What RAM should I use for an RTX 3060 budget build?

In my experience, 3600MHz is definitely the sweet spot for Ryzen CPUs. Honestly, the difference between CL16 and CL18 is pretty minimal for 1080p gaming, so dont overspend there. I'd grab a 16GB kit of Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 3600MHz CL18 or G.Skill Ripjaws V 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 3600MHz CL16 if the price is close. 16GB is still plenty for a 3060 build!! gl

Honestly, for a Ryzen 5 and an RTX 3060, you're right on the money with 16GB. Going for 32GB is lowkey overkill for a budget build unless you're doing heavy video editing on the side. Regarding the speed, 3600MHz is definitely the "sweet spot" for Ryzen's Infinity Fabric, but don't stress the CL16 vs CL18 thing too much—the real-world FPS difference at 1080p is basically margin of error stuff.

If you want some solid alternatives that aren't the usual suspects, I'd check out the Teamgroup T-Force Vulcan Z 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 3600MHz CL18 or the Silicon Power Turbine 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 3200MHz CL16. Both are usually cheaper and perform great. If you find a 3200MHz kit for way less than a 3600MHz one, just grab it; you won't actually feel the difference in-game with a 3060. Hope that helps you save a few bucks for your GPU! gl with the build

Honestly, I think you'll be totally fine with 3200MHz if it saves you some cash! I've used Crucial and Kingston sticks in my budget builds and they're SUPER reliable. Between 3200 and 3600, the performance jump is basically tiny for gaming, like, maybe a couple frames?? Plus, lower speed is lowkey safer for system stability anyway. I mean, ur definitely not gonna bottleneck that 3060 with either one, so basically just get what's cheapest!

I think sticking with 3200MHz is the more logical move if youre trying to keep costs down. IIRC the performance gap between that and 3600MHz is barely noticeable in actual gameplay unless youre staring at a frame counter all day. Not sure if the newer drivers for the 3060 have changed the way it handles memory bandwidth, but for 1080p, it probably wont matter much. Honestly, keeping things stable is more important than chasing a 1% gain. Its kinda like when I tried to optimize my home office setup for energy efficiency last month. I spent way too much time measuring the wattage of my printer and desk lamp just to save like three dollars on my power bill. I ended up getting a smart power strip that turned everything off at once, but then it kept tripping the breaker whenever the vacuum was on in the next room. Total headache for basically no payoff... but yeah, just get the 3200MHz and dont overthink it.

Gonna try this over the weekend. Will report back if it works!

> Between 3200 and 3600, the performance jump is basically tiny for gaming

+1 to what was said earlier! Honestly, I'm kinda cautious about overspending too. 3200MHz is usually way better value. But wait, what motherboard are you actually using?? Some budget boards might struggle with 3600 anyway, lol. I've noticed ADATA or PNY often have better deals lately if you check market prices. Just stick to 16GB and save ur cash for a better SSD, you know?

Any updates on this?

Saved for later, ty!

Like someone mentioned, the motherboard chipset really determines if you can even hit those higher speeds without crashing. Im pretty satisfied with 3200MHz since it works well with Ryzens memory controller without forcing you to manual-tune the SOC voltages or infinity fabric ratios.

• less stress on the IMC
• runs cooler during long sessions
• plug and play stability Actually, talking about stability reminds me of this old truck I used to have back in high school. The engine was solid but the transmission would slip if I went over 50. I ended up having to zip-tie the shift linkage just to get to my summer job every day. It smelled like burnt oil for three months. anyway lol