The comparison of 2933mhz vs 3200mhz is highly debated among enthusiasts and common consumers all over the Internet. Both of the frequencies are fast as compared to the older standards. Everything should be in sync to get the best out of such high RAM speeds. It would help if you had a compatible motherboard and CPU in order to take advantage of such high frequencies. On a similar test bench, the performance difference between both the modules might not be very significant, but differences in the system can cause a visible performance gap. Today, we look at the concept of 2933mhz vs 3200mhz in quite some detail.
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2933mhz vs 3200mhz in Numbers
The difference between 2933mhz and 3200mhz is just 267mhz, which might not feel like a lot, but theoretically speaking, 2933mhz is 8.3% less than that 3200mhz or putting it the other way, 3200mhz is 9.1% faster than 2933mhz. These numbers might look significant on paper, but it can be tough to feel the difference performance-wise. The frequency difference can cause a 1 percent increment in the FPS in games on the same test bench, which is not very much. The performance depends on other factors also, such as motherboard and CPU compatibilities and memory management technology used.
2933mhz cl15 vs 3200mhz cl16
CL in the context of computer memory stands for CAS latency. CAS stands for Column Address Strobe. The CAS latency is the delay in clock cycles between when the data is requested from the RAM and when it is available in the CPU. In general lower the latency, the better the performance. The CL number here represents the number of cycles it takes for data to be completely transferred from the memory to the CPU.
For comparison purposes, let us assume that a unit amount of data is to be transferred from the memory to the CPU to get a comparable grasp here, divide the memory frequency by the number of cycles of latency to get the complete data transferred. In the case of 2933mhz vs 3200mhz, the results are 195 and 200 respectively. The difference is 2.5%, and in real-world conditions, it would not make much difference, but it is viable to say that 3200mhz cl16 has the upper hand in this 2933mhz vs 3200mhz CAS latency scenario. The 2933mhz would provide slightly better latency, but 3200mhz provides better overall bandwidth.
2933mhz vs 3200mhz and XMP
It is essential to understand before drawing any conclusion between 2933mhz vs 3200mhz. It is short for Extreme Memory Profile. It is a memory management technology developed by Intel that allows the motherboards to take advantage of the high frequencies or overclock the RAM speeds. The role of XMP is essential to understand better the performance difference between both types of RAM modules.
The XMP-enabled Motherboards run the RAM modules to their full capacity, i.e., the labeled frequency of the memory. The motherboards without XMP support can only run the memory up to the frequency supported by the CPU. That is, if the CPU is rated at 2200mhz and the motherboard does not have XMP, then no matter how fast RAM modules you plug into the slot, it would only run at a maximum of 2200mhz. Therefore, it is essential to keep the XMP factor in mind while dealing with such high frequencies.
2933mhz vs 3200mhz Cost
Cost is a significant factor that influences a lot of buyers, especially with the ongoing chip shortage, the cost of memory is skyrocketing. Everyone wants to get the most out of their money and maintain good performance over the cost ratio. The 3200mhz memory is definitely going to cost you more than the 2933mhz, but if the difference between both the modules is more than obvious, then the consumer loses his value for money. Another thing to keep in While making RAM purchases is the DDR generations. Ensure that you know the DDR generation and frequency supported by your other components, such as CPU and motherboards.
The best thing to do in such a scenario is to understand your use case well. It is not economically viable to spend a lot of money just to gain a few percentage increases in performance. If you do not need extremely low latencies or high bandwidths, it is suggested to opt for the memory that fits your needs and is compatible with your existing hardware.
What does DDR stand for?
DDR is short for Double Data Rate.
What is the maximum current frequency for a RAM module?
The maximum frequency can go as high as up to 4200mhz.
Which is the latest DDR generation?
DDR5 has just started to roll out in the common users’ markets.
Does faster memory make a difference?
Yes, faster memory does make a difference in real-time applications such as games and content creation.
Which one is more important, RAM CL or Frequency?
Both are important at their place. RAM CL is a less popular concept than the frequency, but it is still essential, and a suitable combination of both low latency and high frequency is the best.
Conclusion
The single sentence answer to the debate of 2933mhz vs 3200mhz is “it depends.” It depends on your purpose and your use case of such high memories, it depends on other hardware of your system, and it also depends on your budget. In terms of performance, most daily users won’t tell any difference between both frequencies. The performance gap between both frequencies is much shorter than the gap in their prices. Therefore, all factors should be kept well in mind while making a memory purchase.