Is G.Skill Flaire still the best for Ryzen?

Xa3phod

Limp Gawd
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Sep 19, 2012
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170
I bought the G.Skill flaire X series (3200mhz 14-14-14-34) a few years ago for my Ryzen 1700. Now, I have a 5800X3D and I am still using that same ram. Is there better ram than the flair? The timing is super tight and I read that 3200 is the way to go with the Ryzen. I want the best since I have the best CPU for gaming and a RX6900XT, might as well have the best ram, or is the flair still best? Also, have 16GB and the only time I ever got close to using it all was when I had 2 VMs open at the same time, which is rare. 16GB or 32?



Thanks
 
Yes those sticks use Samsung b die with makes them some of the best for overclocking while performing ok at XMP.
Less programs will benefit from faster RAM with the 5800X3D due to the large cache but there is still some that flood the cache and do see decent gains.
Getting 4 sticks of your RAM would provide a small benefit though giving you 4 ranks as would running 2x16GB of the same RAM.

That RAM with ~1.5vdimm can typically do ~3600c14 3800c15 4000c16.
You may start running into WHEA errors due to the CPU\MB around 3800.

The best RAM is very expensive and probably not worth it since even though it can run a bit tighter primary timings at higher speeds like 3800c14 at XMP your current kit if you OC and tweak sub timings will be faster at 3600c14 due to tuned subs being way tighter than what XMP sets.
Edit: To be more accurate XMP does not set most of the sub timings that is left to the individual MB BIOS to decide.
 
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I've heard, but not tested that the super cache of the 5800X3d makes even potato RAM fine. I'm sure there are at least some improvements over potato but your RAM is no potato and enjoy some myself so feel confidant.
 
I've heard, but not tested that the super cache of the 5800X3d makes even potato RAM fine. I'm sure there are at least some improvements over potato but your RAM is no potato and enjoy some myself so feel confidant.
Like always it depends on the program and how much time the CPU needs to wait on data not in the cache but yes far less programs benefit greatly from faster RAM with the large 3D cache.
Small games like CSGO fit in the cache of 5800X and as such it doesn't benefit from faster RAM on ether CPU and performs slower on 5800X3D while FS2020 sees ~25% performance boost from 5800X3D and a few games still see large gains from faster RAM.
 
I'd either sit tight with what you have, or add another pair of sticks solely to get the dual ranking. Dual ranking can sometimes get a few percentage points improvement; whether that relatively small boost would be worth the cost is IMO doubtful.
 
I'd either sit tight with what you have, or add another pair of sticks solely to get the dual ranking. Dual ranking can sometimes get a few percentage points improvement; whether that relatively small boost would be worth the cost is IMO doubtful.

They might be dual rank already if they are older b-die no?

FWIW, I have a set of Trident Z RGB sticks that are essentially the same 14-14-14 timings @ 3200 except in 32GB (2x16GB) flavor. That might be an upgrade for the OP, if he needs more RAM, but otherwise the stuff he has now should be fine.
 
All b die 8GB sticks are single rank they are only dual rank with 16GB sticks as there is double the chips.
There is some very old chips that made dual rank 8GB DDR4 but they were not samsung b die and they would probably not run 3200c14 1.35v.

Provided the MB has 4 slots and is half decent quality with 6-8 PCB layers not a 4 layer PCB he would be better of getting two more 8GB sticks of b die than 2x16GB.
 
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