[SOLVED] 2x2 questions about RAM

[monere]

Hi,

I have 2x2 questions about RAM that I can't find answers to....

1a) If a MoBo supports RAMs of 3600MHz via overclocking, but the CPU only supports RAM speeds of up to 3200 MHz, is it even worth overclocking the RAM anymore?

I mean, will the CPU not hinder the use of overclocking?

1b) Also on the same topic, assuming that the CPU doesn't hinder the extra speeds, does it matter whether you buy a RAM (say, one that works at 3600 MHz by default) that's higher than what your CPU supports, or you buy one that your CPU supports (say, 3200 MHz) but overclock it to 3600 MHz?

The reason for which I'm asking this particular question (after bragging for days on this forum about how I hate overclocking and not wanting to have anything to do with it) is because AMD might force me to do this. I've been doing a lot of research over the last 8-10 days and apparently there's a consensus that AMD CPUs work better with higher speed RAMs than Intel CPUs do.

And I also kept hearing that AMD CPUs - which are meant to work best with 3200 MHz RAM sticks - actually do make your system stutter once in a while, but by giving them 3600 MHz RAM from the get-go you actually make them perform the way they're intended to perform (flawlessly, that is).

So, will overclocking the RAM over the maximum limit that the AMD processors support (which seems to be 3200 MHz from what I'm seeing on the AMD pages of most quality CPUs) yield any positive results? And if it does, wouldn't it be better to just outright buy a higher frequency RAM kit (one at 3600 MHz for example) instead of having to overclock a 3200 MHz kit and thus reduce the lifespan of your RAM sticks while also putting me - a newbie who has no idea how to even use the BIOS - at risk of f..ing up the computer? This would be my 1st question...

2a) the second question is... how much of a difference does the speed of the RAM kit make in real life? I don't care about benchmarks, I just want to know if - all things being equal - the difference between 3200 MHz and 3600 MHz kits is noticeable, and in which scenarios? Is it when gaming? When using AutoCad? When multitasking? When listening to Youtube videos while working in Excel? When will better RAM speeds pay off?

2b) scenario: I use a MoBo which has 4 DIMM slots and which can only work in Dual Channel mode, and I have 2 choices of potential RAM configurations:

Choice 1... I use 2x8 GB memory sticks that run in Dual Channel at 2667 MHz, which I insert into the best possible slots that the MoBo manufacturer recommends;
Choice 2... I use 4x4 GB memory sticks that run in Dual Channel at 2667 MHz, which I insert into all 4 slots available on my MoBo.

Note: both the 2, and the 4 RAM kits will be the absolute exact brand, model, capacity, frequency, timings, and everything else that matters in RAM modules.

So, based on the above, what (if any) gains in terms of speeds, performance or stability will I see between the 2 configurations?

 

[Roland Of Gilead]

Hi,

I have 2x2 questions about RAM that I can't find answers to....

1a) If a MoBo supports RAMs of 3600MHz via overclocking, but the CPU only supports RAM speeds of up to 3200 MHz, is it even worth overclocking the RAM anymore?

I mean, will the CPU not hinder the use of overclocking?

1b) Also on the same topic, assuming that the CPU doesn't hinder the extra speeds, does it matter whether you buy a RAM (say, one that works at 3600 MHz by default) that's higher than what your CPU supports, or you buy one that your CPU supports (say, 3200 MHz) but overclock it to 3600 MHz?

The reason for which I'm asking this particular question (after bragging for days on this forum about how I hate overclocking and not wanting to have anything to do with it) is because AMD might force me to do this. I've been doing a lot of research over the last 8-10 days and apparently there's a consensus that AMD CPUs work better with higher speed RAMs than Intel CPUs do.

And I also kept hearing that AMD CPUs - which are meant to work best with 3200 MHz RAM sticks - actually do make your system stutter once in a while, but by giving them 3600 MHz RAM from the get-go you actually make them perform the way they're intended to perform (flawlessly, that is).

