Upgrade memory for Z170 device
Upgrade memory for Z170 device
I'm facing issues with my current setup after several years. The system runs at 3000Mhz with 16GB of RAM, but I’m experiencing crashes due to insufficient memory. I’m considering a upgrade to 64GB to avoid these problems. Since I don’t play much games, my main tasks involve CAD modeling and Adobe work. My motherboard is an ASUS Z170-PRO, which supports overclocking up to around 3866Mhz. I haven’t overclocked the RAM before, but I’ve read that there aren’t many good reasons for it.
For my i7-6700k and this board, a speed around 3200Mhz seems ideal. Some suggest 3600Mhz or higher could help, though it’s debatable whether that’s necessary in 2021. The goal is to have a stable system for the next couple of years while I complete my part-time postgraduate studies.
64GB might be excessive, but I want to eliminate crashes completely. My i7-6700k is already overclocked, so I should think about how faster RAM could affect its performance and future upgrades. Beyond my degree, I don’t expect a need for more upgrades right now, as my current use case will diminish soon. In the near future, DDR5 might become available and affordable, which would allow me to start fresh with a new CPU and board.
In short, what’s the best balance of speed and latency for this configuration in 2021?
Are you certain the issue stems from RAM rather than another factor? I don’t want to waste money on RAM without a chance to improve performance. I’ve tested four 16GB 3200MHz modules in that older motherboard, which should handle it. A pair of 32GB might work but make sure the board supports it first. 3200 MHz is still a solid speed and the jump to 3600 is only noticeable for top-tier performance. In practice, the difference between 3000 and 3200 isn’t significant, and going up to 3600 mainly matters if you need peak results. Considering the CPU age and system condition, it doesn’t seem essential. Latency shouldn’t be a big concern here—it’s just a minor performance gap that probably won’t matter in this case. It seems you’re after something functional, so pushing limits isn’t necessary unless you have specific needs.
I'm pretty sure memory constraints are the problem. Illustrator often shows "Not enough memory" when handling complex operations like 3D projections. Rhino and Revit usually stop working if there isn't enough RAM. I've been monitoring Task Manager while other applications finish, and they hit a 11GB limit with only 5GB left for the system, browser, and other programs. I'd like to have more time to complete demanding tasks without running out of memory. It seems memory is the main bottleneck. My CPU stays at full capacity during rendering, but it rarely causes issues in Adobe or Autodesk software when using normal tasks. I'm not sure if Adobe and Autodesk have improved multi-core performance recently. My graphics card isn't being used much! Some files could be smaller, but under tight deadlines they tend to expand quickly and become cluttered, so I don't feel comfortable with 16GB RAM anymore. A 3200Mhz option might be a better choice. I'll do some more research on whether 3600Mhz would help any of my programs.