Buying ram guide: How to Choose the Right Memory: A 2020 RAM Guide — Tom’s Hardware

How to Choose the Right Memory: A 2020 RAM Guide — Tom’s Hardware

The amount and specs of your system’s memory, or RAM, can make a significant difference, from the number of running programs (or just open browser tabs) that you can have open before your system starts getting sluggish, to the frames per second (fps) you can squeeze out of your CPU’s integrated graphics when playing the latest popular esports title.

If you’re shopping for some memory for a new build, or an upgrade to your existing laptop or desktop, and you’re confused whether you need 8, 16, or 32GB (or more), how much clock speed matters, or what memory timings actually mean, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll help you work through the many things to consider when shopping for RAM.

We’ll primarily be focusing on desktop memory here, although much of the advice and technical details carry over to laptops as well. With laptops, you’ll just have to buy an SO-DIMM (small outline dual in-line memory modules) kit, rather than the longer DIMMs (dual in-line memory modules) that are used in traditional modern desktops. Many modern slim laptops also have their memory soldered to the motherboard. So be sure to check your manual before making any buying decisions.

If you’re not sure exactly how much memory you need, the short answer is, considering common workloads and today’s pricing, that 16GB is the sweet spot. Content creators and enthusiasts heavily into multitasking may want to consider more. You can dive deeper into memory capacity considerations in our How Much Memory Do You Need feature.

For details on rated clock speed (measured in MHz) and timings (listed as a series of numbers, like 15-15-15-36), you can check our frequency and timings primer, were we also look at how the number of ranks (or banks of memory on a given stick or kit of memory) can significantly affect real-world performance. We’ll also detail many of these details and others below. But first, here’s a few key shopping tips in case you’re already in the store trying to figure out what to buy.

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• 16GB is the current sweet spot at today’s pricing. Gamers and those doing basic mainstream productivity tasks can get by with 8GB. But several open browser tabs and other running programs can use this up pretty easily. Given you can buy 16GB for as little as $25 more than 8GB, most should opt for 16GB. Those doing serious content creation will likely want more.

• Don’t pay for clock speeds your system doesn’t support. Memory speed is limited, particularly with some low-end and mainstream Intel CPUs and chipsets. So if, for instance, your system only supports 2,666MHz, there’s no point in buying RAM that’s rated for 3,600. You won’t be able to achieve the higher speed, and may wind up stuck at an even lower fallback speed. Check the motherboard manufacturer’s specifications for supported speeds and buy accordingly.

• Higher speeds have the most impact if you’re using integrated graphics. If you plan to game without a dedicated graphics card, you’ll get noticeably better frame rates if you opt for faster (supported) memory. But if you have to spend more on components to support that speed, as well as higher-clocked memory, it may make more sense to splurge on a dedicated card that will deliver a better gaming performance overall.

• Many programs and games don’t benefit heavily from faster RAM and better timings. The amount of software that sees major gains from faster, tighter-timing memory kits is actually fairly small. Some games will see a benefit, as well as compression software like 7-zip, as well as some aspects of content creation software. Do some research on the programs and games that you use most often. If you aren’t running memory-sensitive software and you have a dedicated graphics card, you can save some money by opting for slower RAM and spend that on a larger SSD or a better graphics card or CPU.

• Heat spreaders and lights are just for show. Generally speaking, most memory doesn’t run fast enough (unless perhaps you’re pushing it to extreme levels with manual overclocking) to require metal heat spreaders. So long as you have some air blowing through the case and over the memory, you can opt for bare sticks. Obviously, blinking lights won’t change your performance either. So if your case doesn’t have a window or you don’t care so much about how your memory looks, there’s no reason not to opt for sticks with exposed PCBs and memory banks—so long as it comes in the speed and specs you’re after.