So, will overclocking the RAM over the maximum limit that the AMD processors support (which seems to be 3200 MHz from what I'm seeing on the AMD pages of most quality CPUs) yield any positive results? And if it does, wouldn't it be better to just outright buy a higher frequency RAM kit (one at 3600 MHz for example) instead of having to overclock a 3200 MHz kit and thus reduce the lifespan of your RAM sticks while also putting me - a newbie who has no idea how to even use the BIOS - at risk of f..ing up the computer? This would be my 1st question...

2a) the second question is... how much of a difference does the speed of the RAM kit make in real life? I don't care about benchmarks, I just want to know if - all things being equal - the difference between 3200 MHz and 3600 MHz kits is noticeable, and in which scenarios? Is it when gaming? When using AutoCad? When multitasking? When listening to Youtube videos while working in Excel? When will better RAM speeds pay off?

2b) scenario: I use a MoBo which has 4 DIMM slots and which can only work in Dual Channel mode, and I have 2 choices of potential RAM configurations:

Choice 1... I use 2x8 GB memory sticks that run in Dual Channel at 2667 MHz, which I insert into the best possible slots that the MoBo manufacturer recommends;
Choice 2... I use 4x4 GB memory sticks that run in Dual Channel at 2667 MHz, which I insert into all 4 slots available on my MoBo.

Note: both the 2, and the 4 RAM kits will be the absolute exact brand, model, capacity, frequency, timings, and everything else that matters in RAM modules.

So, based on the above, what (if any) gains in terms of speeds, performance or stability will I see between the 2 configurations?

Hey there,

Please list your full PC specs, and we can advise further.

Yes, it's true, AMD systems run better with faster ram. But that isn't the whole conversation. It depend on the CPU/Mobo and supported speeds.

Running a 2 x kit is better than 4 x. If you populate all 4 DIMM slots, the ram may not even run at 3200mhz, such is the IMC of some older AMD CPU's. My 5600x for example has a CPU that supports up to 3200mhz, but I have 3600mhz ram! So, yes, you can run the system out of spec for the CPU with faster ram, and it also does make a big difference. Running 3600mhz with my CPU enables me to have a 1:1:1 ratio of mem clock/infinity fabric clock/memory controller clock. This give best latency and bandwidth.

 

[geofelt]

A motherboard will specify ram speeds in two ways.
One speed is the speed at which the motherboard will boot and get you into the bios.
All ram will boot at a lower speed than max.
This lets you specify higher settings in the bios.
The second speed is the maximum speed that the motherboard will support via overclocking.

Talking DDR4, all ram faster than the base 2400 is technically overclocked and will run at higher voltages than the default 1.2v.

1a. Yes, if the ram is 3600 speed, then the maker says that you can run at that speed by using the xmp setting and a likely 1.35v overclock.

2.a. Ram chips are binned. The better chips can be overclocked to higher speeds and sold in faster labelled parts.
One might be able to go even faster, but do not count on it.
Buy the speed you want.
And... at the same speed, ram with lower timings will perform better(and be more expensive) The cpu will run faster, with faster ram but the perception probably depends on you. On intel processors, ram speed means little.
You will probably find that 3600 speed is the sweet spot and is reasonably priced.

2b ryzen ram is dual channel operation only.
From a performance point of view 2 x 8gb should run the same as 4 x 4gb.
I have heard anecdotes that 4 x 4 is a tad faster in some scenarios.
I would discount that. ram must be matched and matching 4 sticks vs.2 will make a 4 stick kit more expensive.

 

[BlaUno]

Im in the same boat as you, in terms of reading as much as i can in these last few weeks, and my conclusion based on all that is that 2x Dual Rank sticks are the sweet spot. 4x Dual Ranks are apparently putting more strain on the CPU, and therefore might not run at the same speeds, introduce more latency etc. And if you take a look at the manufacturers official pages, depending on the specific part, you will find this being reflected.

