what CAS latency is best for gaming

What CAS latency is best for gaming is a common question among the gamers. When given options, one should go for the RAM modules that have the lowest CAS latency possible. However, things get complicated when the RAM speeds are involved. For instance, while DDR4 has higher latency than DRR3, it also has a higher speed than DDR3. DDR4 DIMM has better performance than DDR3. What CAS latency is best for gaming varies from one module to another. Lower CAS is better when other aspects are equal e.g speed, generation

As we move from 1080p to high-speed and lower CL values, we see an improvement in performance. In the comparison between higher frequencies and 3600 MHz CL15 RAM, the latter holds a good position because of its performance and price. At 1440p, the improvement is almost the same. However, since the GPU is put under greater strain, the average FPS difference becomes smaller. The differences are negligible at 4K, though, since most of the work is done by the GPU. Invest more on a powerful graphics card if you plan on playing 4K games.

The main difference between Ryzen and older Intel CPUs is that Ryzen’s multi-threading allows it to utilize faster RAM. In recent months, Intel has produced processors that support Hyper-Threading, their 10th-generation processors. Generally, you will be better off going for RAM that has a clock speed of 3600 MHz CL16 or higher, since they cost a bit more but are more effective.

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Will lower Cas Latency give me better FPS in games?

As for your question, yes, a game with lower latency RAM will run faster. It depends on other factors as to how many frames per second you will get. AMD Ryzen processors tend to be more responsive when they have better RAM.

In reality, CL timings differ by only nanoseconds.

CL15 RAM running at 2400mhz will have a latencies of approximately 12.5 nanoseconds, while CL17 RAM will have a latencies of 14.1666666 nanoseconds, so the difference will be around 1.6 nanoseconds.

Is your CPU a Ryzen model? In this case, you’ll get 2-5 more frames per second by using a dual channel ram kit (8×2). The speed difference between 2133 and 2400 should not be very noticeable…

Lower cas is better when speed is the same.

If you are using a discrete graphics card, you do not experience a meaningful change in frame rate.

Read more on G.Skill Trident Z Royal Series

Which affects gaming more, RAM speed or CAS latency?

CPU – Processors divide a given task into several segments so that it can be completed within a specified amount of time.

GPU — Responsible for Graphics management as well as task completion involving graphical operations within a specified period of time.

When an instruction is given for a particular column, the number of clock cycles that pass between its execution and the time the data is available is called CAS latency. The lower the CAS latency, the better your memory performance will be depending on the memory technology that you are using (DDR, DDR2, or DDR3). A typical CAS latency value will be as follows:

DDR – 2.5, 3 Cycles

DDR2 – 3, 4, 5, 6 Cycles

DDR3 – 7, 9 Cycles

Theoretically, I have a hard time answering this. A per-game test would be needed. why? A game or engine’s ability to avoid “cache misses” (requesting data that isn’t currently in cache memory) plays a large role in this.

Occasionally, even really slow RAM can be exploited by well-designed software, since it makes use of the cache memory to its fullest extent, which makes RAM speed almost irrelevant.

The problem is that this is a situation you will never be able to achieve. Still, you may be able to strike an almost similar position.

As a rule, I choose RAM based on its speed, and then look for alternatives that are cheaper yet have the same speed and CL. Things that are really expensive don’t deserve to be bought, so I steer clear of them.

Whenever I’m looking for a new set of Ripjaws, I always pick up the G.Skill Ripjaws X. They always have great value.

RAM CAS Latency (CL) and Timings

A CAS latency is a measure of a RAM’s ability to access and return data from a set of columns to its pins within a given period of time. Low CAS latencies are better. It is possible that you have seen 16GB RAM kits that cost 80$ and 110$ respectively. A major factor in the difference in price is the CAS Latency. Those with a CL14 could be more expensive, while those with CL18 could be cheaper. In some circumstances, the CAS Latency of a lower speed RAM is superior to the CAS Latency of a higher speed one.

