I need some help choosing memory

StumpyJake

StumpyJake

StumpyJake

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4 Aug 2015
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Hi everyone. I need some help or advice.

I haven't built a system in a while and have slowly got most of the components together to build a new Ryzen system. Basic details are:

Ryzen 7 5800X3D Processor
Gigabyte X570S Aorus Elite AX Motherboard

I'm struggling with memory choice.

This is purely a gaming PC, no work or productivity use. Main use Microsoft Flight Sim 2020, other games, Elite Dangerous and a few other like it. Anyway I bought some memory, maybe a little hastily and I'm second guessing. So the memory I went for was 64GB (4 x 16GB) Kingston Fury Renegade 3600Mhz CL16, looks like they are dual rank (apparently that's important). I though load it up and and have done with it. So got some advice from another PC part site and basically advised to drop 64GB as games wont use it and the memory controller may struggle, it may also even struggle to fully use 32GB. Also the RAM doesn't appear on the "tested" parts list for the motherboard, although it should be fine. So I can send the memory back but now I'm not sure of the best RAM to get.

First problem. The motherboard has 4 slots. I keep seeing conflicting advice as to either using two sticks or 4 sticks. Next 16GB or 32GB, do I go 4 sticks to achieve either memory requirement or two sticks? Next 3600Mhz OK or should I be going 3200Mhz or even higher?

This has got so confusing so some advice would be much appreciated. Should I keep what I have already purchased or send back and get replacement memory.

Many thanks
 
I don't know if flight sim uses (or can use) more than 32GB, but I'm sure there are some benches out there (like on YouTube). That said, the benches might not be indicative of how the game will work in the future (e.g. new mods, textures and stuff).

My best guess would be that with 4 dual rank sticks you'll need to drop down a bit, but I don't know what a 5800X3D is capable of. I'd assume that Zen 3 has improved considerably since launch with memory stability at high clocks.

On AMD's spec page they only guarantee 2667 Mhz with 4 dual rank sticks, but I'd be shocked if it ran that slow, perhaps 2933 would be the lower limit.

Did you buy a matched set, or are they matched pairs, 2x16? If they're not a matched set then the easy thing to do is just keep 2 (if content with that) and send the other two back, but really, I can't imagine that you'd notice much between 2933 and 3600 at higher resolutions.
 
Tetras said:
I don't know if flight sim uses (or can use) more than 32GB, but I'm sure there are some benches out there (like on YouTube). That said, the benches might not be indicative of how the game will work in the future (e.g. new mods, textures and stuff).

My best guess would be that with 4 dual rank sticks you'll need to drop down a bit, but I don't know what a 5800X3D is capable of. I'd assume that Zen 3 has improved considerably since launch with memory stability at high clocks.

On AMD's spec page they only guarantee 2667 Mhz with 4 dual rank sticks, but I'd be shocked if it ran that slow, perhaps 2933 would be the lower limit.

Did you buy a matched set, or are they matched pairs, 2x16? If they're not a matched set then the easy thing to do is just keep 2 (if content with that) and send the other two back, but really, I can't imagine that you'd notice much between 2933 and 3600 at higher resolutions.
Click to expand...
Hi Thanks for responding.
The memory as far as I know are a matched set. Bought from the same retailer at the same time and the boxes all have the same numbers etc. on them. So guessing they are identical. Dont see any batch codes.
 
StumpyJake said:
Hi Thanks for responding.
The memory as far as I know are a matched set. Bought from the same retailer at the same time and the boxes all have the same numbers etc. on them. So guessing they are identical. Dont see any batch codes.
Click to expand...

Oh, so you'd have to send them all back, or none of them?
 
Tetras said:
Oh, so you'd have to send them all back, or none of them?
Click to expand...
OK, So going to send them all back. No biggie. So my next dilemma is what do I replace them with. I would like to populate all 4 slots and achieve either 16GB or 32GB. From what I have read MSFS2020, for which this build is for, is only pulling about 12GB with settings on high to ultra-high.
 
StumpyJake said:
OK, So going to send them all back. No biggie. So my next dilemma is what do I replace them with. I would like to populate all 4 slots and achieve either 16GB or 32GB. From what I have read MSFS2020, for which this build is for, is only pulling about 12GB with settings on high to ultra-high.
Click to expand...

I don't know, that's why I asked? :o 4 stick sets are actually kind of rare nowadays, but they do exist.

I'd just get 2x16 if I were you, because if you buy 8GB, then you run the risk of getting 16Gbit sticks. They're also easier for the memory controller than having 4.
 
For gaming many will argue that 16gb is still plenty. As for MSFS I'm not sure as I don't play it but if people are saying 32gb helps then go with that. 2x16gb dual rank sticks would be ideal but honesly worrying about if your RAM is dual rank or not probably isn't worth it as the gains are only really apparent in CPU limited titles. Ryzen likes faster RAM with 3600mhz being the sweet spot as the fps advantage to price increase doesn't go in the users favour after that.
 
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