For example, on the official page for Ryzen 5 5600 (unlike the X version), there are different RAM speeds stated depending on number of sticks and ranks:

Max Memory Speed
2x1R DDR4-3200
2x2R DDR4-3200
4x1R DDR4-2933
4x2R DDR4-2667

Another example would be the AsRock B550 Pro4 motherboard. Supported RAM speeds for Ryzen Vermeer series look like these:

NOTE: Both of these are on the cheap side, for higher end parts it could be different.

On the other hand, i've also found claims that AMD cpus are doing better with 4 sticks, but I haven't seen anything to confirm that so far (i wasn't actively looking). So, bottom line, i'd go for 2 DR sticks (for 32GB total i'd go 2x16GB instead of 4x8GB, for example).

As for 3200 vs 3600 MHz, im not sure yet, although i'd choose 3600 probably, if the difference in price is (subjectively) not too bad. Seems to me that the consensus is that such a small difference can only be noticeable in high(er) end builds, where you need every drop of juice to feed the mighty GPU, for example. In my case, given that 3600 is significantly more expensive here (Europe, but not EU), i'll probably end up with 3200, which is not too bad, since it seems to be a safe bet on stability/compatibility. Speaking of compatibility, i'd always prefer the officially supported RAM for both the CPU and MOBO.

 

[monere]

my conclusion based on all that is that 2x Dual Rank sticks are the sweet spot

bottom line, i'd go for 2 DR sticks (for 32GB total i'd go 2x16GB instead of 4x8GB, for example).

yep, that's what I've gathered too after much research. But I wanted a few more opinions

One question, though... when you say Dual Rank do you mean Dual Channel, or is the rank something different?

As for 3200 vs 3600 MHz, im not sure yet, although i'd choose 3600 probably

You will probably find that 3600 speed is the sweet spot and is reasonably priced.

Indeed! Until earlier today I've mostly bookmarked offers for 3200 MHz RAM based on the stuff that I've read so far, but today I stumbled upon a couple of posts that said that AMD will perform better with 3600 MHz RAMs despite of what the page of the AMD CPU says that the CPU supports. And that's why I had to create this thread

Speaking of compatibility, i'd always prefer the officially supported RAM for both the CPU and MOBO.

yeah, man, me too. I honestly dread having to buy 3600 MHz RAM, but if what someone said (about AMD systems stuttering with 3200 MHz RAMs) is true then I have no choice but to get 3600 MHz instead. But I'm not complaining because for me things are simple: I will either have the money to buy the right PC, or have no money at all, I will be able to see this in a couple of months. The only thing that worries me is the instability, but @geofelt said technically all RAM over 2400 is overclocked, so...

1a. Yes, if the ram is 3600 speed, then the maker says that you can run at that speed by using the xmp setting and a likely 1.35v overclock.

yes, but will the CPU (with its 3200 MHz limitation) recognize and allow the RAM to use the 3600 MHz speed? That's what I wanted to know

at the same speed, ram with lower timings will perform better(and be more expensive)

yep, I just found this out today by reading more, and then I went to some online shops to check the prices and the difference in lower timing RAMs vs average timing RAMs were noticeable. But these won't be a problem for me if I manage to get the money I'm hoping for when it's time to buy the parts.

2b ryzen ram is dual channel operation only.

that's good to know

But my scenario already took into account that both the 2 DIMMs kit, and the 4 DIMMs kit run in Dual Channel anyway, so the only variable in that example was the number of DIMMs. So, what I wanted to know - again, all things being equal - is whether 2 DIMMs or 4 DIMMs are better in terms of

• system stability
• performance
• speeds

You already said that the performance is the same, so this point is clear. But what about speeds and stability? Ok, speeds might not be a big issue as I assume the differences - if any - are minimal since everything is the same, but I'm definitely concerned with the system's stability because I don't want to be in the middle of something important just to have the PC shut down, BSOD on me, or reboot itself because it doesn't "like" 4 sticks structure or something.

Do you have any insights into this?

Hey there,

Please list your full PC specs, and we can advise further.