XMP vs SPD

The technology that provides a motherboard with the correct frequency and timings is called Serial Presence Detect (SPD), and the part it’s detecting is a tiny ROM (read only memory) chip that’s been programmed with a timings table. Industry-standard timings are defined by the Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JEDEC), an industry organization that includes companies from the memory controller and CPU industries down to DRAM IC manufacturers and assemblers. A list of approved DDR4 modes is frequently updated on Wikipedia. And for the most part, the associated timings for standard data rates are terrible and the optional “better” versions are rarely produced.

As explained in our How To Enable XMP, Intel’s “Extreme Memory Profiles” add an overclocking table to memory, occasionally pushed to the point that some of the fastest DDR4-4266 DIMMs have contained DDR4-2133 ICs. If your motherboard supports XMP, you can usually get a kit with a moderate data rate and tighter-than-standard latencies, such as DDR4-3200 CAS 14. The problem for those whose motherboards don’t support XMP is that these kits usually default to DDR4-2133 CAS 15.

Every current kit with enhanced timings requires XMP to automatically configure those timings, and the above-linked Wikipedia entry should help you figure out if those timings are standard or XMP. Those who chose not to take that risk may want to check out the CPU-Z screenshots of our memory reviews and pick from one of those kits.

How Many Modules?

You’ll need at least two modules to enable a dual-channel mode on platforms such as AMD’s Socket AM4 or Intel’s LGA 1151, or four to enable the quad-channel modes of AMD’s socket TR4 and Intel’s LGA 2066. Those modules could be single rank (with all ICs addressed by one of each module’s dual 64-bit interfaces) or dual-rank (addressed by both interfaces).

After tracking a similar phenomenon on Intel processors for several years, our Ryzen 3000 memory deep-dive detailed how having two ranks of memory per channel offers a significant performance benefit to some applications. We also know from our  PC Memory 101 article that two ranks per channel can be achieved by either doubling the number of modules or using modules with two ranks. Reasons to choose the later include leaving expansion room in the empty slots of boards that have two per channel, or getting the benefit of two ranks from boards that have only one slot per channel. Furthermore, while you may have read about T topography vs daisy chain in our comments or forum, you need not concern yourself with these concepts if you’re running only one DIMM per channel.

So, for the best performance,  opt for two modules for a dual-channel board or four for a quad-channel board. Those who can afford modules that have twice as many chips will benefit from both the extra capacity and a slight performance boost in certain applications. The recent re-introduction of 32GB desktop DIMMs means that you can even get 64GB from just two modules or 128GB from four, without worrying about whether your board supports pricier server memory. You’ll still want to check your motherboard manufacturer’s website to make sure that your firmware supports whatever capacity you’re using, though. You may need to update your BIOS first.

DDR4-2666 Is For Intel H/B Series Chipsets

Intel doesn’t allow overclocking on anything other than its Z-series (enthusiast) and X-series (high-end desktop) chipsets. That leaves mainstream buyers who don’t want to splash out for the Z-series other features stuck with Intel’s “approved” limits, including its DDR4-2666 maximum for Core i5 and higher processors.

We have reviewed several of these boards and noticed that most retail parts include Intel XMP. Even though this doesn’t affect maximum memory speed, it does enable one-click configuration of lower-latency DDR4-2666. Unfortunately, the market for low-latency DDR4-2666 is so small that CAS 12 and CAS 13 kits are no longer being produced. CAS 15 timings appear to be the quickest of currently-available parts.

DDR4-2400 Is For Intel’s Core i3 and Below

Intel’s low-end processors have the same chipset-based restrictions as we mentioned in the previous paragraph, but at an even lower DDR4-2400 data rate. The market for enhanced-performance memory at this data rate is so small that the lowest latency we can find among current products is CAS 14.

DDR4-2933 Is a Problem Solver

The beauty of DDR4-2933 is that it runs at a whole ratio, 11×133.333, which happens to be a lower ratio than the 15×100 that DDR4-3000 uses. We’ve seen a few boards that would run no higher than this, including Biostar’s award-winning X470GT8. Because it worked so well, memory at this data rate was widely available at CAS 15.

