With RAM having a huge impact on AMD processors, we take a closer look at today’s market to try and find the best RAM for Ryzen 5000 series CPUs
Updated: Dec 9, 2022 3:52 pm
At long last, the wait for AMD’s highly-anticipated Ryzen 5000 series CPU lineup is almost over. The new lineup is set to launch on the 5th of November and has consumers hyped thanks to a massive leap in performance when compared to last gen’s 3000 series predecessors.
One of the big improvements when comparing Zen 3 to Zen 2, apart from their increased clock speed and improved architecture, is the performance gains found when pairing them with faster RAM.
RAM is your PC’s physical memory. It stores essential data used by open applications and tasks that can be rapidly accessed by the CPU at any time and in any order. For all intents and purposes, having faster RAM usually translates to quicker processing performance.
That said, AMD has announced an increase in RAM speed compatibility for the latest Zen 3 architecture, improving on last-gen’s 3800MHz sweet spot. AMD now suggests that 4000MHz is the sweet spot for Zen 3, meaning even quicker processing time and higher levels of overclocking headroom.
With that in mind, and thanks to an increase in online debate, we’re going to be finding the best RAM for Ryzen 5000 series CPUs. We’ll be considering price, performance, aesthetics, and latency as we go, ensuring that only informed and value products are selected.
So, with plenty to get through, let’s waste no further time and dive into it!
Our Top Picks
01
Best RAM For Ryzen 5000
G.Skill TridentZ RGB 4000MHz
02
Best RAM For High-end Ryzen 5000 Builds
G.Skill Trident Z Royal
03
Best RAM For Ryzen 5600X
Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 4000MHz
How We Choose
Choosing new hardware is never easy. It usually involves hours of intense product research, user feedback, and a whole host of other considerations to get anywhere close to a definitive decision.
If you aren’t tech-savvy and struggle to put the time aside to go through the above requirements, you may end up purchasing a piece of hardware that simply isn’t right for your specific needs.
Fear not though, friends! Here at WePC, we like to take the stress of research away, and transform the whole process into an easy-to-follow, complete buyers guide. That’s right, our team of PC enthusiasts has done all the hard work for you!
Best RAM For Ryzen 5000: Things To Consider
Like any hardware upgrade, choosing the right product for your particular setup usually comes with a whole host of secondary considerations.
When it comes to the best RAM for Ryzen 5000 series CPUs, the list can be quite extensive. That being said, here are some of the most important factors you should consider before making an upgrade.
What Is RAM?
With an increasing demand put on the RAM by both games and operating tasks, many people are starting to ask more questions about what RAM is and how it affects their performance.
Let’s start by getting the basics out of the way. RAM is short for Random Access Memory. It’s your system’s dynamic memory – unlike the static memory found in HDDs and SSDs. Your PC’s RAM is used to store data in the short-term, holding data used by active applications and tasks that can be accessed by the CPU at any time and in any order.
Whilst RAM does have an impact on both gaming and productivity workflows, it is not the most important factor when doing either. That said, it plays an essential role in processing speed and can not be overlooked when you’re building a PC.
How Much RAM Do I Need For Ryzen 5000?
That all depends on what you plan on using your new Ryzen 5000 series CPU for. If you’re a gamer who is looking to get the absolute best experience from the games you plan, I would recommend a minimum of 8GB. Whilst many gamers utilize 16GB, it isn’t actually necessary for good gaming performance – the CPU and GPU are much more important in this endeavor.
For people looking to perform highly-taxing workflows, including CAD, rendering, and 3D animation, users should look at a minimum of 16GB. For more intense workflow scenarios, users can go above and beyond this, with 32GB being a regular addition to many productivity systems.
Best RAM For Ryzen: The Sweet Spot
As many will already know, AMD have always made it apparent that their Ryzen lineup performs better when paired with faster clock frequency RAM – even more so when you compare it to Intel CPUs. With each passing generation, AMD are boasting even higher clock frequency support, with the latest Zen 3 architecture once again pushing the limits of what Ryzen CPUs can handle.
Last year’s Zen 2 CPUs were said to have a sweet spot of 3800MHz DDR4, however, that number has once again gone up. The lastest 5000 series CPUs now have a sweet spot of 4000MHz, providing performance gains when compared to slower clocked RAM.
All being said, that’s not to say using 3200MHz will give you poor performance, it will just be less than when using 4000MHz.
Should I Wait For DDR5 RAM?
With a lot of noise surrounding DDR5 and the next generation of AMD motherboards, many are starting to ask whether they should wait and pair a Ryzen 5000 series CPU with DDR5 RAM. Whilst I’d love to tell you the answer, it’s very hard to say exactly when DDR5 will be released and whether or not it’s going to be beneficial to a system running a Ryzen 5000 series CPU.
What we can predict, however, is the pricing and potential value of DDR5 RAM. If early news is anything to go by, DDR5 RAM will be much more powerful than DDR4, bringing with it a price tag to match. Unless you plan on splashing out for a completely new rig (motherboard and RAM), you’re probably better of sticking with what we know.
01
Best RAM For Ryzen 5000
G.Skill TridentZ RGB 4000MHz
Capacity
16GB (2×8)
Frequency
DDR4 4000MHz
CAS Latency
18
- Decent timings
- Excellent RGB
- Efficient heatsink
We’ve been impressed by the quality and performance of G.Skill’s RAM over the years, with their TridentZ RGB being up there with the best of the bunch. For me, the TridentZ RGB is the perfect balance between performance, aesthetics, and price – albeit slightly on the higher side of the pricing spectrum. We’ve given the TridentZ RGB 4000MHz our editor’s choice award and for good reason – it really does tick all the right boxes when it comes to Ryzen 5000 series CPUs.
Aesthetically, this RAM kit might be some of the best on the market, bringing a sharp, stylish look to the table that is accentuated by tasteful RGB. The heatsink has been well considered and does a superb job of mitigating heat when the memory is being used to its maximum capacity. The build quality is also a key reason why this RAM gets our top spot in this guide, it feels absolutely rock solid and fit to stand the test of time.
Aesthetics and build aside, more importantly, the G.Skill TridentZ RGB offers up excellent performance whether you’re gaming or performing productivity workflows. The fast 4000MHz clock speed is the ideal sweet spot for the new CPUs, allowing the processor to reach its maximum potential during heavy loads.
CAS latency is very good for RAM of this speed, coming in at 18-19-19-39 respectively. Whilst out of the box timings are decent, you do have the opportunity to overclock both the clock frequency and timings a little. That said, you probably won’t get a tonne of extra performance by doing so – still, it’s certainly more than other, less flexible RAM offerings.
Overall, a top-end RAM kit that gets nothing but praise from us.