Hi

I'm not speaking about my actual computer, I'm only gathering info so that I know which components to get when the time comes for me to build my next computer (which should happen in 2-3 months if things go well)

Yes, it's true, AMD systems run better with faster ram. But that isn't the whole conversation. It depend on the CPU/Mobo and supported speeds.

yep, I'm aware of this. That's why I keep mentioning in most of my posts stuff like "all things being equal", or "given that the parts are compatible with each other", etc.

My 5600x for example has a CPU that supports up to 3200mhz, but I have 3600mhz ram! So, yes, you can run the system out of spec for the CPU

sweet! That's what I wanted to know

and it also does make a big difference.

difference in speed or stability? Because I'm all for stability in my computers, I'd rather boot / load stuff 2-3 seconds later than have the computer randomly and inexplicably (as in, inexplicably for ME, specifically, since I have no bloody idea what I'm doing in BIOS usually, and now I want to move from Windows to Linux and this scares the crap out of me considering how much more hands-on and interactive of an OS Linux is)...

So, as I was saying, higher frequencies might make a visible difference in terms of speeds, but do they keep the system stable, or will I have to constantly enable / set things up manually inside of the BIOS and whatnot? That's what I need to know the most...

Running 3600mhz with my CPU enables me to have a 1:1:1 ratio of mem clock/infinity fabric clock/memory controller clock. This give best latency and bandwidth.

no idea what this means LOL. But if you say so...

 

[BlaUno]

One question, though... when you say Dual Rank do you mean Dual Channel, or is the rank something different?

I would've sworn you mentioned "Dual Ranks" somewhere in your post, but now that i've rechecked i feel like an ass, because i apparently made that part up and then replied to it. Anyway, it's probably good that i mentioned it (aside from giving you more material for headaches), since often it gets overlooked.

To the point: No, Dual Rank is not the same as Dual Channel. If you install the ram sticks properly, they will run in dual channel by default, that's due to the architecture of the motherboard. Dual Rank, on the other hand, is about the density of the chip. Some people equal it as the ram stick being one-sided (has chips only on one side) or two-sided, but that's wrong, since it can be two-sided and still be Single Rank. To find whether a ram stick is single/dual ranked, unless the seller has listed it under specs, you'll need to find the datasheet for the given ram stick, using it's part number (looks something like "KF432C16BB1/16" for example). There, you will find that the stick is either 1Rx8 (single rank) or 2Rx8 (dual rank).

Why it matters? Because, apparently, and you can find such benchmarks online, it slightly improves performance in quite a few scenarios, including games. Apparently, that's due to the fact that while the cpu (or was it the mobo?) communicates with the cell (or something) in the RAM chip, another one is already getting prepared, which is not the case in single rank. Again, i assume the difference is greater with higher end components. But the fact is that it probably matters tho, which is shown in the tables i quoted in my previous reply (SR and DR in those tables stand for single rank / dual rank, not channel) where that particular mobo states that it runs RAM at different speeds depending on the number/rank configuration. Bottom line, you'll find that there is not much difference in price between the two, so it's good to go with the dual rank variant.

That being said, the most common advice is that you should either reach dual rank per channel by 1) using 2x DUAL RANK sticks in dual channel, or 2) 4x SINGLE RANK sticks in all four slots. Maybe this is how you ended up with the conclusion that 4 ram sticks are better? Because, like i said, mine is the opposite of that - it's that 4 sticks is adding additional strain, so 2x dual ranks are actually better. As a matter of fact, i've seen many channels say this particular phrase: "Just because a motherboard has 4 slots, it doesn't mean it wants you to use them all".

I SHOULD NOTE THOUGH, FROM EVERYTHING I'VE READ, THE RAM SPEED (3200 vs 3600 mhz for example) IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN RANKS. So, at a given price, it's better to go for 2x Single Rank 3600MHz rather than 2x Dual Rank 3200MHz, maybe.

