not enough to spend a lot of extra money on though,

I would recommend 3200 CL16 2x16GB since you have a lot of applications running at once. Its hassle free and costs the least.

If you are daring - 3600 will be better and keep that 1:1 mem ratio. Though sometimes this requires some hands on tuning. Depends on the MB honestly. I haven't had issues with the Z590, but that B560 may not be up to the task with dual rank memory.

Yes I actually forgot about the Gear 1/Gear 2 thing, thanks for reminding! Following Wizzards review of i5 11400F I have decided to be on Gear 1 and unlock power of the CPU.
Edit: Sorry for being a noob but wouldn't 3200MHz be already 1:1 mem ratio?

 

[oobymach]

3200mhz needs 1600mhz infinity fabric to run 1:1, and 16gb is ok right now, but 32gb is what I recommend for new builds.

There isn't a huge difference between 3200mhz and 3600mhz or faster but I would recommend 3600mhz ram for gaming and samsung b-dies if you can get them. Timings for hynix chips at that speed is usually 18cl samsung are either 14-16cl at the same speed. The actual performance difference is 1-5% between hynix and samsung so if you have a choice get the lower cl ram.

The speed affects how quickly things load and for gaming you generally want a shorter load time. Ram is the least important part of your build when it comes to gaming, in actual gameplay 3200mhz and 3600mhz will perform almost identically and not affect the fps of your game at all. Under 3200mhz there is a difference in gameplay fps so you don't want to go under 3200mhz ram speed.

 

[8tyone]

3200mhz needs 1600mhz infinity fabric to run 1:1, and 16gb is ok right now, but 32gb is what I recommend for new builds.

There isn't a huge difference between 3200mhz and 3600mhz or faster but I would recommend 3600mhz ram for gaming and samsung b-dies if you can get them. Timings for hynix chips at that speed is usually 18cl samsung are either 14-16cl at the same speed. The actual performance difference is 1-5% between hynix and samsung so if you have a choice get the lower cl ram.

The speed affects how quickly things load and for gaming you generally want a shorter load time. Ram is the least important part of your build when it comes to gaming, in actual gameplay 3200mhz and 3600mhz will perform almost identically and not affect the fps of your game at all. Under 3200mhz there is a difference in gameplay fps so you don't want to go under 3200mhz ram speed.

What infinity fabric? I would be using Intel i5 11400F.
I found cl 16 ram but no cl 14 ram atleast in my area; 16-20-20-40 & 16-18-18 for 3200 MHz and 18-20-20 for 3600 MHz, which one would be faster?
I just want to get it now, don't want to upgrade later, really go with 32GB ram for future proofing (sorry for annoying you)?
The voltage for all the rams I found within my budget are 1.35V, is that a lot? Would I be able to OC the rams a bit in the future with that default voltage?

 

[oobymach]

What infinity fabric? I would be using Intel i5 11400F.
I found cl 16 ram but no cl 14 ram atleast in my area; 16-20-20-40 & 16-18-18 for 3200 MHz and 18-20-20 for 3600 MHz, which one would be faster?
I just want to get it now, don't want to upgrade later, really go with 32GB ram for future proofing (sorry for annoying you)?
The voltage for all the rams I found within my budget are 1.35V, is that a lot? Would I be able to OC the rams a bit in the future with that default voltage?

Yeah my bad, intel is a bit different, the ram you're looking at is hynix (my ram is hynix too) and 32gb just allows you to run more stuff like more tabs in a browser, the new consoles are 16gb so as long as they last 16gb is still the norm for games. I got 32gb for my ram upgrade and not regretting it. I'd rather have more of it than the fastest 16gb kit (also my 16gb fast kit pooped out when I overvolted it).

