There are so many PC parts to think about when you’re building or upgrading your gaming PC, and amid that mountain of specs, few parts are more puzzling than memory (or RAM). At the baseline, it may seem simple, as there’s the RAM’s capacity to think about, with 8GB to 16GB generally being acceptable for mid- to high-end systems. But, once you start digging deeper, RAM gets astoundingly complex.Beyond the capacity, you’ll have to consider things like whether you want to take advantage of dual- or quad-channel memory, the memory speed you want to run at (yes, RAM has a clock speed much like a CPU), and perhaps the even more complicated CAS latency and memory timings. All of these things will vary between different memory kits, so you can’t expect one 16GB kit of DDR4 memory to be the same as another.We’ll help make picking RAM easy for you, though. We’ve selected a number of excellent RAM kits, ranging from stalwart DDR3 RAM to fit in an older system up to high-end DDR4 RAM than can overclock to insane speeds, plus a handful of sharp-looking RGB kits that complement their own speeds with killer looks. If you’re hoping to learn more about RAM, we’ve also got explanations of some of the main details below our product recommendations. If you’re browsing in the UK, click here to find out where you can find the best RAM to speed up your PC.
TL;DR These are the Best RAM Kits:
1. Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro
Best RAM
Capacity: 16GB (2 x 8GB) Memory Type: 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM Memory Speed: 3,200MHz CAS Latency: 16 Timings: 16-18-18-36 Height: 51mm/2.01″
Corsairs name has become synonymous with reliable, high-performance RAM, and the Vengeance RGB Pro is a prime example of this. This set of memory can easily clock up to 4,600MHz thanks to its effective heat spreaders.The Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro also features edge-to-edge RGB lighting, which youll be able to customize down to each LED for mesmerizing and dynamic effects. For RAM that offers both a premium aesthetic and fantastic performance, it also comes at a fairly reasonable price.
2. OLOy Owl
Best Budget RAM
Capacity: 16GB (2 x 8GB) Memory Type: 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM Memory Speed: 3,200MHz CAS Latency: 16 Timings: 16-18-18-36 Height: 1.53″
RAM has been pretty affordable in comparison to the steep prices seen during shortages a couple of years ago. And, with the OLOy Owl, you can see some of the lowest prices yet. This set of two sticks offer surprisingly fast, 3,200MHz memory speeds for RAM that costs less than $60. And, they even have fairly low latency for such an affordable option. If you want to make sure you’re taking advantage of the full speeds available on these sticks, you’ll just need to ensure your motherboard supports XMP and DDR4-3200. You should also make sure your CPU cooler provides clearance for the slightly tall heat spreaders on these RAM modules.3. G.Skill Ripjaws V
Best DDR4 RAM
Capacity: 16GB (2 x 8GB) Memory Type: 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM Memory Speed: 3,200MHz CAS Latency: 16 Timings: 16-18-18-38 Height: 42mm/1.65″
G.Skill is known for its quality and its Ripjaws V series value model will help you save money on a RAM kit without losing out on performance. This 16GB (3,200MHz) set of memory, for example, is more affordable than most other RAM kits offering the same capacity and speed.Alternatively, you can easily buy yourself a 16GB G.Skill Ripjaws V (2,400MHz) RAM kit and save some dough, and then easily overclock it to 3,000MHz without an extra drop of voltage. The G.Skill Ripjaws V also features a fairly reserved and short heatsink, so it should work well with most PC builds.
4. Kingston HyperX Fury
Best DDR3 RAM
Capacity: 16GB (2 x 8GB) Memory Type: 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM Memory Speed: 1,866MHz CAS Latency: 10 Timings: 10-11-10 Height: 32.8mm/1.29
If youre building or upgrading an older system that isnt compatible with DDR4 memory, the Kingston HyperX Fury is your best choice for a DDR3 RAM kit. Its a little slow by modern standards with its 1,866MHz speed, but this smart DDR3 can auto-detect your system components to overclock itself to the highest speeds possible. Best of all, its fairly inexpensive, so nab this memory kit before it eventually sells out.5. HyperX Predator DDR4 RGB
Best Gaming RAM
Capacity: 16GB (2 x 8GB) Memory Type: 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM Memory Speed: 3,200MHz CAS Latency: 16 Timings: 16-18-18 Height: 42.2mm/1.66″
HyperX Predator DDR4 RGB is an amazing kit of RAM engineered for gaming. Unlike other DDR4 memory kits, it doesnt start at a 2,400MHz or 2,666MHz base, this memory kicks off at 2,933MHz. It can even be found operating at a native 4,000MHz speed, and we havent even started talking about overclocking potential yet. Of course, it has addressable lighting as any other good, modern memory kit should, but HyperX has taken RGB a step further by integrating Infrared Sync tech to ensure lighting effects are always synced across all the DIMMs. Overall, this gaming RAM performs just as well as it looks.6. Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB
Best High-Performance RAM
Capacity: 16GB (2 x 8GB) Memory Type: 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM Memory Speed: 4,800MHz CAS Latency: 18 Timings: 18-24-24-46 Height: 55mm/2.17″
If youre looking for the absolute best memory money can buy, its the Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB. This memory comes at a higher premium than most RAM kits, but they also offer the highest speeds, next-level cooling with those extra-tall heat spreaders, and arguably the best RGB lighting available.On the performance end, those fancy and tall heat spreaders allow this RAM to run at up to to 4,800MHz out of the box, and that’s without any overclocking. The Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB is the perfect memory kit for going all out on a future-proofed gaming rig and theyll likely outlast everything else in your gaming PC, so you can use it in your next one!