Also, all of this is based on the assumption that the speed at which you can run your RAM depends primarily on the motherboard, not the CPU (that's why you can override ram speeds listed as max on the CPU specs). Then again, even tho most people say this, there are some that state the opposite - that the cpu is the limiting factor. This is why i'll probably get 2x16GB 3200MHz and hope to overclock it later to 3600, instead of overpaying for 3600 only to find out that i'll need to run it underclocked.

That all being said, the main takeaway from my replies should be: READ THE SPECS AND DATASHEETS ON EACH PART CAREFULLY and hopefully get those that are listed as officially compatible in the QVL lists on manufacturers websites.

 

[monere]

@BlaUno first of all, thanks for the awesome explanations. I really do appreciate you taking the time to write all of these, and I swear that I had absolutely no idea what Rank is. But I got learned, and I'm thankful to you for that

Now, since we're at the DR topic, I assume that (according to this screenshot of my RAM sticks that I just took) my RAM sticks are indeed dual ranks, right?

Now, onto your comments...

I would've sworn you mentioned "Dual Ranks" somewhere in your post, but now that i've rechecked i feel like an ass, because i apparently made that part up and then replied to it

it's absolutely no problem, man, don't worry! We all make mistakes, and some morons (> ME <) make more mistakes than almost everyone, it's just that I've been very careful not to make them on this specific forum

So, no worries!

Anyway, it's probably good that i mentioned it (aside from giving you more material for headaches), since often it gets overlooked.

headaches or not, I do need to know this stuff if I'm to buy and put my own computers for the 1st time ever from now on. So I appreciate you bringing this Ranks thing up

Why it matters? Because, apparently, and you can find such benchmarks online, it slightly improves performance in quite a few scenarios, including games. Apparently, that's due to the fact that while the cpu (or was it the mobo?) communicates with the cell (or something) in the RAM chip, another one is already getting prepared, which is not the case in single rank. Again, i assume the difference is greater with higher end components. But the fact is that it probably matters tho, which is shown in the tables i quoted in my previous reply (SR and DR in those tables stand for single rank / dual rank, not channel) where that particular mobo states that it runs RAM at different speeds depending on the number/rank configuration. Bottom line, you'll find that there is not much difference in price between the two, so it's good to go with the dual rank variant.

That being said, the most common advice is that you should either reach dual rank per channel by 1) using 2x DUAL RANK sticks in dual channel, or 2) 4x SINGLE RANK sticks in all four slots. Maybe this is how you ended up with the conclusion that 4 ram sticks are better? Because, like i said, mine is the opposite of that - it's that 4 sticks is adding additional strain, so 2x dual ranks are actually better. As a matter of fact, i've seen many channels say this particular phrase: "Just because a motherboard has 4 slots, it doesn't mean it wants you to use them all".

I see...
Good to know, good to know...

I SHOULD NOTE THOUGH, FROM EVERYTHING I'VE READ, THE RAM SPEED (3200 vs 3600 mhz for example) IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN RANKS. So, at a given price, it's better to go for 2x Single Rank 3600MHz rather than 2x Dual Rank 3200MHz, maybe.

I'll stick with 3600 MHz RAMs (dual rank or not) anyway based on what I've learned today, so my mind is made up in this regard.

Also, all of this is based on the assumption that the speed at which you can run your RAM depends primarily on the motherboard, not the CPU (that's why you can override ram speeds listed as max on the CPU specs). Then again, even tho most people say this, there are some that state the opposite - that the cpu is the limiting factor.

while I definitely am a newbie and might be wrong about this, I will still side with the limitation by CPU advocates because it makes more sense to me since absolutely all motherboards that I've checked can, one way or another, support overclocked RAMs. But the few CPUs and APUs that I've checked all seem to support 3200 MHz maximum speeds for RAMs, so yeah, I tend to believe those who say that CPU is actually the limiting factor. At least until I get proved wrong, obviously. If that happens I will immediately and shamelessly switch my opinion

This is why i'll probably get 2x16GB 3200MHz and hope to overclock it later to 3600, instead of overpaying for 3600 only to find out that i'll need to run it underclocked.

logically, this makes sense. But I've seen a lot of folks using RAMs at higher frequencies than what their CPUs are said to be supporting, so I think the possibility of your reasoning happening is low.

