DDR3 VS DDR4 frequency
DDR3 VS DDR4 frequency
Hello! Your setup has a mix of older and newer components. The 32GB RAM with 1600MHz DDR3 paired with the AMD FX9590 works well for gaming, but the 16GB DDR4 with the Ryzen 7 3700X on the ASUS ROG STRIX X570 offers better performance overall. Upgrading to the newer 16GB should give you a noticeable boost.
We're looking at how quickly each component handles data over a short period. The 32GB RAM feels too slow, but the 10 CL and 16 CL specs seem to perform better in terms of speed.
RAM latency can be determined using the formula: (CAS / Command rate) × 1000. CAS represents CAS Latency, and Command rate is calculated by dividing the RAM frequency by two (1600 ÷ 2 = 800). For example, at 1600 MHz, the value is 12.5 ns; at 3466 MHz it's 9.23 ns. Lower numbers indicate faster performance. Higher frequency generally improves speed, with smaller latency being preferable. More details can be found on Wikipedia. Whether this difference matters depends on your specific needs.
I discovered a method to understand how fast a memory kit operates by examining its frequency and CAS latency. Remember, manufacturers state MHz, but this actually refers to MT/s. The real speed is half of what they advertise. You can test memory latency in this way. While it’s clear the DDR4 configuration performs better, it’s still hard to give a straightforward answer since you’re comparing smaller versus larger kits and different CPUs. Besides speed and size, the CPU must be capable of handling the data that needs storage. In short, run a benchmark of your application to see if additional memory really adds value or if improved speed plus a stronger CPU is more beneficial.
When adjusting memory speeds, it's more about balancing frequencies and latencies. The numbers suggest similar results depending on the target frequency, but higher frequencies generally improve performance. Latency plays a role, but frequency tends to have a bigger impact.