I know nothing about RAM

[shally17 1]

Hello All,

I am currently researching all the components for a new P3D build and have everything sorted apart from the RAM. My research has narrowed it down to GSkill DDR4 16Gig (2 x 8) at 3200MHz. However when I go to my suppliers website there are still so many to choose from with costs varying greatly. Can somebody please tell me what else is important when looking at RAM. Also, is there any point going to 32 GIG?

Thanks for listening,

Steve Shallcross,

Melbourne, Australia.

Edited May 27, 2019 by shally17

[Bob Scott 7,720]

The search tool is your friend.

https://www.avsim.com/forums/topic/548984-memory-speed/?tab=comments#comment-3961131

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

For P3D, 16 GB is just right.

[shally17 1]

Thanks for the reply Bert.

Edited June 1, 2019 by shally17

[PBest 7]

Hi Steve – for what it’s worth maybe I can pass along some recent information in regard to RAM that was news to me. I started off deciding on the CPU first starting with the GHz I was after/by how much I could afford. I’m nudging 70 so this build has to last me.

I decided I would run with a i7 9700K and overclock which is a new experience for me, my last was an i5 which did ok for its day (old rig in signature below).  I ended up ordering a de-lidded and binned i7 9700k from the US which they guarantee stable at 5.1Gz - Subject to -  being used with a set list of components they have tested it with, Coolers/Thermal Compounds/MOBOs and RAM configurations.

It was the RAM combinations that had me scratching my head as it seemed counter intuitive. The faster the RAM modules the less combinations and memory size.

·         DDR4 – 2133 (2x4Gb, 2x8Gb, 2x16Gb, 4x4Gb, 4x8Gb, 4x16Gb)

·         DDR4 – 2400 (2x4Gb, 2x8Gb, 2x16Gb, 4x4Gb, 4x8Gb, 4x16Gb)

·         DDR4 – 2666 (2x4Gb, 2x8Gb, 2x16Gb, 4x4Gb, 4x8Gb, 4x16Gb)

·         DDR4 – 2800 (2x4Gb, 2x8Gb, 2x16Gb, 4x4Gb, 4x8Gb)

·         DDR4 – 3000 (2x4Gb, 2x8Gb)

·         DDR4 – 3200 (2x4Gb, 2x8Gb)

I don’t know the technical reason for this - perhaps w6kd or Bert will be able to explain??  

Once I decided on 32Gb I went for the highest speed that I could get which was 2800. I had a lot of trouble trying to find a set which ended up with me paying more for 2800s than some 3200s available off the shelf and having to special order them and wait for a couple weeks. I went with 32Gb for Solidworks rather than FSX – I’m not sure if its helps out XPlane11 but will be there anyway.

The full enchilada ended up  being - ASUS Z390 Aorus Master MoBo - GSkill 2800 2x16Gb – i7-9700k CPU –Nocktua NH-D15 Cooler – 2 x 1Tb ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro M2 NvMe SSDs – 1 x Samsung 850 Evo SSD – ASUS Cerberus GTX 1070TI 8Gb GPU – bequiet straight power 11 750W PSU – to be packed into a Fractal Define R6 Case.

Cheers Pete

Edited June 6, 2019 by PBest
typo

[westman 257]

1 hour ago, PBest said:

Hi Steve – for what it’s worth maybe I can pass along some recent information in regard to RAM that was news to me. I started off deciding on the CPU first starting with the GHz I was after/by how much I could afford. I’m nudging 70 so this build has to last me.

I decided I would run with a i7 9700K and overclock which is a new experience for me, my last was an i5 which did ok for its day (old rig in signature below).  I ended up ordering a de-lidded and binned i7 9700k from the US which they guarantee stable at 5.1Gz - Subject to -  being used with a set list of components they have tested it with, Coolers/Thermal Compounds/MOBOs and RAM configurations.

It was the RAM combinations that had me scratching my head as it seemed counter intuitive. The faster the RAM modules the less combinations and memory size.

·         DDR4 – 2133 (2x4Gb, 2x8Gb, 2x16Gb, 4x4Gb, 4x8Gb, 4x16Gb)

·         DDR4 – 2400 (2x4Gb, 2x8Gb, 2x16Gb, 4x4Gb, 4x8Gb, 4x16Gb)

·         DDR4 – 2666 (2x4Gb, 2x8Gb, 2x16Gb, 4x4Gb, 4x8Gb, 4x16Gb)

·         DDR4 – 2800 (2x4Gb, 2x8Gb, 2x16Gb, 4x4Gb, 4x8Gb)

·         DDR4 – 3000 (2x4Gb, 2x8Gb)

·         DDR4 – 3200 (2x4Gb, 2x8Gb)

I don’t know the technical reason for this - perhaps w6kd or Bert will be able to explain??  