That all being said, the main takeaway from my replies should be: READ THE SPECS AND DATASHEETS ON EACH PART CAREFULLY

well, I have been doing this since minute 1 when I've decided to do research on how computers work, but more often than not I stumble upon all sorts of terminologies and stats that tell me absolutely nothing since I'm not tech-inclined by nature, but more importantly, I've not been educated in these matters at all. So, I'm looking at terms and numbers and I don't understand <Mod Edit> of what's going on with them xD ... Ok, I USED TO not understand anything, as of late I have actually started putting pieces together, and that's a step forward

get those that are listed as officially compatible in the QVL lists on manufacturers websites.

yeah, that was the plan, but here's the thing... after researching motherboards for like 15-16 hours straight (not even joking) I've settled on 4 of them (well, 3 actually because I've excluded the 4th one from my list at the recommendation of one of this forum's members who had noticed that THAT specific MoBo had been an iTX size, which is incredibly small for a 1st time PC builder lime myself, and which is something that I didn't look for to begin with)

So anyway, I've settled on 3 MoBos (which I've mentioned in another thread of mine, but I can also mention again, no problem), but the one that I wanted the most (Gigabyte B550M Aorus Pro AX) is absolutely nowhere to be found. I have checked the biggest eshops in my country (Romania), and nobody has it. Then I've checked the biggest classified sites in my country hoping to find it at least at second hand. I'm still not sure that I'd purchase a second hand MoBo as this entails a lot of risks for newbies like me who might not be able to spot non-apparent issues with the MoBo in the first few weeks/months but still buy a faulty MoBo, but I checked those classified sites regardless, just to see what price this MoBo would have and to check whether someone has it, generally speaking.

Well, guess what! It doesn't exist even at second hand lol

And then I checked Amazon US, Amazon UK, and Amazon Germany and absolutely none of these branches has that MoBo in stock either. I just don't get it, is it so good that absolutely everyone on the entire planet wanted that MoBo, or what the hell is there not a single, forgotten somewhere on the shelf of someone, such MoBo anywhere???

Anyway, with this MoBo unavailable anywhere, the 2nd choice on my list was AsRock B550M Steel Legend and, while I'm not particularly fond of this MoBo (I don't know why, because it looks great on the surface, but I just had a bad feeling in my guts when I imagine me purchasing this MoBo, and my guts rarely deceive me).. but anyway, since I have no other option I decided that I'd go with this MoBo instead, but that was about 3-4 days ago, and when I checked its availability online here in Romania absolutely everyone and their grandma has had at least 5-6 such MoBos in stock. I'm not kidding you, I have saved I think 10+ sources where I've found at least 1 such MoBo in stock, and 2 or 3 of those sources had way more than 1 in stock. I remember 1 source had 16, and another one had 88 of these MoBos in stock, which I thought "cool, if I can't find the Aorus I'll just go with the Steel Legend".

Well, guess what again! A few hours ago I went through all of those 10+ sources to double check that I've saved the links properly and to see which one has the lowest price and what do you think? Of all of those sources only 1 of them still has ONLY 1 COPY of this MoBo in stock, all other sources are ZERO everywhere. Like, WHAT.... THE... ACTUAL.... <Mod Edit> ?!? How, can one MoBo (that's not even the best on the market) go from 100+ of copies to zero copies in less than 3 days? WTF is going on, man??

Anyway, if I don't find one of these 2 MoBo in 2-3 months when I'm about to buy the computer I will just go with the 3rd option on my list (MSI PRO B550M-VC WIFI) if this one's not taken, too because I will be honest, I'm afraid of checking its availability right now because by the time I'm ready to purchase it this one might be completely vanished off the face of this Earth, too and this scares me. Like, literally...

