Enhancing Infinity Fabric with high-speed RAM and a 5600x setup
Enhancing Infinity Fabric with high-speed RAM and a 5600x setup
It's a straightforward issue. Your kit supports running at 3200 MHz, and the Micron E-die should handle overclocking to around 3600 MHz with adjusted timings. The Infinity Fabric prefers a 1:1 speed ratio between RAM and CPU, and Zen 3 chips typically operate at 1900 MHz. You’d aim for about 3800 MHz RAM for optimal performance. Consider matching the CPU clock to the overclocked RAM if you want the best results. Adjusting either component can help, but keeping them in stock is also a valid approach. Seek guidance from reliable sources before making changes.
Infinity fabric frequency is often mentioned alongside CPU speed, but they’re distinct concepts. The key takeaway is that to maintain stability, your frequency should ideally be at least 166 MHz higher than the memory clock unless you can adjust the core frequency accordingly.
How much more relaxed should the clock speeds be? The chip is already DDR4-3200 CL16. You could try to push it to DDR4-3600 while keeping the CL16 settings, or you might have to relax it down to CL18, CL19, or CL20. That way your memory runs faster, but its speed is limited by the slower CL18 or CL20 timings. If you're aiming for CL18 or CL20 with DDR-3600... it's better to stick with the rated DDR4-3200 CL16. DRAM speed and timing are closely connected. DDR4-3200 CL14 actually works a bit better than DDR4-3600 CL16. DRAM: Infinity Fabric: Generally 1:1:1 until around 1900–2000 MHz. The Infinity Fabric is the communication path between CPU cores/chiplets, while the CPU speed stays separate.
The choice between faster memory and lower latency often depends heavily on the specific application. It's not just about picking one over the other. Another approach worth considering is using Infinity Fabric in an asynchronous manner. This technique was introduced for Zen 2 and could likely be applied to Zen 3 as well. Test your memory at its rated speed and only boost it if necessary (based on frequency). This strategy can be useful when timing constraints are the main bottleneck, even though it might not suit latency-sensitive scenarios. You'll need to conduct thorough testing to determine what matters most in your setup.