I run mine at 1.35-1.37v, it'll run fine at lower voltages but speed goes down with voltage drop. I think 3200mhz runs around 40-45gbs and 3600 gets 50-55 (these numbers may be higher with intel builds), really not noticeable to the average user, you only really notice in benchmarks like aida64, or a game may take slightly longer to load on startup if you time it but the dif in load times is only a couple seconds over longer times, short loads are almost the same.

In order to get samsung rams you need to order a kit faster than what you need, it used to be 4ghz and up was samsungs but now hynix has 4ghz chips but the difference between them is minimal, a hynix 3600mhz chip gets 50-52gbs where samsungs get 55-56gbs but you won't notice a difference between them except in benchmarks.

 

[GorbazTheDragon]

2x16 would be my recommendation as well. I would avoid 3600 CL18 kits at all costs, I've seen more than enough of them not run properly at XMP.

3200c16 is okay as an entry point and the performance differences between XMPs are so marginal and inconsistent it doesn't make much sense to go faster unless it's to get a kit that overclocks well.

1.35v is fine, the memory controllers on the CPUs will happily run way over 1.6v day in, day out. Some memory chips are fussy about voltage and won't stabilise at above 1.3v, but if the XMP has 1.35v it should be fine at that voltage.

If you want memory to overclock, get b-die, but it will cost you extra. 3200 14-14-14 is usually the starting point for b-die, but nowadays 2x16 3200 15-15-15 bins appear to be quite good overclockers too, so you can save an odd 20-40 bucks there.

 

[8tyone]

2x16 would be my recommendation as well. I would avoid 3600 CL18 kits at all costs, I've seen more than enough of them not run properly at XMP.

3200c16 is okay as an entry point and the performance differences between XMPs are so marginal and inconsistent it doesn't make much sense to go faster unless it's to get a kit that overclocks well.

1.35v is fine, the memory controllers on the CPUs will happily run way over 1.6v day in, day out. Some memory chips are fussy about voltage and won't stabilise at above 1.3v, but if the XMP has 1.35v it should be fine at that voltage.

If you want memory to overclock, get b-die, but it will cost you extra. 3200 14-14-14 is usually the starting point for b-die, but nowadays 2x16 3200 15-15-15 bins appear to be quite good overclockers too, so you can save an odd 20-40 bucks there.

Thanks for the informative reply. I am having a hard time finding cas latency lower than 18ns 16GB sticks. Atleast within my budget that is, they are 45%-55% more costly and only two models I have found, cl16 and cl17 (Adata, Kingston). I also found one adata stick advertised as stealth 4133MHz @1.4V cl19 but normally would run at 3600MHz @1.35V cl18. Is there no way to make 3600MHz cl18 work? Or stick with 3200Mhz cl16?

 

[mstenholm]

Thanks for the informative reply. I am having a hard time finding cas latency lower than 18ns 16GB sticks. Atleast within my budget that is, they are 45%-55% more costly and only two models I have found, cl16 and cl17 (Adata, Kingston). I also found one adata stick advertised as stealth 4133MHz @1.4V cl19 but normally would run at 3600MHz @1.35V cl18. Is there no way to make 3600MHz cl18 work? Or stick with 3200Mhz cl16?

If in doubt go by the qvl. The list of tested ram modules tested by the mb manufacture. Please stop using MHz and ns for speed and latency. It’s wrong. Google it.

 

[GorbazTheDragon]

Is there no way to make 3600MHz cl18 work?

The sticks tend to be really badly binned, I've had a few work but almost as many not run their XMP (both on intel and AMD systems), so imo it's kinda just a lottery.

Like I said before, if 3600c16 or c17 isn't available at a reasonable price, just get 3200c16 and forget about it. Between the different XMPs the performance is pretty random, a kit that looks like it has a better XMP often won't perform measurably better.

 

[8tyone]

If in doubt go by the qvl. The list of tested ram modules tested by the mb manufacture. Please stop using MHz and ns for speed and latency. It’s wrong. Google it.