Memory timing is comprised of four values which describe the CL, the tRCD, the tRP, and the tRAS, respectively. CL gets a lot of attention and advertising since it is the one most dependent on the rest. It’s probably better if they’re lower, but because they’re dependent on CAS latency, they don’t have as much of an impact. This is why DDR5 DIMM are performing better than DDR4 modules.

Why Lower CAS Latency is Better or Highly Rated?

This section discusses an important factor you should consider when choosing RAM. Say you have a choice between two RAM kits. We will assume that they are both 16GB in size and have the same clock speed (3200 MHz). They have different CAS latency values, one is 14 and the other is 16.

In your opinion, which one would you choose based on what criteria? A RAM module with a 14 CAS latency will have 14 clock cycles between the time the CPU sends a request and the time it outputs data. Interestingly, when the CPU sends a request to the RAM, the RAM with a CAS latency of 16 will require 16 clock cycles for the data to be made available.

The RAM with a CAS of 14 is therefore faster than one with a CAS of 16 because the operation time is 2 cycles shorter. Assuming both kits have the same clock speed and size, we can conclude that the kit with a lower CAS latency will be better.

Lower CAS-type RAM is likely to be more expensive than higher CAS-type RAM. To that end, we recommend choosing a memory that fits in with your budget while giving you the performance you need.

Does CAS latency and RAM speed matter if I plan to overclock?

Yes, the speed and CL of your ram is important. Clearly you can overclock to the rated speeds and CLs. When determining the suitable ram for your laptop, CAS latency should among the few things to keep in mind.

Is 16 CAS latency good?

While DDR4 3200 CAS 16 is still considered to be within the range of “fine,” it is slower than it should be. Both these numbers need to be taken into account. It low enough for any good DDR4 RAM for Ryzen 3700X.

Which is better, CAS latency 9 or 11?

A memory technology’s CAS latency is generally better when it’s lower. Accordingly, if all other things remain equal, a CL-9 will outperform a CL-11

Is CAS latency 10 good?

A DDR3 RAM’s CAS latency is normally nine or ten , and a DDR4 RAM’s will be at least fifteen . On the other hand, the newer standard has better overall performance because of its faster clock speeds

Why do DDR3 have lower latency than DDR4 DIMM RAM

Some of you may be familiar with different generations of DDR RAM and which are most commonly used. Among them are DDR5, DDR3 and DDR4. As far as clock speeds and power efficiency are concerned, the latter is newer and better.

RAM modules using DDR3 have CAS latency from 9 to 10, while RAM modules using DDR4 have CAS latency from 15 to 19 or more. Although DDR4 modules with CAS14 are not uncommon, the CAS isn’t the only factor to consider. As long as the clock speed is the same, these are better than the ones with CAS 15 to 19.

DDR4 modules, however, have a greater CAS latency when compared to DDR3 modules. Compared to DDR3, newer generation RAM offers better performance since it has higher clock speeds.

Check your motherboard and CPU for the maximum speed and capacity they can handle along with CAS latency. Having this information will help you buy RAM that works well with your motherboard.

What is the fastest RAM speed available for gaming?

Memory clocked at 5100 MHz is currently available, but it is very expensive. The normal RAM speed is below 4000 MHz (zenos and zen+ CPUs work well with 3200 mhz ram, ram speed greater than that causes the CPUs to run hot, Zen 2 CPUs can work well with 3600 – 3733 mhz ram).

Depending on the processor and motherboard, the ram speed can range from 2133 mhz / 2400 mhz / 2666 mhz , only Z series chipset are capable of operating at 2866 mhz or higher.

Final Thoughts on what CAS latency is best for gaming

You can achieve the optimum performance you desire when gaming with RAM that has the highest clock speed and the lowest CAS Latency. In addition to determining which RAM is ideal for your laptop, you should also consider the size of your storage (8GB, 16GB, 32GB, etc…) and your budget. The following information gives you a good idea of what you need to know before getting a RAM stick

In describing latency, we did not only describe what it is but also how it can affect RAM performance under different situations.

The timing of your RAM upgrade or replacement is not the only factor to consider; other aspects such as the speed, size, and motherboard compatibility are also important. As a result, RAM can also be analyzed incorrectly by focusing only on latency.