But then a rumor started floating around that DDR4-3000 was the sweet spot for 2000-series Ryzen processors, and manufacturers quickly began programming these modules to DDR4-3000 to meet the new demand. A limited variety of overpriced DDR4-2933 CAS 16 kits remain, though users who aren’t afraid to experiment can always revert their cheaper DDR4-3000 CAS 15 kits to DDR4-2933 if the higher data rate isn’t stable.

Ryzen Restrictions

By default, the memory controller of X570 motherboards switches to half-speed and the “Infinity Fabric” interface to an unsynchronized ratio when exceeding DDR4-3600 speeds, causing performance to drop when using DDR4-3733 or above. Many end users are reporting limits between DDR4-3733 and DDR4-3866 after disabling these stability protections, but that minor increase in data rate probably isn’t worth your effort, unless you’re just looking to achieve higher speeds for bragging rights.

Our motherboard guides detail the frequency capabilities of at least one configuration for each board we’ve tested, but we can’t test everything. For a quick-and-dirty look at the current memory landscape, here’s a chart of the currently readily available RAM kit capacities and types, along with the types of systems for which they work best. Price ratio is based on the cheapest kit in each configuration.

Performance Rankings, Best To Worst

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Configuration	Price Ratio	Notes
Four-Rank Dual-Channel
2x 16GB DDR4-3733 (CAS 17)	215%	Works with most Z390 and Z370 motherboards. Supported by X570/Ryzen 3000, but performance benefit requires manual adjustment of FCLK and UCLK settings.
2x 16GB DDR4-3600 (CAS 16)	185%	Broader compatibility and lower price for Z390/Z370, easier configuration than DDR4-3733 on X570 platforms
2x 16GB DDR4-3600 (CAS 18)	154%	Better-value pricing and even broader compatibility than DDR4-3600 C16
2x 16GB DDR4-3466 (CAS 16)	185%	Better compatibility with X470/Ryzen 2000 and Z270 motherboards. Limited availability.
2x 16GB DDR4-3200 (CAS 14)	185%	Higher-priced, improved performance DDR4-3200
2x 16GB DDR4-3200 (CAS 16)	115%	Best compatibility and value of high-data-rate kits
2x 16GB DDR4-2933 (CAS 16)	138%	Fixes compatibility issues with the buggy firmware of some X470/B450 motherboards. Limited availability.
2x 16GB DDR4-2666 (CAS 15)	115%	Ultimate performance for Core i5 and above on h470/B360 Motherboards
2x 16GB DDR4-2400 (CAS 14)	108%	Ultimate performance for Core i3 and below on h470/B360 motherboards
2x 16GB DDR4-2666 (CAS 19)	100%	Compatible with Core i5 and above on h470/B360 motherboards that don’t support XMP
2x 16GB DDR4-2400 (CAS 17)	100%	Compatible with Core i3 and below on h470/B360 motherboards that don’t support XMP