Once I decided on 32Gb I went for the highest speed that I could get which was 2800. I had a lot of trouble trying to find a set which ended up with me paying more for 2800s than some 3200s available off the shelf and having to special order them and wait for a couple weeks. I went with 32Gb for Solidworks rather than FSX – I’m not sure if its helps out XPlane11 but will be there anyway.

The full enchilada ended up  being - ASUS Z390 Aorus Master MoBo - GSkill 2800 2x16Gb – i7-9700k CPU –Nocktua NH-D15 Cooler – 2 x 1Tb ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro M2 NvMe SSDs – 1 x Samsung 850 Evo SSD – ASUS Cerberus GTX 1070TI 8Gb GPU – bequiet straight power 11 750W PSU – to be packed into a Fractal Define R6 Case.

Cheers Pete

Silicon lottery? easy 3200mhz and llower speed mems is not as hard for the memory controller( they ar free if a guy put in for example a 4800mhz kit and the pc dont both and cleam that it dont do 5.1ghz), i should buyed a 4x8gb 3200mhz kit or 2kits 3200 2x8gb , i run my x299 7980XE with 4x 8gb 4000mhz c17.

it can be tricky to get +3600mhz 4x8gb to work depending on mobo 2x16 mb is very tricky , with a decent mobo 4x8mb at 4000mhz c17 is about the max.

side note , was playing with 12x8gb total 96gb manage to get them stable at 4000mhz c16 Mobo ASUS ROG Dominus W3175X , nothing for the sim

Edited June 6, 2019 by westman

[PBest 7]

10 hours ago, westman said:

Silicon lottery? easy 3200mhz and llower speed mems is not as hard for the memory controller( they ar free if a guy put in for example a 4800mhz kit and the pc dont both and cleam that it dont do 5.1ghz), i should buyed a 4x8gb 3200mhz kit or 2kits 3200 2x8gb , i run my x299 7980XE with 4x 8gb 4000mhz c17.

it can be tricky to get +3600mhz 4x8gb to work depending on mobo 2x16 mb is very tricky , with a decent mobo 4x8mb at 4000mhz c17 is about the max.

side note , was playing with 12x8gb total 96gb manage to get them stable at 4000mhz c16 Mobo ASUS ROG Dominus W3175X , nothing for the sim

Hi westman - Yep I got the CPU from Silicon lottery - they were pretty good to deal with , the only problem was / is the $US v $Au exchange rate at 69c is pretty brutal but seeing it was a one off just sucked it in and went for it. Cheers Pete

[micstatic 4,319]

another RAM question.  I just bought a 9700k rig.  Motherboard isn't the best.  Asus Z390-P Prime.  I'm thinking about upgrading the 16gb RAM I have to 32GB.  I  think I currently have 3000 16gb.  Not sure the timing.  Should I go 3200 CL 14 or is 3000 CL 15 good enough?  Also trying to build in some future room.  

[Mace 1,909]

32 minutes ago, micstatic said:

another RAM question.  I just bought a 9700k rig.  Motherboard isn't the best.  Asus Z390-P Prime.  I'm thinking about upgrading the 16gb RAM I have to 32GB.  I  think I currently have 3000 16gb.  Not sure the timing.  Should I go 3200 CL 14 or is 3000 CL 15 good enough?  Also trying to build in some future room.  

I'd go for the lowest CL that you can.

[micstatic 4,319]

is CL15 about the lowest for 3000?  Does it matter if I go 2x16 vs 4x8?  thanks for the reply!

[Bob Scott 7,720]

1 hour ago, micstatic said:

is CL15 about the lowest for 3000?  Does it matter if I go 2x16 vs 4x8?  thanks for the reply!

No, 3000MHz CL15 is not the lowest.  2000 x CL divided by clock freq gives you the approximate real latency in ns.  10 is average, 9 is performance, below 8.5 is bleeding edge (lower is better).

So 3000 MHz CAS 15 RAM is 2000 x 15 / 3000 = 10ns RAM.  That's average consumer grade stuff.  3200 CAS 14 is 8.75 ns latency, considerably (12.5%) faster.

I would prefer 2x16 just because you know you're getting a matched pair.  If you go with 4 x 8 you'll want a single 4-DIMM kit that comes that way...if you try and put two 2 x 8 kits together, you may have some tricky timing configuration issues, even if they're the same make and model.

Regards