Is RAM Speed, Capacity, or Timing More Important for Gaming?

When it comes to gaming, all three factors—speed, capacity, and timing—play a crucial role; however, their significance can vary based on specific circumstances. Here’s a detailed breakdown to help you make informed decisions.

Capacity

Importance: Sufficient RAM capacity is generally required for optimal gaming performance, especially when running multiple applications simultaneously. Modern games often recommend at least 16 GB of RAM for top-tier performance. If you intend to run additional applications alongside your games, such as streaming software or multiple browsers, having 32 GB becomes more advantageous.

Recommendation: Aim for at least 16 GB of RAM for gaming. For those who plan to future-proof their system and engage in tasks with high memory demands, 32 GB is a better choice.

Speed

Importance: RAM speed, measured in MHz, can significantly impact performance, particularly in CPU-bound scenarios. Faster RAM can lead to better frame rates and reduced loading times, especially for games sensitive to memory bandwidth.

Recommendation: For gaming, prioritize RAM with a speed of at least 3200 MHz. Systems with Ryzen processors, in particular, can benefit noticeably from higher RAM speeds, such as 3600 MHz or more.

Timing (Latency)

Importance: RAM timing, measured in CAS latency (CL), affects how quickly the RAM can respond to requests. Lower latency can improve performance, but the difference is less pronounced compared to the impacts of speed and capacity.

Recommendation: While prioritizing speed and capacity is key, if your option, consider choosing lower latency options like CL16 instead of CL18 for marginal performance gains.

Conclusion

Overall, for gaming, capacity is often the most critical factor, followed by speed. Timing is less impactful, but it can still contribute to improved performance. If you're building or upgrading a gaming PC, focus on acquiring at least 16 GB of fast RAM with a speed of 3200 MHz or higher, and consider lower latency options for added benefits.

TL;DR

Yes, some games require a lot of RAM to work well, while others are very sensitive to timings to reach high frame rates, and still others need good RAM bandwidth to feed the graphics card, as the latter can’t hold all the assets in its VRAM. Depending on the game, all three factors can be crucial.