Eight-Rank Quad-Channel
4x 16GB DDR4-3600 (CAS 16)	214%	Lower-latency alternative to DDR4-3600 CAS 18
4x 16GB DDR4-3600 (CAS 18)	179%	Compatible with most X-series (X299) and many Gen2 Threadripper (X399)
4x 16GB DDR4-3466 (CAS 16)	164%	Greater stability for Gen2 Threadripper (X399), X-Series (X299)
4x 16GB DDR4-3200 (CAS 16)	114%	Works with most Gen1/Gen2 Threadripper (X399), value-priced for X-Series (X299)
4x 16GB DDR4-3000 (CAS 15)	107%	Fixes stability issues of some Gen1 X399 platforms (alternative to retired DDR4-2933 kits)
4x 16GB DDR4-2666 (CAS 16)	100%	Baseline spec for AMD Threadripper (X399) and Intel X-series (X299)
Two-Rank Dual-Channel
2x 8GB DDR4-3733 (CAS 17)	215%	Works with most Z390 and Z370 motherboards. Supported by X570/Ryzen 3000, but performance benefit requires manual adjustment of FCLK and UCLK settings.
2x 8GB DDR4-3600 (CAS 16)	215%	Broader compatibility and lower price for Z390/Z370, easier configuration than DDR4-3733 on X570 platforms
2x 8GB DDR4-3600 (CAS 18)	154%	Better-value pricing and even broader compatibility than DDR4-3600 C16
2x 8GB DDR4-3466 (CAS 16)	200%	Better compatibility with X470/Ryzen 2000 and Z270 motherboards. Limited availability.
2x 8GB DDR4-3200 (CAS 14)	200%	Higher-priced, improved performance DDR4-3200
2x 8GB DDR4-3200 (CAS 16)	115%	Best compatibility and value of high-data-rate kits
2x 8GB DDR4-2933 (CAS 16)	138%	Fixes compatibility issues with the buggy firmware of some X470/B450 motherboards. Limited availability.
2x 8GB DDR4-2666 (CAS 15)	123%	Ultimate performance for Core i5 and above on h470/B360 Motherboards
2x 8GB DDR4-2400 (CAS 14)	115%	Ultimate performance for Core i3 and below on h470/B360 motherboards
2x 8GB DDR4-2666 (CAS 19)	100%	Compatible with Core i5 and above on h470/B360 motherboards that don’t support XMP
2x 8GB DDR4-2400 (CAS 17)	100%	Compatible with Core i3 and below on h470/B360 motherboards that don’t support XMP
Four-Rank Quad-Channel
4x 8GB DDR4-3733 (CAS 17)	257%	Works with most Intel X299, check motherboard reviews and user findings
4x 8GB DDR4-3600 (CAS 16)	171%	Lower-latency alternative to DDR4-3600 CAS 18
4x 8GB DDR4-3600 (CAS 18)	129%	Compatible with most X-series (X299) and many Gen2 Threadripper (X399)
4x 8GB DDR4-3466 (CAS 16)	257%	Supported by some Gen1 Threadripper and most Gen2 Threadripper (X399), X-Series (X299)
4x 8GB DDR4-3200 (CAS 16)	114%	Works with most Gen1/Gen2 Threadripper (X399), value-priced for X-Series (X299)
4x 8GB DDR4-3000 (CAS 15)	107%	Fixes stability issues of some Gen1 X399 platforms (alternative to retired DDR4-2933 kits)
4x 8GB DDR4-2666 (CAS 16)	100%	Baseline spec for AMD Threadripper (X399) and Intel X-series (X299)

