Should I buy 3600MHz CL18 RAM instead of 3200MHz CL16?

Yes, 3600MHz CL18 is typically the smarter buy. The actual latency is nearly identical (10ns vs 10ns), but you get more bandwidth, which helps in gaming, video editing, and multitasking. For AMD Ryzen, 3600MHz is the sweet spot that syncs with the Infinity Fabric clock, and it’s often cheaper or the same price as 3200 CL16 kits these days. Don’t overthink it—go with the higher frequency.