Now the situation is more bad, searched through Asrock and Gigabytes qvl and found no ram available in my area to be in it, not even to speeds as low as 3000MHz, the ones that I found are really high end ones which are close to or more than the msrp of an rx 6600 graphics card! What do I do now, wouldnt RAM not in the qvl not work at all?

The sticks tend to be really badly binned, I've had a few work but almost as many not run their XMP (both on intel and AMD systems), so imo it's kinda just a lottery.

Like I said before, if 3600c16 or c17 isn't available at a reasonable price, just get 3200c16 and forget about it. Between the different XMPs the performance is pretty random, a kit that looks like it has a better XMP often won't perform measurably better.

Ok thank you. If going by 3200MHz ram and the cost difference is 5.05USD, would you consider a 16-20-20 timing ram or a 15-15-15 timing ram? Price difference justified?

 

[GorbazTheDragon]

I would get 16-18-18, not 16-20-20. A b-die kit like 3200 15-15-15 is *only* worth it if you know you are going to be limited by memory performance or you just want to overclock for fun.

Don't worry too much about kits not being on QVL, particularly at 3600 or below.

 

[freeagent]

If you did get into overclocking later on, a 3200C14 kit will run pretty much any timing/speed set..

 

[lexluthermiester]

Hi I would be using the B560 chipset based motherboard along with an i5 11400F processor; and I would like to know RAM size and speed according to my needs, which are:

1) Gaming at 1080p mostly with some old games down-sampled from 1440p. I play single-player games only.
2) I would be using 1 or at most 2 virtual machine(s). Wont use everyday, I would dual-boot after I become good at the OS I would be learning.
3) I game with my anti-virus turned on and also MSI Afterburner. Just for your information
4) I would be learning LibGDX in the future.
5) I will be using Android Studio and its emulator.
6) Might be some AI as well if Android Studio requires it.
7) Should last 3 years (atleast from the gaming requirements perspective).

I would like to add: I was pretty sure about 2x8GB 3200MHz but Middle Earth: Shadow of War which takes up 11.6GB, Forza Horizon 5 14.5GB RAM usage, Halo Infinite 11GB RAM usage etc I am not (sure) anymore.
And yes also I do not keep my browser open all the time with 10+ tabs but only when researching or learning something from the internet.

Thank you.

Edit: I would also like to know the timing and voltage as well. Sorry

If your motherboard has 4 RAM slots, I would recommend a minimum of 24GB(2x8GB & 2x4GB, see below) for what you will be doing or even 32GB if you find things are bumping RAM usage into the 24GB range. It's always better to have more than you need than not enough.

2x4GB

G.SKILL Ripjaws V Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM DDR4 3200 (PC4 25600) Desktop Memory Model F4-3200C16D-8GVKB - Newegg.com

Buy G.SKILL Ripjaws V Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM DDR4 3200 (PC4 25600) Desktop Memory Model F4-3200C16D-8GVKB with fast shipping and top-rated customer service. Once you know, you Newegg!

www.newegg.com

2x8GB

G.SKILL Trident Z Neo Series 32GB DDR4 Desktop RAM - Newegg.com

Buy G.SKILL Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) 288-Pin PC RAM DDR4 3200 (PC4 25600) Desktop Memory Model F4-3200C16D-16GVKB with fast shipping and top-rated customer service. Once you know, you Newegg!

www.newegg.com

These are just examples, but you get the idea.

 

[GorbazTheDragon]

2x8GB & 2x4GB

Just don't lmao

 

[lexluthermiester]

Just don't lmao

Why is that? I set PC's up like this frequently. My clients love that setup because it's a sweet spot in both amount of memory, good performance and cost.

 

[8tyone]

If you did get into overclocking later on, a 3200C14 kit will run pretty much any timing/speed set..