MORE: Best Memory

MORE: DDR DRAM FAQs And Troubleshooting Guide

MORE: All Memory Content

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Thomas Soderstrom is a Senior Staff Editor at Tom’s Hardware US. He tests and reviews cases, cooling, memory and motherboards.

Topics

Memory

Buyer’s Guides

How to choose the right RAM for your PC

How-To

Picking the right memory for your computer isn’t as straightforward as you might think.

By Kevin Casper

PCWorld Oct 20, 2021 3:30 am PDT

Image: XPG

Every component in your computer is important, complex, and has more specifications than most folks are familiar with. Your RAM, or Random Access Memory, is no exception to this. Generally, people know that “more RAM is better,” but that’s not the extent of it. It’s also not always accurate. Let’s take a look at what you need to know about choosing the right RAM for your PC.

If you’re looking to upgrade the RAM in your current computer, check out our article on identifying the kind of RAM you have so you know what you’re upgrading from.

Physical form factor

Did you know that the RAM in a desktop computer is going to be different from the RAM found in a laptop? RAM modules will be found as DIMM, which stands for “dual in-line memory module.” There are a few different kinds of DIMM out in the market:

• UDIMM tends to be the most common type of RAM module in the PC market, with the U standing for Unbuffered and/or Unregistered. Generally, if RAM is listed as just being “DIMM” then it’s mostly likely to be UDIMM.
• SO-DIMM is the second-most common type of RAM, as it’s what you’ll need for laptops. The SO means “small outline,” basically saying that it’s DIMM, but smaller. SO-DIMM can be Unbuffered as well, much like above, and should be what you expect to find for laptop RAM.
• MicroDIMM is like the above, but even smaller than SO-DIMM. These types of RAM modules are far less common than both of the above, but specific laptops or other smaller computing devices may make use of them.

Crucial

DDR

Modern RAM comes with different numbered DDR identifiers. For better or worse, this has nothing to do with Dance Dance Revolution. In RAM, DDR stands for “Double Data Rate,” with the appended number (as in “DDR4”) indicating the generation of this double data rate standard. Early computer RAM was typically referred to as just DRAM, which stands for Dynamic Random Access Memory. Most RAM is still effectively DRAM, just with better circuit designs that enable memory to work more quickly and with higher capacity. First, they added a clock signal interface so the DRAM could sync up with other parts of the system, becoming known as SDRAM. Then DDR was developed to double the amount of data bandwidth available to the rest of the machines and you, its user.

From there came DDR2, then DDR3, and now most current devices utilize DDR4 RAM. DDR5 does exist as a memory standard, and you may find it mentioned in graphics cards, but DDR5 RAM modules aren’t quite ready for the market at the time of writing this article. Whatever the case, though, your motherboard and CPU are going to be the major determining factors on what kind of DDR RAM you need for your PC, so know those specifications before choosing your RAM.

Capacity

This is the part many people are familiar with: More RAM is good, less RAM is bad. RAM capacity is the major specification folks are looking for when purchasing. Generally, having 8GB of RAM will provide a better computing experience than 4GB of RAM. Video games will include RAM capacity in their recommended system requirements. Various software will have their own minimum requirements for available memory. This is all capacity.

You cannot just purchase as much RAM as possible, however. A 32-bit process and operating system could only make use of up to 4GB of memory, so the additional RAM on such a system effectively goes to waste. Most modern systems are 64-bit, which can theoretically handle up to 4 petabytes of memory, albeit most modern PC CPUs tend to be capped at anywhere between 32GB and 256GB of memory. As mentioned above, you’ll want to refer to your CPU and motherboard specifications to determine what RAM capacity your system can handle—then following the edict of “more is better” aim for the higher end of that spec.

Speed

This is the aspect of RAM that gets a bit complex. There are two main factors behind what makes RAM considered fast: frequency and timing.

First is the RAM’s frequency, which is far too commonly referred to as the speed. When looking at RAM products, you might find it listed as DDR4-3200 or DDR4 2666 MHz. Those four-digit numbers are the frequency of the RAM. Your memory is constantly doing reading and writing cycles with your currently loaded data, and that frequency is referring to how many times per second the memory is going through that cycle. DDR4-3200 is referring to a 3200MHz frequency cycle, which translates to about 3.2 billion read/write cycles per second. So, generally speaking, a higher frequency is better, but note that some CPUs and motherboards may not support some frequencies effectively, and may require additional research if you’re looking to maximize your performance. Additionally, the price for high-frequency RAM tends to ramp up very quickly.

Then there’s timing, also known as Column Access Strobe latency or CAS latency, which is a measurement of the delay between your RAM modules receiving a command from the CPU and the RAM actually executing that command. CAS latency is typically listed as a series of numbers, such as 18-22-22-42, which is actually referring to a series of timing values beyond just CAS latency. Typically, the timing order is CAS Latency – Row Address to Column Address Delay – Row Precharge Time – Row Active Time. Basically, lower numbers are better. There is much more depth to go into here, but generally speaking, differences in timing aren’t going to make a huge impact on your experience with modern auto-detect settings and memory controllers on your motherboard and CPU.

