Check if the RAM supports your CPU model and motherboard type.
Check if the RAM supports your CPU model and motherboard type.
Hello everyone. I'm planning a new PC build and was thinking about whether to use 16GB DDR4 3200MHz or the same amount but at 3600MHz. I'm not sure if my motherboard can handle the higher speed and if my CPU will work with the new RAM. I thought I'd ask for advice here. My CPU is a Ryzen 5 5600X and the motherboard is an MSI B450M Mortar Max Micro ATX. The RAM I have is G.Skill RipjawsV 16GB (two 8GB modules) at 3600MHz. Is this speed compatible with the board and the CPU? Will everything function properly in terms of compatibility?
Mortar max supports 3466 and 3733MHz but lacks a 3600 setting. The spec mentions a 3200MHz option and claims compatibility up to 4133, suggesting it might need a 3600 MHz configuration. You may need to adjust timing parameters slightly to achieve the desired speed. If the core memory remains unchanged but timing is relaxed, performance gains could be limited.
JEDEC 1866/2133/2400/2667Mhz (by AMD) for Ryzen Gen3 (R5/R7/R9) 2667/2800/2933/3000/3066/3200/3466/3733/3866/4000/4133 MHz (by A-XMP OC MODE). Also valid for other AMD CPUs 2667/2800/2933/3000/3066/3200/3466 MHz (by A-XMP OC MODE). This is the specification...
Absolutely, that would depend on the specific Ryzen 3000 model you have. The memory speed can vary slightly between different chips in the series.
Previously Ryzen models such as ryzen1 and ryzen+ had restrictions on RAM speed. The 3000 series corresponds to Ryzen 2 (except for APUs). The B450 board generally came before the Ryzen 2 era and is mainly a BIOS component. You might need to update the BIOS for 5000 series chips. A motherboard not designed for the 3000 series will likely be outdated and hard to locate. A recently purchased board should already be “5000 ready” (usually marked), unless it’s used as new stock. It’s unclear if the board can be flashed a BIOS without a chip. Most boards were at least “3000 ready” originally, which was the standard. A board with a BIOS that’s too old will probably need updating to work with newer chips. A “5000 ready” board can handle 5000 series chips as well. Typically, the BIOS on AMD boards becomes outdated after sale and requires updating. Are you upgrading or buying new? Edited January 1, 2022 by Bombastinator
Ensure the mobo is marked as 5000 ready to avoid issues. The device may not function properly until the update is applied again. Typically, just flashing the BIOS is sufficient.
Actually, Zen and Zen+ have no caps on the IF-MC speed, thus, having very high speed RAM of 4GHz+ with low latency can saw a performance benefit up to average 20% across the board. No idea why AMD gimped the IF-MC speed for Zen++ and Zen+++. For the OP, it's best for you to get a 500 series chipset, it's best to get an X570, though, there's lack of mATX X570, so get the A520 chipset, it's the best cost effective chipset, albeit from the PCIE 3.0 for the 1st x16 PCIE. The B-series chipset from AMD is the most useless chipset.
I see the problem with Ryzen2 and 3 relates to the infinity fabric. They can work with quicker memory, but it slows them down because the infinity fabric changes its behavior when memory speeds become too high. That’s why the 3600mhz CAS 16 is considered optimal—it balances performance without disrupting the fabric. Faster memory boosts speed again, but at around 4000mhz it loses efficiency. Adjusting the infinity fabric allows 4000mhz to function on Ryzen3. For Ryzen1 and Ryzen+, the situation is different. My memory suggests 2000 series chips might handle up to 3200mhz, though I’d need confirmation. Ryzen1 was indeed slower, and I haven’t heard much about A520 being good for anything beyond very cheap builds. Some think it’s inferior to B450, possibly due to weaker VRM on boards. This isn’t exactly what I remember. Updated January 2, 2022 by Bombastinator
I'm sure you can modify the condition for Zen++ and Zen+++ IFs. Unlike Intel, AMD doesn't let you change it manually—switching is fixed. Likely, once the RAM reaches 3.733GHz or above, the system will halve the IF bus speed automatically. Most 4GHz tests on Zen/+ boards use higher latency RAM, which reduces performance. Many A520 boards are essentially the same as B550 boards in terms of features, but they lack a heatsink or something similar. I don't know if anyone uses R7 or R9 on the A520 yet, yet they still report performance problems and weak VRM. Don't expect much from a power-hungry chip. Keep your expectations realistic. It's like assuming an H212 struggles with long rendering on an i9-10900K—you wouldn't say that! The H212 isn't suited for that workload, but it works fine for gaming. For example, the Gigabyte A520M DS3H and its B550 version have identical VRMs. Adding a good heatsink to the VRM would likely improve performance compared to its B550 version. If you're considering MSI, the A520M Bazooka and Vector models include VRM heatsinks. The Bazooka supports four DIMMs.