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The Ryzen 9 7950X3D is the flagship Zen 4 CPU thanks to the immense power it churns out. It contains 3D V-Caching design, which is the CPUs most prized possession. However, in order to make the most of your new gaming set-up, you’re going to want to find out which RAM type is compatible with the CPU.
3D V-Caching, which gives the CPU the X3D name, is a process which stacks the CPUs cache vertically, rather than the typical horizontal linear alignment that regular CPUs have. This allows the CPU to access a matrix of cache with much more depth than the regular singular orientation. The processor can then look to its own cache for a significantly faster data access time, which results in much faster gaming performance.
However, while this feature allows your CPU to not have to resort to volatile RAM cache, it doesn’t mean you’re going to want to negate investment in your memory. In light of that, let’s go over what type of RAM is compatible with the Ryzen 9 7950X3D.
- CORSAIR Vengeance DDR5 32GB (2 x 16GB) 5200
- CORSAIR Vengeance RGB DDR5 32GB (2 x 16GB) 5200
- CORSAIR Dominator Platinum RGB DDR5 32GB (2 x 16GB) 5200
What RAM is compatible with Ryzen 9 7950X3D?
If your upgrading your CPU for the first time in a while, it’s possible that you’re still on the older generation of architecture. This might mean that you’re still on the AM4 socket, or the older LGA 1200 socket. If you are, your motherboard is still only compatible with DDR4 RAM.
DDR4 is an older memory type, which has recently been replaced by DDR5. We’ve had a look at the Ryzen 9 7950X3D specifications, and the AMD website clearly states that the CPU is only compatible with DDR5 memory.
What this means, if you’re looking to upgrade to the Ryzen 9 7950X3D, is that you’re going to also need to make sure that your motherboard has the AM5 socket, and also DDR5 compatibility.
In order to make the most of your Ryzen 9 7950X3D – getting hold of really high quality DDR5 RAM will be key. The CPU supports RAM configurations in the following channels:
| 2x1R | DDR5-5200 |
| 2x2R | DDR5-5200 |
| 4x1R | DDR5-3600 |
| 4x2R | DDR5-3600 |
Depending on how much RAM you’re trying to include in your system, you’re going to have to follow the above channel structures. If you’re struggling to make sense of it – 2x2R can be translated as two dual rank memory sticks.
We’ve included a few links to DDR5 memory that we think best suits the Ryzen 9 7950X3D:
CORSAIR Vengeance 32GB (2 x 16GB) 5200MHz
Memory
32GB
Configuration
2 x 16GB
Channel Speed
5200Mhz
Memory Type
DDR5
CORSAIR Vengeance RGB DDR5 32GB (2 x 16GB) 5200MHz
Memory
32GB
Configuration
2 x 16GB
Channel Speed
5200MHz
Memory Type
DDR5
Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB DDR5 32GB (2x16GB) 5200MHz
Memory
32GB
Configuration
2 x 16GB
Channel Speed
5200MHz
Memory Type
DDR5
If you’re not sure how much RAM you need for PC gaming, check out the following pages:
- Is 16GB RAM enough memory for PC gaming in 2023 – how much do you need?
- Is 32GB RAM overkill for gaming in 2023? In short, no.
- Is 8GB RAM enough memory for PC gaming in 2023?
We’re going to be keeping an eye out for the latest updates on hardware compatible with the Ryzen 9 7950X3D. Be sure to check back in with us periodically for the latest updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need new RAM for Ryzen 9 7950X3D?
This depends on what CPU architecture you’re currently on. If you’re on socket LGA 1200 or AM4 or older, you will need new RAM. If you’re already on LGA 1700 or AM5, you can use the DDR5 memory you already have.
Is RAM important for a CPU?
RAM is one of the most important pieces of hardware in a PC and directly communicates with the CPU, so yes it is important.
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