What RAM speed is optimal for Ryzen 7 9850X3D builds?

Question

So I finally managed to save up enough for my dream build and Im planning to pick up a Ryzen 7 9850X3D as soon as it drops next month. Im mostly gonna be playing heavy sims like Tarkov and doing some 4k video editing on the side so I want this thing to be snappy. Ive been looking at some RAM kits and honestly Im a bit lost on what speed to actually buy. I read on a few forums that 6000MHz CL30 is still the gold standard for stability on the AM5 platform but then I see other tech reviewers claiming that the newer memory controllers on these chips can easily hit 6400MHz or even 8000MHz in some cases with the new gear ratios.

My budget for the RAM is about 180 bucks and I really dont want to spend forever tweaking timings in the BIOS if I can help it. Does the massive L3 cache on the 9850X3D make the actual RAM speed less of a bottleneck anyway? I dont want to overspend on a 6400 kit if its just gonna cause stability issues or if the performance gains are basically invisible for gaming. What speed and latency are you guys actually seeing the best results with for these new X3D chips?

CloverCryptic · Accepted Answer

In my experience, chasing speeds above 6000MHz is a waste of money for X3D chips. The massive L3 cache basically mitigates memory latency bottlenecks in heavy sims like Tarkov. Youre better off investing in capacity for your 4k editing. I recommend Silicon Power Zenith 64GB DDR5 6000MHz CL30 for stability. 64GB will be way more noticeable during video rendering than marginal frequency bumps that often cause system crashes anyway.

DoctorUnclear · Answer

how much total capacity were you thinking for that 4k editing? honestly if youre doing heavy video work 64gb might be better than chasing crazy high speeds. in my experience Corsair Vengeance RGB 32GB DDR5 6000MHz CL30 is basically plug and play whereas something like TeamGroup T-Force Delta RGB 32GB DDR5 6400MHz CL32 gives more bandwidth for renders but can be finicky. that x3d cache carries gaming but editing still needs fast pipes.

EchoEclipse · Answer

I stick to 6000MHz CL30. I once spent a whole weekend troubleshooting 6400MHz instability just to get 2 more FPS. Never again.G.Skill Flare X5 32GB DDR5-6000 CL30 Keep it simple.