If you’re intrigued by the idea of overclocking your RAM, but intimidated by the tricky manual process, you may want to look for something called XMP support. You can read more about XMP in our article on how to enable XMP.

Corsair

Channels

Think of memory channels as the roads between the CPU and RAM. With only one road, there are only so many vehicles that can be moving on it at once. Once the road is too busy, it becomes a clog for those trying to get between those two points. Same goes for the memory channels on your motherboard—a super-fast CPU and high-powered RAM on a single channel can lead to that channel becoming the chokepoint for your PC’s performance. Most CPUs can support two or four memory channels, and their compatible motherboards tend to accommodate that with their available RAM slots. In order to use multiple channels, you’ll need more than one RAM stick. In the instance where you have an incredible CPU and outstanding RAM, it’s typically better to use a Dual Channel 16GB RAM kit, which is two 8GB RAM sticks with matching performance, as opposed to a single stick of 16GB RAM. Though, the downside here is that if you only have two RAM slots, then upgrading your RAM capacity would mean replacing the RAM entirely, as opposed to just adding another stick of RAM if you only had the single 16GB stick.

Additionally, when it comes to having RAM on matching channels, it’s best to use RAM that has matching frequency and timing performance. RAM working together on matching channels will need to be in sync with each other. If their frequency and timing are out of sync, the RAM scales back performance in order to get in sync. Thus, it’s best practice to get multi-channel kits for better performance results.

Other specifications

There are a handful of other RAM specifications that can be helpful to know.

• ECC: Error Checking and Correction. ECC is a potential RAM feature that inserts a step into the RAM module that allows it to check and ensure the data it’s handling is correct and does not have any errors. ECC is an incredible solution for reducing data/memory errors, but it also slows things down. Most consumer RAM does not include ECC, but if you’re working with a heavy-computation scientific system, you may want to consider ECC on your RAM.
• Registered/unregistered or buffered/unbuffered: This was loosely mentioned above in the section about the physical form factors. “Registered” and “Buffered” are interchangeable terms here. Conventional consumer RAM is going to be unregistered. Registered RAM is typically going to be found including the above ECC features, as it’s going to be a feature that’s more important for servers or other systems using an incredibly large amount of RAM. Registered RAM helps carry some of the load that would normally fall to the memory controller with unregistered RAM, allowing the motherboard to support larger quantities of RAM.
• Voltage: For most modern PCs, you probably don’t need to worry about voltage too much. It’s a specification to help gauge the amount of power the RAM needs to function, and is an important specification for overclockers and those building very particular systems that have very tight power requirements.
• Heat spreader: Like any hard-working part of your PC, RAM does need cooling. For most systems, the typical case cooling is enough for the RAM modules. For high-performance RAM, you’ll typically find it includes a heat spreader on the RAM stick to aid in cooling capabilities. Heat spreader is effectively another term for a heatsink.
• Height: This is a physical measurement of the RAM stick, noting how tall it is. The vast majority of computers don’t need to be concerned about normal RAM height, but if you’re working on a small form-factor PC, then you may need to double check the height profile of your RAM, as it can potentially be the tallest piece of your tiny build.

Aesthetics

Kingston

Both form and function are important! RAM has been getting more and more attention from its manufacturers to better support the overall look of your rig. Many high-performance RAM kits, especially those targeted towards gamers, tend to include sleek looking heat spreaders and even multi-colored LEDs so you can really build with something that shines.

To summarize, picking the right RAM kit for your PC is going to be a matter of matching up the DIMM physical form factor, the DDR type, and the amount (in GB) of RAM capacity you’re looking for. Additionally, considering the memory’s frequency, timings, and channels can help you get the most RAM performance for your budget. Whatever you do, though, please don’t try to download more RAM.

Author: Kevin Casper

Recent stories by Kevin Casper:

• How to tell what kind of RAM you have

The Ultimate Guide to RAM for Gamers

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June 2021

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Everything you ever wanted to know about RAM and more!