That's good to know. I looked into it and it was a marketing gimmick, it was a Corsair memory and the latency of 15-15-15 was for 2133MHz only and 18-20-20 for 3200MHz :-(

If your motherboard has 4 RAM slots, I would recommend a minimum of 24GB(2x8GB & 2x4GB, see below) for what you will be doing or even 32GB if you find things are bumping RAM usage into the 24GB range. It's always better to have more than you need than not enough.

2x4GB

G.SKILL Ripjaws V Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM DDR4 3200 (PC4 25600) Desktop Memory Model F4-3200C16D-8GVKB - Newegg.com

Buy G.SKILL Ripjaws V Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM DDR4 3200 (PC4 25600) Desktop Memory Model F4-3200C16D-8GVKB with fast shipping and top-rated customer service. Once you know, you Newegg!

www.newegg.com

2x8GB

G.SKILL Trident Z Neo Series 32GB DDR4 Desktop RAM - Newegg.com

Buy G.SKILL Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) 288-Pin PC RAM DDR4 3200 (PC4 25600) Desktop Memory Model F4-3200C16D-16GVKB with fast shipping and top-rated customer service. Once you know, you Newegg!

www.newegg.com

These are just examples, but you get the idea.

The motherboards that I have shortlisted all have 4 slots but looking at the pricing of 4GB ram, they are almost the same as 8GB and no variety at all, so maybe 24GB in your suggested configuration might not be possible atleast in my area. Also, my old Hyper 212 cooler might obstruct the first slot.
I was previously leaning towards ~ 4000MHz 16GB but now agree on 32GB Thanks.

 

[Aquinus]

Just don't lmao

Why is that? I set PC's up like this frequently. My clients love that setup because it's a sweet spot in both amount of memory, good performance and cost.

Normally I'd say that this is a bad idea, but those two kits are almost identical sans the capacity. Timings and frequency are the same. Even the product code is almost identical. I suspect that the other timings are close enough to enable it to work fine, but I understand where both of you are coming from. I like having the same memory populated across the board because it's the most sure fire way for it to always work, but that's me.

 

[lexluthermiester]

I was previously leaning towards ~ 4000MHz 16GB but now agree on 32GB Thanks.

32GB is a good amount that will give you a lot of room for programs and games to work in.

Normally I'd say that this is a bad idea, but those two kits are almost identical sans the capacity. Timings and frequency are the same. Even the product code is almost identical.

That's why I suggested them, they plug&play perfectly together.

I suspect that the other timings are close enough to enable it to work fine

They do!

I like having the same memory populated across the board because it's the most sure fire way for it to always work, but that's me.

You're not alone!

 

[8tyone]

I was inclined towards Teamgroup Vulcan Z 3600MHz 18-22-22-42 1.35V (cheaper than most 3200MHz mem.) but because of cl18 decided to go with Kingston Hyper X Beast with factory timing parameters of:
• Default (JEDEC): DDR4-2400 CL17-17-17 @ 1.2V
• XMP Profile #1: DDR4-3200 CL16-18-18 @ 1.35V
• XMP Profile #2: DDR4-3000 CL15-17-17 @ 1.35V
Everything okay with the above?

 

[lexluthermiester]

I was inclined towards Teamgroup Vulcan Z 3600MHz 18-22-22-42 1.35V (cheaper than most 3200MHz mem.) but because of cl18 decided to go with Kingston Hyper X Beast with factory timing parameters of:
• Default (JEDEC): DDR4-2400 CL17-17-17 @ 1.2V
• XMP Profile #1: DDR4-3200 CL16-18-18 @ 1.35V
• XMP Profile #2: DDR4-3000 CL15-17-17 @ 1.35V
Everything okay with the above?

Yeah, those XMPs are good timings for those speeds. However, the Teamgroup Vulcan Z 3600MHz 18-22-22-42 1.35V you mentioned would actually be the better buy for an 11400f as you would get about a 3% to 5% bump from the higher clocks. It many not seem like much, but it can make a difference in some situations like the uses you will be putting to task.