RAM, 3200mhz cl16 vs 3600mhz cl18?
RAM, 3200mhz cl16 vs 3600mhz cl18?
you have an 8700k with a delid 5ghz oc custom water cooled, tuf z390 plus gaming mbo, 1080ti, and 16gb (2x8gb) of crucial 2400mhz cl16 ram. the price difference between the two options at your local shop is about 2 quid—40 and 42 pounds. for gaming purposes like fallouts, mechwarriors, kerbal, etc., you’ll want to prioritize performance. go with the higher-end build to ensure smooth gameplay and future upgrades.
You can easily push this to 3200 CL16 by increasing the voltage to 1.35V. Unless you need extra capacity, start with this adjustment. Set the frequency to 3200 and adjust the timings to 16-18-18-38 for optimal performance. If that doesn’t work, consider a 3600-rated kit. Theoretical latency remains similar, but the higher clock speed gives a small timing edge and increased bandwidth. The 8700K’s memory controller is robust enough to handle the 3600 setting.
The condensed equation is CL multiplied by 2000 divided by frequency. It provides precise latency in nanoseconds. For example, 18 multiplied by 2000 over 3600 equals 10, and 16 times 2000 over 3200 also equals 10.
It looks like you're considering a different approach instead of swapping your RAM. Try boosting performance and keep using it until you decide to start fresh.
The theoretical estimate for first word latency comes from CAS latency multiplied by 1000 times two divided by data rate. In real scenarios, timing depends on various elements beyond these formulas—such as the specific architecture; for example, a Ryzen 3800 CL16-16-16 will perform better than a Ryzen 3600 CL14-15-15 due to higher clock speeds in its infinity fabric, even though both calculations suggest the latter should be faster.
I tried my first attempt at boosting RAM speed. It worked well (with only minor hiccups) and I’m now smoothly running at 1.35GHz with 16, 18, 18, 38, and 3200MHz. Thanks for suggesting the upgrade—I don’t need to spend any more money now. After testing 1.35GHz at 16, 18, 18, 39 (though I accidentally set the 38 too high), 3200MHz, I saw a noticeable boost in Cinebench scores. Then I tried 1.35GHz at 16, 18, 18, 39 again (still had the 38 wrong) at 3000MHz and everything ran smoothly. I found my mistake and now there are no crashes in Cinebench at 3200MHz. What’s happening? Can I push it even higher? Thanks again, Jim.