Initial PC setup, selecting best RAM, CPU clock, and speed settings
Initial PC setup, selecting best RAM, CPU clock, and speed settings
You're working on your first PC and have gathered some useful parts. Regarding memory, you're curious about the best option for CAS latency and clock speed. The Tomahawk Max MBO supports up to around 2.933 MHz and can be boosted to 3.466 MHz with overclocking. Your interest is in whether 3600 MHz RAM will work, especially if you plan to overclock. Based on calculations, a 3600 MHz clock paired with a 18-pin CL18 RAM would yield the same latency as a 3200 MHz CL16 RAM. However, since your system supports up to 3.466 MHz, you should be fine with 3600 MHz if you're not pushing beyond the compatible limits. Just ensure your motherboard and CPU are compatible with that speed. If you're unsure, sticking to the recommended speeds will keep things smooth.
Check FCLK and IMC specs carefully—they aren't always confirmed. Replace the hyper 212 with a better unit such as the p300a. Look for a 3600 cl16/17 or a 3200 low-latency kit.
you're right in calculating the latency, and yes, the two kits have the same latency. however, the frequency of the 3600 is still higher, and you need to take into account both frequency and latency. not sure why tomahawk says max 3466, I'm sure there are plenty of people there running it at 3600 on that board. in terms of ram overclocking, there is no difference between setting your ram at 2933 or at 3600. when you put your ram in, it automatically runs at 2133. you have to go in bios and enable xmp to get it to run at it's rated speed, be it 2933, 3200 or 3600. the process is the same, regardless. it's considered overclocking because you likely have to tweak dram voltage and soc voltage to get it stable, and it's not guaranteed to work by amd/msi.
Have you looked at this product? https://pcpartpicker.com/product/jBZzK8/...16d-16gvkc It's been circulating at that price for a while, so stock should be plentiful.