What Ram Do I Use and are two identical sticks the same as the kit?
What Ram Do I Use and are two identical sticks the same as the kit?
Hello
I am setting up this system in just a few days (only the case is ready for shipment)
Ryzen 9800X3D
Asus X870E-E Gaming WiFi
RTX 5080
I originally purchased 64gb DDR5 RAM
CMK64GX5M2B6000Z30
by Corsair
The issue is that QVL for the motherboard shows a close CMK64GX5M2B6000Z28 (version 5.43.01), but not mine, which uses z30 / cl30. Is this because they didn’t test every variant and mine should work, or do I really need the Z28 model?
There is a z30 Corsair 2x32 6000 listed, but it’s a different type of RAM with RGB lighting and higher heatsinks.
I bought these XPG rams ax5u6000c3032gslabrbk from adata. From what I understand, they are the same as the black non-RGB ones in the QVL, which don’t have RGB.
Are there any differences between a pre-bought kit and two identical RAM sticks bought separately?
What about quality differences? Which one should I choose? Thanks!
Many memory makers recommend using kits that are already purchased. You might find that buying two separate items doesn't work together.
If you have them already you can try them but don't be surprised if the don't work. If they do work, fine. If they don't work then return them and buy a manufacturer certified matching set.
Manufacturers don't check every single variant of RAM in their motherboards.
There's a good chance both pairs will work at JEDEC speed (typically 4800MT/s or 5200MT/s).
Whether or not a Ryzen CPU will also work at 6000MT/s with Intel XMP settings remains to be seen.
In many instances, a Ryzen will boot quite happily at XMP 6000MT/s, but ideally you need a kit with EXPO settings, specifically designed for AMD CPUs.
If neither of your kits boots up and is stable at 6000MT/s, it may be possible to manually tweak a few timings to achieve stability. The trick is knowing what settings to change and how to test for stability.
If there is a time window on returning the RAM, e.g. 30 days and you're getting close to the deadline, it would be better to return all the RAM that does not come with EXPO timings.
Most desktop RAM comes with Intel XMP (Extreme Memory Profile) overclock settings. Some kits come with AMD EXPO settings. The differences are subtle, but can be important if you've bought a particularly bad combination of mobo, CPU and RAM.
When you build your computer, leave the BIOS settings for memory at the default JEDEC speed, e.g. 4800/5200MT/s and install Windows. If the system appears to be stable, you can go back into the BIOS and switch on XMP (or EXPO).
With XMP enabled, your RAM speed will increase from 4800/5200 JEDEC to 6000MT/s XMP/EXPO.
If the system seems stable at 6000MT/s, download a copy of MemTest86, burn the ISO to a USB memory and boot up into MemTest86 from USB.
This completely bypasses Windows and allows MemTest86 to thoroughly test your RAM, taking several hours to complete the task.
If MemTest86 gives a 100% clean bill of health, breathe a sigh of relief., but if you get even one error in MemTest86, your RAM is not stable.
You then have the choice of manually tweaking some settings and continuing to test until the system is stable, or returning the RAM and buying a kit specifically designed for AMD CPUs (with EXPO timings).
No two sets of RAM can be assured to be exactly the same, even if they share the same part number. It's likely that two kits labeled as identical might actually hold memory chips from different categories, making a perfect match unlikely. This issue becomes apparent when adding a second set of DIMMs with the same specification, which can boost RAM capacity but also cause problems. Beyond adjusting the clock speed if four DIMMs are installed, mismatched pairs may result in instability. If you anticipate needing more than two DIMMs later, consider purchasing two larger-capacity kits instead of relying on two separate sets that won't align. There are always exceptions to this advice. Some users experience no issues mixing RAM, while others become highly frustrated.
There are numerous YouTube factory tour videos demonstrating the production of memory sticks. The equipment evaluates each chip placed on a stick, grouping similar ones together. Once the sticks are assembled, they re-test them and categorize those with closely matching numbers into kits.
This process isn't solely about enhancing stability; it also involves selecting the highest-quality sticks for sale at a premium. That's why overclocking is limited—factory testing has already identified devices that can be easily overclocked and removed.