Which RAM speed measurement is the best reference?

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When it comes to memory (RAM), knowing the specifications of your kit is essential. Capacity, frequency, and CAS Latency (CL) timings are the three most important things to consider when trying to choose the best RAM for your PC. Of course, you'll need to know what type of RAM is compatible with your motherboard, but once you know that, you can start looking for the best RAM kit for your PC.




One of the most frequently asked questions these days is what is the difference between MHz and MT/s in RAM frequencies and which measurement is more important. Well, strangely enough, the value is the same no matter which measurement you use, but let's see why that is.

What is MHz

Understanding the most commonly used term

Sticker for the RAM module Patriot Viper 3600 MHz


MHz is a unit of frequency measurement and is short for megahertz, which means one million cycles per second. It measures the frequency of digital sounds by checking for the presence and absence of voltage. The presence of voltage is at the top and the absence is at the base. Combining these values ​​creates square waves, which are then converted to binary values.

This has been the standard unit for measuring RAM frequency (speed) since the late 1990s. Originally it was used to measure the performance of SDRAM and 100 MHz meant 100 x “10 to the 6th power”. Later, in the 2000s, when DDR was introduced, the number of transfers doubled, hence the name Double Data Rate (DDR). DDR is still used today, which is why you need to double the speed shown when checking your RAM speed in programs like CPU-Z.


What is MT/s

Understanding the more precise term

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MT/s is the new term and stands for megatransfers (or millions of transfers) per second. This is the more accurate way to measure the effective speed of DDR SDRAM and that is why many manufacturers are switching to this terminology. It is used to measure the amount of data that can be transferred in seconds. A megatransfer is equal to one megabyte, but if you add time to a megatransfer, you get the amount of data the RAM can transfer per second.


MHz vs MT/s

Understanding the differences

As we now know, MHz is a measure of frequency and MT/s is a measure of how much data can be transferred. Measuring RAM speed by frequency is a measure of how fast its transistors can be turned on and off. If the transistors were switching 6,000,000,000 times per second, the frequency of the RAM would be 6,000 MHz.

MT/s, on the other hand, measures RAM using a data rate, which indicates how much total bandwidth the RAM can transfer in and out of its memory modules. For example, if the RAM is rated at 6,000 MT/s, it can transfer a maximum of 48GB per second. So, even though a RAM bar can be 6,000MHz and 6,000 MT/s at the same time, MT/s gives us an actual data measurement, not just frequency. This is probably why some companies are now starting to change the way they name their RAM.


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Is it better to use MHz or MT/s?

Easier than it sounds, so no need to be confused

Both measurements are useful for measuring RAM speed. However, when it comes to how we look at speed, MT/s is a better method because it measures RAM speed by the amount of data it can transfer, while MHz is a unit of measurement for digital frequency. The reason it's fun is because if you have a 6000MHz kit of DDR5 memory and you wanted to use the MT/s measurement instead, it would still be 6000 MT/s, so while the type of measurement changes, the number doesn't. This means that while MT/s and MHz are different measurements, technically both can be used when it comes to RAM speed.


Why do some companies still use MHz?

Old habits are hard to break

Well, the answer is actually quite simple. If companies want to brag about their impressive new speeds, they should use the same units of measurement so people don't get confused. MHz has been the standard for over 30 years, and while some companies are moving to MT/s, others are sticking with MHz, for no other reason than that we feel more comfortable with a familiar term. Ultimately, the MHz or MT/s designation isn't as important as the number before it, so just pay attention to the numbers (the higher the better, of course) and you'll be fine.


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