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RAM

Best RAM for Intel Core i7-9700K & i9-9900K Builds

April 6, 2020 by BuildPicker Leave a Comment

best ram for core i7 9700k i9 9900k

When building a PC setup, you will always want to link each individual piece of hardware together the same way you’d do a well-built chain, or an artistic puzzle. You want that chain to be strong, and that puzzle be beautiful, the same way you need all your hardware pieces to work together in harmony.

To avoid bottlenecking your PC, you’ll want the specifications of your hardware to maximize the capabilities of your main components. This way, your computer will function in an effortless symphony of maximized output; an optimization of its intended purpose.

The relationship between random access memory (RAM) and your core processor is what enhances the overall performance of your build. RAM is what enables your CPU to properly engage in running software, transferring data, avoid slowdowns, freezes, and crashes.

How much RAM for my 9700K/9900K build?

If you’re looking to purchase Intel’s mid-range i7-9700K, or upper-mid-range i9-9900K, then there will be certain key elements you will need from your RAM, depending on the intended purpose of your computer.

First, let’s speak of RAM size. If you’re looking to make a computer for browsing, low-intensive work-related programs, or even for modern-generation popular online multiplayer gaming, you will want a minimum of 8GB of RAM. This will be sufficient for these low-demanding games, programs such as Microsoft Suite, web-browsing, and so forth. If you’re looking to build a gaming setup, then 16 GB RAM is the way to go. This amount of RAM is more than enough to play even the most demanding of games; and if you’re looking to future-proof your build for the new generation set to appear with the next-gen consoles, it has been announced that both Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X will feature 16GB of RAM, so you will be safe no matter what. Now, if you’re looking to stream, edit raw-file photographs, and render high-resolution videos, then there really is no limit in how much RAM would be best – but 32GB of RAM would a sufficient standard to start. The more RAM you have, the easier (and faster) it will be for your computer to render together multiple stacks of high-resolution videos – and with 8K just around the corner, it would be best to future-proof your PC by buying sufficient amounts of RAM. Of course, you can always upgrade as you go.

What RAM speed for Intel 9700K/9900K?

Next, you will want to choose the speed of the RAM you are to purchase (which is measured in MHz) depending, of course, on your needs. For a budget build, 2400-2666 MHz will work sufficiently, while for gaming speeds of 3000-3200 MHz are best. Anything above these speeds will bring you diminishing returns, and are generally not worth the cost. The same applies for workstations, though if cost is not an issue, the higher the speeds the better.

Best CAS Latency for Intel Core i7-9700K & 9900K builds?

Depending on the speed of the RAM, what is also very important is their inherent latency, measured in CAS (Column Address Strobe/Signal). This latency figure relates to the cycles it takes for the RAM to access data in one of it’s column addresses, in contrast to the speed which refers to how many transfers are conducted per second. The lower the CAS latency, the better. Having high-latency RAM will also bottleneck its speed and overall performance. Let’s take for example two identical G.Skill Trident Z DDR4 RAMs, one with a speed of 3600 MHz and latency of C16, versus the same RAM with a speed of 3200 MHz and latency of C15. The benchmarks between the two sets of RAM show a difference in overall, effective, speed in favor of the 3200 MHz C15 RAM, as opposed to the 3600 MHz C16 RAM. For both gaming and workstation, the CAS measure is highly important.

With all this in mind, we will provide you with the best 2020 RAM options for all three of the aforementioned types of builds – a budget build, a gaming build, and a workstation build.


Best RAM for i7-9700K & i9-9900K Builds – My Recommendations

Best RAM for Budget i7-9700K/i9-9900K Builds

Crucial 8GB Single DDR4 2666

Crucial is just an overall great brand for RAM and ROM alike when shopping on a budget. They make high quality components at just a fraction of the cost of their competitors. Here, too, they’ve made a single-rank 8 GB DDR4 SDRAM card that has respectable speeds of 2666 MHz, and is low-profile enough to fit in cases where the CPU cooler/heatsinks take up considerable amounts of case-relative space. It does have a high latency of 19 CAS, though if you aren’t looking to play demanding (mostly single-player) games, or running hardware-intensive programs, the 2666 MHz speed is more than enough to perform sufficiently for your build.