Building a computer for the first time is not an easy task. There are so many components and specs to keep track of that it can be hard to figure out exactly what to look for when buying. Everyone knows about graphics cards and processors. But if you want your games to load and run smoothly, it’s equally important to know what kind of RAM to buy. nine0003

High-quality RAM will help games load levels and effects faster, reducing your waiting time and allowing you to start playing without delay. If you want to run other programs in the background while you play, it’s important to have more RAM. Programs like Google Chrome are very demanding on RAM. Therefore, if you want to watch videos or social networks while playing, you will need additional RAM. Kingston makes premium gaming RAM at an affordable price to keep your PC in top shape. In this guide, we will break down what you need to know and understand when you first buy RAM. nine0003

What is RAM?

DRAM is dynamic random access memory. It temporarily stores the data of all programs running on your computer. This gives the processor quick and easy access to them without having to rely on slower but more capacious SSDs or HDDs. More dynamic RAM (often referred to simply as RAM for short) means that your computer has more space to store this information, allowing more processes to run at the same time. For example, a memory bar (more formally called a module) of 16 GB of RAM allows you to store more temporary information than 8 GB modules. Size is not the only indicator. RAM also varies in speeds and generations. nine0003

DDR3, DDR4 and DDR5

If you’re confused by the different numbers in the DDR name when buying RAM, don’t worry, it’s actually very simple. The number in DDR refers to the generation of RAM. The newer the generation, the bigger it is. In other words, DDR4 is newer than DDR3. DDR4 uses lower voltage and has more pins. And that means faster and more efficient performance than DDR3. The DDR5 generation is expected to arrive in the second half of 2021 and will provide significant increases in speed and capacity, as well as further voltage reductions. nine0003

It is important to note that DDR3, DDR4, and DDR5 differ in connections, number of pins, and coding. Therefore, be sure to check that the RAM module you want to buy is supported by your motherboard. Each motherboard will list whether it is compatible with DDR3, DDR4, and eventually DDR5, so you can quickly find the information you need online for your board model.

Capacity and speed

RAM is sold as modules that plug into the PC motherboard. Typically, motherboards have four RAM slots, although in some cases this number increases to eight. Individual RAM modules typically range in capacity from 4GB to 32GB, but due to the nature of computers, they are usually sold in sets of two or four and work best in pairs. For a high-performance gaming PC, our recommended optimal amount of RAM is 16 GB. If you want to run a lot of programs in the background, this number can be increased to 32 or even 64 GB. nine0003

Speed ​​is also an important characteristic of RAM, because it determines how fast the computer can load information from RAM. This figure largely depends on which generation of DDR you buy. The higher the speed, the better the performance and the higher the price.

Notebooks and SODIMMs

Notebooks are designed differently from PCs. This means that you will need a different type of RAM for them. In most cases, RAM modules for PCs are called UDIMMs, while those for laptops, laptops, and NUCs are called SODIMMs. Notebook RAM is usually clearly labeled SODIMM, making it easy to find. However, you will still need to check the motherboard of the laptop and make sure it is compatible with the particular generation of RAM. nine0003

Kingston Technology offers a range of Kingston and Kingston FURY memory modules in various speeds and capacities to suit every budget and system. Each type of RAM can be purchased individually or in kits of up to eight modules. Choose the RAM that best suits your needs. Be sure to check the system requirements and make sure the components are compatible.

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How to choose the RAM in the computer: 10 parameters

The component necessary for the speed and efficiency of the PC — random access memory (RAM). Where to start if you want to update the RAM yourself? To understand how to choose the right RAM, you need to know the parameters on which the efficiency of RAM depends:

• on the maximum frequency that the processor can support;
• from timing — the number of pulses required for the operation; nine0012
• from the compatibility of the RAM with the processor;
• from the compatibility of the RAM connector with the board connector;
• from bus bandwidth.

How can I quickly select the correct RAM module for my computer? Using the filter block on the site, you can get the appropriate plank configurations.

