[SOLVED] Worth switching from 1x16gb 3200Mhz to 2x8gb 3200Mhz? (Ryzen 5 3600)

[KiesAgent]

My laptop was shipped with a single 16gb 3200Mhz RAM stick because that was the only option that had 3200Mhz RAM at that time. I have heard that switching to dual channel would increase my laptop's performance. Would it be worth it? I have a Ryzen 5 3600 CPU.

Also, is there a notable difference in performance between CL20 and CL22 RAM of the same 3200Mhz clock speed? Thank you.

 

[Aeacus]

I have heard that switching to dual channel would increase my laptop's performance.

Yes, there is increase in performance compared to the single-channel and dual-channel RAM.

Good example is to compare the performance of RAMs, where only the DIMM amount is different. All the rest is same: RAM make & model, total RAM amount, RAM frequency and even Cas Latency;
comparison: https://ram.userbenchmark.com/Compa...vs-HyperX-Fury-DDR4-2133-C14-2x4GB/3555vs3554

Would it be worth it?

Hard to say. Since you need to find the exact RAM that works in your laptop + taking laptop apart to change the RAM, without breaking anything else during the RAM switch. Also, you'd be wasting money for new set of RAM.

If you'd have desktop PC, where RAM change is far easier, i'd be more incline towards the RAM change. But for laptop, with high chance of braking something, i personally, probably, wouldn't do it.

Oh, if you are planning to buy 2nd 16GB RAM stick, to get dual-channel and increase the total RAM to 32GB then do note that getting both RAMs working has a 50:50 chance. For a guarantee of RAM actually working, buy a set of two sticks, since those have been tested by manufacturer to be working with each other. While individual sticks are trial-and-error, either they work with each other or not.

Also, is there a notable difference in performance between CL20 and CL22 RAM of the same 3200Mhz clock speed?

Is there difference? Yes.
Is it notable? No.

CL is Cas Latency, a time measured in clock cycles that defines how fast RAM can access data on it.

Though, the lower the CL is, the better (faster) the RAM is. E.g in my desktop PC, i have a RAM with CL15 @ 3000 Mhz.

The formula for it is: (Cas latency / RAM speed) x 2000 = latency in nanoseconds.
So, to put the numbers in there, we get;
(22 / 3200) x 2000 = 13.75 nanoseconds
(20 / 3200) x 2000 = 12.5 nanoseconds
(15 / 3000) x 2000 = 10 nanoseconds (<- my RAM, just for comparison)

With this, difference between CL22 and CL20 is 1.25 nanoseconds. Though, do note that 1000 nanoseconds = 1 second. So, the difference isn't noticeable, let alone notable.

 

[KiesAgent]

Yes, there is increase in performance compared to the single-channel and dual-channel RAM.

Good example is to compare the performance of RAMs, where only the DIMM amount is different. All the rest is same: RAM make & model, total RAM amount, RAM frequency and even Cas Latency;
comparison: https://ram.userbenchmark.com/Compa...vs-HyperX-Fury-DDR4-2133-C14-2x4GB/3555vs3554



Hard to say. Since you need to find the exact RAM that works in your laptop + taking laptop apart to change the RAM, without breaking anything else during the RAM switch. Also, you'd be wasting money for new set of RAM.

If you'd have desktop PC, where RAM change is far easier, i'd be more incline towards the RAM change. But for laptop, with high chance of braking something, i personally, probably, wouldn't do it.

Oh, if you are planning to buy 2nd 16GB RAM stick, to get dual-channel and increase the total RAM to 32GB then do note that getting both RAMs working has a 50:50 chance. For a guarantee of RAM actually working, buy a set of two sticks, since those have been tested by manufacturer to be working with each other. While individual sticks are trial-and-error, either they work with each other or not.



Is there difference? Yes.
Is it notable? No.

CL is Cas Latency, a time measured in clock cycles that defines how fast RAM can access data on it.

Though, the lower the CL is, the better (faster) the RAM is. E.g in my desktop PC, i have a RAM with CL15 @ 3000 Mhz.

The formula for it is: (Cas latency / RAM speed) x 2000 = latency in nanoseconds.
So, to put the numbers in there, we get;
(22 / 3200) x 2000 = 13.75 nanoseconds
(20 / 3200) x 2000 = 12.5 nanoseconds
(15 / 3000) x 2000 = 10 nanoseconds (<- my RAM, just for comparison)

With this, difference between CL22 and CL20 is 1.25 nanoseconds. Though, do note that 1000 nanoseconds = 1 second. So, the difference isn't noticeable, let alone notable.

Thank you for the detailed answer.

I don't mind opening up my laptop and working with it since I have done that many times before.

The reason why I asked about the performance difference between CL20 and CL22 RAM was because of the price difference between those two sets of RAM. I believe the CL20 one was the HyperX Impact at $140 while the CL22 one was a pair from Crucial at $90, both on Amazon.

There are better RAM at the same clock speed and better CAS latency available at lower prices, but since my laptop does not support XMP, I would have to settle for either of those two above.

So since there are no notable performance differences between CL20 and CL22, I think I will get the pair from Crucial.