Details about RAM compatibility on motherboards
Details about RAM compatibility on motherboards
I need to decide what to purchase next. The Ryzen 5 3600 supports up to 3200MHz RAM, while the Aorus Elite only handles 2933MHz normally and can go higher with overclocking. Do I just need to upgrade the RAM to match the CPU’s speed, or should I consider overclocking the motherboard? Since I don’t have a PC yet, it’s hard to say for sure. The MSI Tomahawk Max B450 looks good, but Aorus is also an option.
3200Mhz fits within the supported JDEC specs, making it an overclock. XMP profiles handle this, though they’re basic and usually succeed about 99.9999% of the time. For Zen 2, the best RAM speed is 3600MHz, matching the infinity fabric clock for a perfect 1:1 relationship. While that might look contradictory because DDR refers to double data rate, the real clock ends up at 1800MHz (double the 900Mhz FCLK). Running slower RAM like 3200Mhz sacrifices performance.
I was curious about the right settings too... but if we focus only on overclocking the RAM and not the motherboard, what happens if the RAM’s top speed is already 3200MHz? That matches the supported speed for the Ryzen 5 3600. So the 3200MHz figure refers to gigabytes?
@ here we discuss some technical terms often used in PC discussions. JEDEC is an organization that sets standards, including DDR RAM specifications. The current standard allows DDR4 to run up to 3200MHz, though earlier models could reach 2666MHz. Despite this, manufacturers still offered kits at higher speeds. Even a 4400MHz kit would comply with the JEDEC specs, which depend on your motherboard and CPU. When you set an XMP profile, it enables the RAM to reach its advertised speed, assuming the system supports it. Extremely fast RAM usually works up to around 3600MHz without problems.
Thanks for the suggestion, I'll look into it myself right away. Appreciate your help!