Discussing the transition from 2666MHz to 3400MHz on a CL15 setup.
Discussing the transition from 2666MHz to 3400MHz on a CL15 setup.
The funds would be more effectively used elsewhere, such as upgrading to a better GPU or similar components. Your i5 already supports 1080p, so consider saving it for the next improvement.
Use the funds to upgrade from a basic video card to a solid AIB model featuring improved VRMs and cooling. You'll notice a more noticeable improvement compared to what RAM alone could achieve on the 6600K. This effect won't be the same for your next CPU, probably. Intel's 9th and 10th generation chips, along with Ryzen, have become more responsive to RAM speed and latency than ever before, and I think this pattern will persist into the first DDR5 era.
I intend to get a 3080 and will likely increase my monitor’s refresh rate to 144Hz because I usually run at 120Hz, which works better with my current setup. I believe it won’t be a big problem for another year or so, which is why I’m preparing now.
DDR5 was anticipated to arrive soon and should be here shortly. I've heard it might take about a year for it to fully develop after release, though I'm not entirely sure if that's accurate; it seems a bit outside my grasp. Rocket Lake is the next Intel CPU expected, followed by Alder Lake which is rumored to back DDR5. Rocket Lake appears to support PCIe 4 as well (perhaps?), and it's hoped Alder Lake will fully back it up, making it potentially worthwhile to wait a little longer. Regarding faster RAM, selling your current RAM could offset the expense if you can manage it. This decision may hinge on whether time or money is more pressing—time for upgrading your existing RAM versus the cost. For higher capacity, using more than two sticks could stress your motherboard's memory controller, so keeping it under two might be better to prevent issues like overclocking or XMP support. Also, 8GB modules tend to perform better than 16GB ones, making a configuration of two 8GB sticks a safer bet for stability and speed. As far as I know, no games currently demand more than 16GB, but keep in mind that XMP profiles aren't guaranteed to work on every board, which adds some uncertainty. Unless it's listed with a qualified vendor and has been verified there, you shouldn't be too sure.