You can buy RAM with speeds from 4800 MT/s up to around 8400 MT/s, these numbers are growing and standards like CU-DIMM are coming. But is it worth going for a more expensive kit?
Many gamers are wondering if they should pay extra for faster RAM. The goal is simple, they want to ensure maximum performance while playing. However, the logic when choosing RAM can vary, someone wants the memory not to slow down their new and very fast processor, another wants to have maximum speeds guaranteed for the future, and another wants to win with the timings, for which the fastest modules are ideal.
We can’t see into the future, but in this article we will measure the meaning of the fastest RAMs on the market at the beginning of 2025. We will not do it through synthetic benchmarks, but we will measure everything in practice directly in games. This gives the player a nice idea of what difference buying better mods will make.
In the article, we will deal only with speed and, incidentally, with timing, we will not deal directly with capacity here. However, let’s clarify that it is optimal for players to buy 2x 16 GB in 2025, i.e. a total of 32 GB of RAM. Especially if you’re building a mid-range and high-end gaming PC, this is futureproof. Only a gaming PC with a very limited budget would consider 2x 8GB – this capacity would start to slow you down very quickly.
AMD vs. Intel
Even before the actual test, we need to clarify the issue of RAM when combined with processors from different manufacturers. It makes a big difference whether you buy memory for an Intel or AMD processor. AMD’s AM5 platform uses exclusively DDR5 memory, and this is already the second generation of products. Unfortunately, in this case, the manufacturer uses the same memory controllers for both the Ryzen 7000 and 9000, so there was no change in the 2024 news.
In general, processors with an AM5 socket have the so-called sweetspot to 6000 MT/s, or to 6400 MT/s in the case of better processor silicon. In other words, it is not worth buying the cheapest RAM, but at around 6000 MT/s timing plays a bigger role. With higher transmission rates, at best the performance will be the same, in the worst case it may even decrease.
A simple lesson for Ryzen 7000 and 9000 is to buy 2x 16 GB DDR5 with 6400 MT/s speed and good timing. Then test if 6000 MT/s doesn’t give better results. Do not buy CU-DIMM modules for Ryzens yet, not every motherboard supports them and most likely their support will only apply to Ryzens 9000. Considering the sweet spot of 6400 MT/s, however, perhaps these more expensive memories will not even make sense.
At Intel, the situation is much more interesting. The new Intel Core Ultra 200 processors have very good memory controllers and can benefit not only from higher transfer speeds, but also from the new CU-DIMM standard, which we will explain in a moment. With Intel, you want the fastest possible RAM, and the ceiling is only the options and prices of the sold kits.
We perform the following test for an Intel Core Ultra 7 265K processor to show the capabilities of fast RAM modules. However, you can also look at the resulting numbers as the possibilities of the new Intel platform, how it works with memories and what is worth buying for it.
Source: pctuning.cz