So anyway, what I wanted to say with regards to your comment (but I digressed, sorry) is that I've checked the QVL list for the AsRock MoBo and there are only 3 options for 32 GB (2x16) DDR4 at 3600 MHz that this MoBo had apparently been tested with, and I checked the availability of these 3 RAM kits and - as usual - none of them exists anymore... at least not here in Romania. So, I might be forced - once again - to choose something that I don't want / like, or which is not "supported" by the MoBo.

So, while the plan is indeed getting stuff that's on the QVL list of the MoBo's manufacturer, I might need to be willing to adapt due to the fact that I can not seem to find any of the stuff that I need.

But yeah, your comment was spot on and I should go with QVL stuff for sure.. But finding the good stuff is the real issue here

 

[BlaUno]

...

Surely HWinfo knows more than i do, so i don't have a reason to doubt it. Another way to check is CPU-Z, shows it under the SPD tab. Ofc, if your ram sticks have any stickers on them, it should be noted there too (like i said, look for 1Rx8, 2Rx8, 1Rx4 or 2Rx4 etc).

As for writing all that, my pleasure man, as a fresh learner (i hope i wrote "apparently" and "people say" enough times to make that clear) on my way to build my first modern build, i am eager to share some of "my findings" also in hope that someone will jump on to correct me if something is wrong and help me and hopefully others learn the correct way.

On the topic of choice being scarce and parts disappearing overnight en masse, i'm two countries south-west than you and i see the same thing. Granted, it happens only with the low-mid range parts, ESPECIALLY WITH MOTHERBOARDS, both intel and amd. Anything more expensive, in the range of mid-high end, is readily available. I wonder why...

Anyway, as long as you're getting 3600MHz knowing that you might need to underclock it and it doesn't cost you too much, that's the better way to go, i'd say. Me sticking to 3200 is only due to prices here at this moment and me already breaking the initial budget by far. I also have a hidden ace in my sleeve - if the 5600x turns out to be choppy with 3200MHz, ill ditch those on my younger brother and then get 3600MHz, haha.

That being said, i think you switched our roles a bit. In fact, it seems to me that i'm the one fearing the CPU as the limiting factor, therefore i am not ready to pay more for 3600. You getting 3600, on the other hand, means you trust the motherboard to override the CPU limit.

One thing is for certain, tho: The ASRock b550m Steel Legend's official page says the board will struggle to run 4 sticks of RAM at even 3200MHz, so i'd definitely stick to 2x DIMMS of RAM instead of four. This also gives you room to upgrade to double that capacity in the future, ofc, if you're willing to sacrifice some of the frequency.

 

[Lafong]

......................"but the one that I wanted the most (Gigabyte B550M Aorus Pro AX) is absolutely nowhere to be found."..................

Yes.

Instead, look for "Gigabyte B550M Aorus Pro AX WiFi".

For some reason the non-WiFi models are rarely found, but the WiFi models are much more prevalent.

Only difference is the WiFi models include wireless capability and antennas...use them if you need wireless; ignore if you don't.

The scarcity of the non-wireless models of Gigabyte boards has continued right up through recent generations.

I have no idea why.

 

[monere]

Instead, look for "Gigabyte B550M Aorus Pro AX WiFi"

but the AX in this motherboard's title means exactly WiFi

Still, thanks for the tip! I am not against running a new search for the new title, I just hope that something comes up...

if the 5600x turns out to be choppy with 3200MHz, ill ditch those on my younger brother and then get 3600MHz, haha.

lol you sneaky bastard ... But hey, it's your family, you know better what you folks are doing

That being said, i think you switched our roles a bit. In fact, it seems to me that i'm the one fearing the CPU as the limiting factor, therefore i am not ready to pay more for 3600. You getting 3600, on the other hand, means you trust the motherboard to override the CPU limit.