The best part of this RAM card is its extremely-low current $36 price. Given the fact that the 8GB of RAM comes in a single-rank, means that you will also have available slots in your motherboard for upgrades, so you can buy multiple units of this RAM depending on how your needs evolve with time. Overall, a great investment for its money.

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Best RAM for i7-9700K/i9-9900K Gaming Builds

Corsair-Vengeance-RGB-PRO-16GB

Let’s face it, if you’re going to make a gaming setup, you’re going to want some RGB pizazz – the more the components that have it, the better. Despite the existence of some components where the RGB lighting seems to have a negative effect on the overall performance of the unit (such as for case-fans for example), when it comes to the Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro, there is no compromise to be made. These have both style and substance, as they come in high speed, low latency variations, and have top-of-the-line performance to match their looks. These RAM units have dynamic multi-zone RGB lighting that can be controlled via Corsair’s iCue software interface, while also being compatible with MSI, Gigabyte, and ASUS’s different light-syncing software.

We recommend going for the 3000 MHz, C15, 16 GB (2x8GB) option, as this will be optimal for any gaming setup, and is currently selling at a very low price of $90. Of course, there is also the 3200 MHz, C14, option, though the price increases significantly (more than double the cost) for this variation, and is most likely going to be overkill for most gaming setups. For its looks, price, and performance, it’s hard not to recommend this RAM for any type of setup.

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Best RAM for i7-9700K & i9-9900K Workstation Builds

TeamGroup T-Force Dark Pro

The T-Force Dark Pro series are the absolute best RAM units you can buy for their price, in regards to speed and latency. This model is incredible fast, has great heat dissipation, and is optimized for the Intel’s XMP technology. XMP allows you to change multiple memory settings via the use of different profiles, so that you don’t have to worry about changing frequencies, voltages, or timings when you’re overclocking.

To dissipate heat resulting from these overclocking speeds, the T-Force Dark Pro has a five-piece heat sink with a unique trench design and an aluminum heat spreader. In regards to transmitting performance, these use a JEDEC RC 2.0 customized circuit board, which increases the distance between the power and signal layers. The lower the interference between power and signal, the higher the stability when overclocking, and the better the overall performance.

In regards to speed, this model has 3200 MHz, and an ultra-low CL 14-14-14-31 (C14) latencies. Effectively, it can transfer 25.6 GB/s. At its $130 price range for 16GB of memory, and a lifetime warranty, it faces no competition for its price. Buying four 8GB ranks – for an all-together 32GB RAM setup ($262.72 total) – is recommended for most workstations, though depending on the line of work to be produced more RAM may be necessary. The more the RAM the better, and for using the i9-9900K to its maximum overclocking capabilities, the TeamGroup T-Force Dark Pro is the best RAM money can buy.

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Filed Under: Guides, i7-9700K, i9-9900K, RAM

Best RAM & Memory Timings for Ryzen 3000 Processors (inc. 3600/X, 3700X, 3800X, 3900X)

July 25, 2019 by BuildPicker Leave a Comment

Best RAM for Ryzen 3000

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

Best Ram 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

 Crucial Ballistix Elite 3600CL16 RAM
Pictured: Best value 3600 MHz CL16 memory

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.

G.Skill TridentZ RGB 3600 MHz CL16 memory kit
Pictured: Best performance 3600 CL16 memory

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

G Skill TridentZ
Pictured: Best overall 3200 MHz CL14 memory

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.

G.Skills Flare X series
Pictured: Cheapest 3200 MHz CL16 memory

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.


Filed Under: Guides, Memory, RAM, Ryzen 5 3600, Ryzen 7 3700X, Ryzen 7 3800X, Ryzen 9 3900X

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