PC builders are finally getting their hands on the new Ryzen 3000 series of processors, including the Ryzen 5 3600, Ryzen 7 3700X, 3800X and the Ryzen 9 3900X, and for those looking to do a build with one of these, many will be asking the same question – what are the best RAM kits, memory speeds and CAS latencies for Ryzen 3000 builds?
In this guide, we will focus on what the best RAM speeds and types are for Ryzen 3000 processors, and recommend the best RAM for each selected CAS latency and frequency, drawing from value options, low-profile options and best all-round RAM options for Ryzen 3000.
Optimum CAS Latency and Memory Speed for Ryzen 3000
1. DDR4 3733 MHz – Absolute best performance
From the horses mouth itself, AMD has claimed that 3733 MHz CL17 is the fastest RAM speed Ryzen 3000 processors can support without issues with latency and the controller. Infinity fabric is only supported up to memory clock speeds of 3733 MHz, and thus memory speed is very important until you reach 3733 MHz, and above this speed is where lower latency becomes more important.
3733 CL17 RAM isn’t cheap, so we recommend going for this RAM truly if money is no object, AND you don’t plan on overclocking your RAM (which I believe voids warranty if you do). If money is an object and like many PC builders, there is a budget to your build – then we recommend opting for 3600 MHz CL16 or instead 3200 MHz CL14 memory for Ryzen 3000 processors.
Reasons to pick 3733 CL17 over other RAM speeds:
- For maximum performance out of the box, without overclocking
- For builders where money is no object and want the best memory for Ryzen 3000, period
2. DDR4 3600 MHz CL16 – Price/performance sweet spot
Claimed by AMD themselves, 3600MHz CL16 has been tested to be the price/performance sweet spot memory speed and timings for Ryzen 3000, and personally, we would trust what the manufacturer recommends – if you do have a budget for your Ryzen 3000 build but want the optimum performance without going all-out on memory.
AMD has shown 3600 CL16 to have the same latencies as 3200 MHz at CL14 latency, but with 3600 CL16 you have the added benefit of greater bandwidth and better performing Infinity Fabric.
Reasons to pick 3600 CL16 over other RAM speeds:
- Best price/performance RAM for Ryzen 3000, as claimed by AMD
- Perfect if you don’t plan on overclocking the memory since fantastic performance out of the box.
- More bandwidth and faster Infinity Fabric than 3200 Cl14.
3. DDR4 3200 MHz CL14 – Best budget option & for those who want to OC their RAM
If you can’t afford the high price tag of DDR4 3733 MHz CL17 RAM and you are happy overclocking the RAM, then we recommend going for a 3200 MHz CL14 B-Die memory kit. With 3200 CL14 you can overclock the RAM to a higher frequency using infinity fabric whilst retaining a lower latency than you would if you have a 3733 MHz RAM. It shouldn’t be difficult at all to overclock the 3200CL14 RAM up to 3600CL15 without issue.
3200Mhz CL14 RAM also is well suited for Ryzen 3000 since they are typically good bins, and pretty much all Samsung B-die memory – which means they are perfect for overclocking with Ryzen Zen 2 processors. In addition, 3200CL14 is better supported for B450, X470 and X370 chipset motherboards running Ryzen 3000 processors, since these chipsets won’t typically support memory much faster than 3200 MHz.
Reasons to pick 3200 CL14 over other RAM speeds:
- Usually well binned
- Cheapest option out of the three
- Great performance
- Can overclock using Infinity Fabric for additional memory speed
- Typically Samsung B-die (great compatibility for Ryzen)
- Better compatibility with previous AMD chipsets such as X470 and B450
Samsung B-Die and Ryzen 3000: Why to pick B-Die memory for Ryzen builds
It is becoming fairly common knowledge that for Ryzen builds, Samsung B-Die memory performs far better and has far better compatibility with Ryzen IMC than any other type of memory manufacturer, and to be honest, nobody really knows the exact reason why. Therefore, if you’re looking to build with a Ryzen 3000 processor, we recommend to pair it with a B-die memory kit.
There has been speculation that Samsung will be ending production of B-die RAM, but that only applies to 20nm B-die RAM, whilst 14nm B-die will remain in production.
Moreover, early benchmarks of RAM compatibility with the new Ryzen Zen 2 / 3000 processors also shows Micron E-die to perform well with the new AMD processors, and in some instances perform better than Samsung’s B-die memory.
All models we will be recommending in this guide will have Samsung B-die memory, to ensure you get the maximum memory performance out of your upcoming Ryzen build. If you want to check a specific memory kit if its B-die, this website is a useful tool to check.
Best DDR4 3600 CL16 RAM for Ryzen 3000
The best value 3600 MHz CL16 RAM kit comes from Crucial with their Ballistix Elite series, coming in either 16GB (2x8GB) or 32GB Kits (8GBx4). These are Samsung B-die that are perfect for Ryzen Zen 2, and feature heat spreaders with a height of 41mm, and timings of 16-18-18-36 and 1.35V voltage. These are the best, cheapest low profile sticks should you want B-die, 3600 MHz and CL16 for Ryzen 3000 processors such as the 3600, 3700X, 3800X and 3900X.
If you’re looking for the best overall performance RAM for Ryzen 3000, then we recommend the G.Skill TridentZ RGB 3600 MHz CL16 memory kit. This is also Samsung B-Die DDR4 memory and features a super sleek aluminum heatsink with controllable RGB design, and will perform great whilst looking fantastic in any build. This DDR4 3600CL16 memory kit is mid-range priced for the memory speed, and has a rating of 16-16-16-36 and features XMP 2.0 and a height of 44mm.
Best DDR4 3200 CL14 RAM for Ryzen 3000
If you’re looking for the best overall 3200 CL14 RAM for Ryzen 3000, you’re probably to get as much bang for your buck compared to the other Ryzen recommended memory speeds. Thus a great performance for its price 3200 CL14 RAM kit we would recommend is G.Skill TridentZ series of RAM. This 3200 CL14 B-die memory offers a great performance for its price point and offers a sleek design with an aluminum heat spreader and timings of 14-14-14-43.
The best, cheapest 3200MHz CL16 RAM we would recommend for Ryzen 3000, which is a little bit cheaper than the TridentZ series is G.Skills Flare X series. This B-die DDR4 memory is 3200Mhz CL14, with a timing of 14-14-14-34 and is XMP enabled, and is perfect for overclocking to higher speeds using infinity fabric. With a height of 40mm, it is also one of the best low profile 3200MHz CL14 memory sticks available for Ryzen 3000, too.
There you go, we have covered our recommended and standout memory kits and speeds for Ryzen 3000, and think one of these kits will be suited for any Ryzen 3000 build, whether it be on a budget or enthusiast-grade level. Below, I will leave a useful resource should you want to do any further research and look at all available Samsung B-die RAM for 3200MHz CL14 and 3600MHz CL16 – the best memory speeds for Ryzen 3000.