What ram speed for i7 6700k?

KindaHardcoreGamer · Jul 4, 2016

I'm asking this because I've heard that the card performs better the higher speed ram you have. Is this true? If so, what speed should I look for? If not, again, what speed should I look for?

Hlsgsz · Jul 4, 2016

If you game on integrated graphics or do heavy rendering, get as fast DDR ar your MB supports, though the sweetspot would be around 3200-3400.
If you have a discrete GPU and don't do heavy 3d rendering basically just get 2400Mhz DDR4 from a reputed manufacturer, as, from that upwards, the is no difference outside of synthetic benchmarks.

KindaHardcoreGamer · Jul 4, 2016

Hlsgsz :

I am planning to use a GTX 1080. Should I go for the 2400mhz? Is there literally zero difference in speeds past that, or is it just diminishing returns?

Hlsgsz · Jul 4, 2016

Neither diminishing, nor zero. Impercivable for all intents and purposes, except usage scenarios i enoumerated where ram counts.
Software is just not that limited by memory bandwith these days.

Tradesman1 · Jul 4, 2016

around 3200 is the best I've found for price to performance, might look at the Ripjaws V or TridentZ, both lines are very good, I'm currently running some TriZs (in sig)

BadActor · Jul 4, 2016

I would also opt for 3000 3200 speed RAM for a gaming system. Some games, such as Fallout 4, show up to a 20 percent increase in FPS with faster RAM. That's a pretty good bump for the relatively small price premium.

http://wccftech.com/fallout-4-performance-heavily-influenced-by-ram-speed-according-to-report/

Hlsgsz · Jul 4, 2016

BadActor :

That’s a 22 per cent increase in performance with faster RAM comparing the slowest to the fastest. Now, this scenario is an exaggeration as the GPU is a major limiting factor in performance and by using a Titan X at a low resolution, we have removed that bottleneck.

Realistically, you guys really think over 2400Mhz ram would make no difference in gaming. When are you ever going to be CPU bound that severly so it would come down to that?

BadActor · Jul 4, 2016

With the latest graphics cards, I actually believe it's going to be more prevalent, especially with i5's. Increased bandwidth demands from the new high end GPU's are growing fast. CPU's are going to have a hard time keeping up.

Hlsgsz · Jul 5, 2016

BadActor :

That is a fair posibility. Ok, OP, let's put it this way: $20 for going from 16 gigs 2400 to 3200. Another 20 for going from 3200 to 3400. So 3200 seems to be the sweetspot like Tradesman1 said. If you can just spend the extra $20 to get 3200 just in case, spend it. But if you are on a budget and that $20 gets you a better SSD for example, get the better SSD.

jtk2515 · Jul 5, 2016

AMD 7850 with 3200mhz! YOLO!!

KindaHardcoreGamer · Jul 5, 2016

BadActor :

How come not any higher? Is it unstable past 3200 or is it just not useful?

Tradesman1 · Jul 5, 2016

You could go higher, I try and look at price to performance, higher data rates tend to command higher prices

KindaHardcoreGamer · Jul 5, 2016

Tradesman1 :

Let's say I have no budget. Is 3200 the best idea?

Hlsgsz · Jul 5, 2016

KindaHardcoreGamer :

Then the best idea is the max. frequency your MB can support. It's specified on the manufacturer's page.

KindaHardcoreGamer · Jul 5, 2016

Hlsgsz :

I'm getting the Asus Maximus Viii Hero, which supports 3733mhz ram. I'll try to find that, but what latency should I be looking for? (Is there a particular brand that is good with latency?)

Hlsgsz · Jul 5, 2016

KindaHardcoreGamer :

CL latency is specified. Get the lowest you can get.
But, over 3600Mhz you will not find DIMMs larger than 4GB and I think it's better to have the posibility to go for 32GB in the future or straigh out get 32GB.
So this is the memory i would recommend:
16GB: http://pcpartpicker.com/product/gJM323/gskill-memory-f43600c16d16gvk
32GB: http://pcpartpicker.com/product/vsL7YJ/corsair-memory-cmk32gx4m4b3600c18r

EDIT: correction: there is memory kit over 3600Mhz that has 8GB DIMMS: http://gskill.com/en/product/f4-4133c19d-16gtza

KindaHardcoreGamer · Jul 5, 2016

Hlsgsz :

KindaHardcoreGamer :

CL latency is specified. Get the lowest you can get.
But, over 3600Mhz you will not find DIMMs larger than 4GB and I think it's better to have the posibility to go for 32GB in the future or straigh out get 32GB.
So this is the memory i would recommend:
16GB: http://pcpartpicker.com/product/gJM323/gskill-memory-f43600c16d16gvk
32GB: http://pcpartpicker.com/product/vsL7YJ/corsair-memory-cmk32gx4m4b3600c18r

EDIT: correction: there is memory kit over 3600Mhz that has 8GB DIMMS: http://gskill.com/en/product/f4-4133c19d-16gtza

I'll stick with the 16GB set. Thanks for your help!

Hlsgsz · Jul 5, 2016

You're welcome!

BadActor · Jul 5, 2016

KindaHardcoreGamer :

To answer your question, it's simply diminishing returns. An 8 GB kit of GSkill V series costs you about 12 dollars more for 3200 than 2133. For that, you get, let's say, a 20 percent improvement. Going to the next speed will cost you another 13 dollars, but you won't get another 20 percent improvement, maybe 5 percent. These are just made up numbers, but you get the point.

What ram speed for i7 6700k?

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