Read also: Assembling a system unit with your own hands in 10 steps: a complete guide These data are written on the board itself, or they can be found on the manufacturers’ websites. They can also be recognized using special programs, for example, CPU-Z or AIDA64. nine0097 How to choose RAM? You can choose the amount of memory based on the purpose of a particular PC, for which it is used.

It will be interesting: How to configure RAM in BIOS: instructions in 4 simple sections

Overview of the main parameters of RAM . There are two main RAM form factors: DIMM/SO-DIMM: the first is suitable for stationary builds, and the second is suitable for laptops and some other compact PCs. Before choosing a module for installation, you need to check which form factor your system is “sharpened” for.

nine0003

Capacity

Older PCs use 32-bit versions of operating systems that support up to 4 GB of RAM. Therefore, it makes no sense to increase the number of slats in them.
For 64-bit systems, the supported memory sizes are described on the resources of PC component manufacturers. One of the most popular OS Windows 10 supports up to 512 gigabytes of RAM. In household systems, such volumes are not yet used, so there is no need to worry about this.

Additionally: How to increase the random access memory (RAM) of a laptop in 5 steps: tips and tricks

Frequency

The RAM frequency shows how many operations take place to send information per second over the channel. When choosing, you need to carefully look at the frequency that is supported by the motherboard and processor, otherwise you will overpay for memory that will work slower than it could.
The overall performance of the entire system depends on the bandwidth of the RAM. This characteristic is calculated by multiplying the clock frequency by 2 and by 8. That is, in DDR4-1600, the throughput will be 800 MHz * 2 * 8 = 12800 MB / s. 800 MHz is the bus clock. nine0003

The table shows how the bus frequency affects the speed of the modules.

Bandwidth

This is a comprehensive measure of RAM capability and is calculated as the amount of data transferred per clock cycle times the system bus frequency. To find out the bandwidth, you need to look at the marking of the module. For example, the DDR4-3200 chip corresponds to the PC4-25600 module (table). 25600 is the bandwidth of this RAM. The higher it is, the faster the entire assembly runs. nine0003

XMP support improves performance. This is one of the new technologies from Intel. Support XMP models of computers that are used mainly for professional activities.

Timing (latency)

Timing is a delay moment that occurs between the opening of a string and the start of reading information bits. It is measured in nanoseconds and the number of cycles. The lower the value, the faster the memory performance.

Timing values, as a rule, are written as several digital values ​​separated by a hyphen, while each of the values ​​has its own marking and they are arranged in a certain sequence:

1. CL — period until the response of the RAM;
2. RCD — the period of finding the line;
3. RP — the period between the closing of the line and the opening of a new line;
4. RAS — the minimum interval between commands, approximately corresponds to the sum of the previous three values.

It is desirable that the timings of additional memory sticks, if they are added to the already installed ones, match.

Modes

Memory modes can be single-channel or multi-channel. The more channels, the better the performance. The most common now dual-channel mode. To activate it, two modules identical in characteristics (or as similar as possible) are installed in slots of different colors. If there are not two slots, but four, then the first one works in parallel with the third one, and the second one with the fourth one. nine0003

Cooling

Cooling for memory sticks is necessary in many cases. When overheating during operation, the microcircuits can give errors or even “burn out”. To cool the bars, special built-in radiators can be used, as in the Predator RGB DDR4 2933 16G model, which take heat.

Important information: What to do if the laptop overheats — 5 causes of overheating and solutions

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There is now a wide range of RAM modules on the market for a wide variety of users. Some manufacturers are guided by the expansion of the range of RAM, others are guided by a price reduction for mass users. Among the most purchased are RAM from manufacturers Kingston, Transcend, Micron (like Crucial DDR4 2133), Samsung, Hynix, OCZ, Patriot Memory, Apacer, G.Skill, Kingmax.

Which RAM to choose

Depending on what tasks the computer performs, the amount of RAM varies from 2 to 32 GB.