yeah, I do trust the MoBo... Well, I would trust the Gigabyte motherboard, the one that I currently have has saved me so many times with the random but constant power outages here in my area. Had I not had this ultradurable MoBo I would have probably fried my computer many times given what crappy PSU's I've used on it so far. I do trust MoBos from Gigabyte, even though their software almost never works for me, I don't know why. But the hardware itself is top notch, which is why I've put Aorus as my #1 choice for the rig that I'll build

One thing is for certain, tho: The ASRock b550m Steel Legend's official page says the board will struggle to run 4 sticks of RAM at even 3200MHz, so i'd definitely stick to 2x DIMMS of RAM instead of four.

whaaa...aaaattt? Where did you see this ?!? Because I looked over the specs and never noticed it. Although, to be honest I do intend to use 2 sticks only since I've never been a fan of 4 modules. I do always buy MoBos with 4 RAM slots only but I never intend to use them all at once, I just like getting 4 of them because I'm paranoid and I expect at any time, for whatever reason, 1 or 2 of those slots to brake down, so I like having 2 spare slots for emergencies

Anyway, I'm glad that you've shared your wisdom with me. I will decide on whichever component in the coming weeks based on the valuable intel I've gathered from you, guys! Your insights are much appreciated indeed!

 

[BlaUno]

whaaa...aaaattt? Where did you see this ?!?

https://www.asrock.com/mb/AMD/B550M Steel Legend/index.asp#Specification
Under "Specification" scroll down to the end of the memory section, and you will find tables exactly like the ones i posted before, this being one of them:

* A1-B2 are the dimm slots, and SR and DR means installed kits (dual rank and single ranks, as we said earlier)

As for having 4 slots... im currently stuck at lga 1156 mobo with 2x4GB, which is a remain of a prebuilt i've bought in ~2012 when i didn't know anything and had barely any budget. I've been trying to find a 4 slots variant on and off for a year and a half. Not a single one on sale (used ofc) in my country, and anything abroad is too pricey. So i made it a promise to never ever touch a 2 slots motherboard again.

 

[monere]

So i made it a promise to never ever touch a 2 slots motherboard again.

smart man! You think exactly like I do with regards to 2 vs 4 RAM slots

Under "Specification" scroll down to the end of the memory section, and you will find tables exactly like the ones i posted before, this being one of them:

oh, I did see this chart before... a lot of times actually. But apparently I have read it wrong because whenever I saw SR / DR before you explained to me what Rank is I always read SR / DR as Single RAM / Dual RAM, as in Single Channel RAM and Dual Channel RAM, so I interpreted all of this like "so, if I have a Single Channel RAM stick I must insert it into the A2 slot if I want it to run at 3200 MHz which is the maximum that my CPU supports, if I have a Dual Channel RAM I must also insert it into the A2 slot to get the 3200 MHz speeds, and so on"... I've made a total mess out of my reading of these charts, I know, but hey, when you're newbie at something you're bound to suck at it, so...

Anyway, it's good to know that this is what these charts mean, yet another piece of the puzzle solved... and now back to the folder of bookmarked RAM offers to filter the SR sticks out of it lol.

Cheers!

 

[BlaUno]

@monere Funny thing, while we were chatting here, Jay-Z made a video about RAM being picky (starting from the 8 minute mark). Also kinda challenges our preference for 4 slots motherboards. TLDR is that DDR5 and DDR4 (less so) gets pretty problematic when trying to run 4 sticks of ram. Nothing groundbreaking but check it out if you have some spare free time

View: https://youtu.be/C55X3sw1x40

 

[monere]

@monere Funny thing, while we were chatting here, Jay-Z made a video about RAM being picky (starting from the 8 minute mark). Also kinda challenges our preference for 4 slots motherboards. TLDR is that DDR5 and DDR4 (less so) gets pretty problematic when trying to run 4 sticks of ram. Nothing groundbreaking but check it out if you have some spare free time

View: https://youtu.be/C55X3sw1x40

some pretty good tips in this clip that I never knew about... I don't see myself using DDR5 in the next 5-6 years, though, so I'm good