Noob here: Ram, what should i get?

[Inayaa]

Hi, so i just got a Z170-A Mobo, i'm thinking about getting an I5 6500... and i need some advice on what RAM i should get... at first i read that 3200mhz is best, but then i read that i had to oc the micro for that... and since (maybe) i'm getting the 6500 which is not unlocked... it would just not go to the 3200 mhz...
so my question is, if i buy a 3200mhz RAM, it wont go 3200mhz unless i get a 6600k or something like that? how does it work? Thanks!

 

[True Buie]

Heyo Inayaa

What motherboard exactly have you gotten? the CPU won't really matter in this case, since it mostly depends on whether the motherboard can actually handle 3200Mhz RAM.
If you could tell the motherboard name, we could quickly find out if it's compatible or not. You could do so yourself by checking the motherboard's manufactures website for more information.

Edit: I quickly googled the Z170-A. Sorry for being oblivious and not thinking that was the name (facepalm). Your motherboard will be able to handle 3200Mhz RAM. It's able to handle RAM speeds up to 3466Mhz.

 

[Dragos Manea]

Yes , it is recomended to have a unlocked "k" cpu for that ram, if not, go for 2800mhz, honestly you wont see a diference between 2400 and 3200.