8. G.Skill Trident Z Royal
Best RGB RAM
Capacity: 16GB (2 x 8GB) Memory Type: 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM Memory Speed: 3,200MHz CAS Latency: 16 Timings: 16-18-18-38 Height: 44mm/1.73″
Looking to create a gaming PC with the most obnoxious RGB lighting ever? Well, look no further than the maximum blingage the G.Skill Trident Z Royal provides. This memory kit enhances G.Skills already incredible RGB lighting with glistening crystals. Meanwhile, the body of the RAM is available with either a chromed or gilded finish, which acts as a mirror to further intensify the lighting inside your system. Aside from its frilly aesthetic, the G.Skill Trident Z Royal offers plenty of performance with this 3,200MHz kit Ive recommended.9. Corsair Vengeance LPX
Best Low-Profile RAM
Capacity: 16GB (2 x 8GB) Memory Type: 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM Memory Speed: 3,000MHz CAS Latency: 15 Timings: 15-17-17-35 Height: 31mm/1.22″
In case any of the RAM kits Ive recommended here are too tall and would interfere with that heatsink tower cooler youve been eyeing, you might be better off with some low-profile Corsair Vengeance LPX memory. Its short enough to work with any setup, but hardly sacrifices any performance to do so. Despite the Corsair Vengeance LPXs lower height, it still offers an integrated heatsink to help it achieve great performance.10. Teamgroup T-Force Xtreem
Best Overclocking RAM
Capacity: 16GB (2 x 8GB) Memory Type: 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM Memory Speed: 4,000MHz CAS Latency: 18 Timings: 18-20-20-44 Height: 48mm/1.88″
If you don’t plan to settle for the stock speeds of your memory, you’ll want to get some sticks that can take the heat. These DIMMs from Teamgroup offer an overclock up to a stunning 4,000Mhz. You don’t have to go through any difficult tweaking to get those speeds either, as the T-Force Xtreem support XMP profiles to easily overclock with compatible systems. You can also find these sticks in an RGB model if you need the extra flair to go with the extra speed. Where to Get the Best RAM in the UK
What to Look for in the Best RAM
Below we’ve broken down a few things you should consider in your search for the best RAM kit and how much memory youll need for PC gaming.Before you even begin looking at memory kits you should consider what your hardware limitations will be. Start by checking if your motherboard supports either DDR4 or DDR3 class memory. DDR4 class RAM has been the most prevalent form of memory for more than five years now, however, if youre running an Intel 5th Generation Broadwell or older system youll need to find DDR3 memory.
Youll also want to look at the specs on your motherboard and figure out the maximum memory speed it can support. Spending some extra money on 3,200MHz RAM is completely pointless if your motherboard can only support 2,400MHz, for example.
8GB of RAM is pretty much the minimum and it should let you play most games without any problems.
As for how much memory you need to game, 8GB of RAM is pretty much the minimum these days and it should let you play most games without any problems. Meanwhile, 16GB of memory will give your system a little bit more room to stretch itself and future-proof your rig. Adding any more memory on top of 16GB would honestly be a waste if you’re just gaming. However, if you’re working in a creative field like video editing, 3D model rendering, and creating other types of visual media, then 32GB or more memory would be useful.In terms of memory speed, you should look for DDR4 memory that operates close to or above 2,400MHzor 2400MT/s as itll appear on the packaging and online. Users purchasing DDR3 RAM should look for memory operating at 1,866MHz at least, and the closer to 2,000MHz the better. You don’t necessarily need to buy the fastest RAM either as it’s easy enough to overclock your memory.
Memory Timings and CAS Latency (CL) is one other figure you should keep in mind about the memory you choose it. Timings essentially denote the total number of cycles it takes for the RAM to send data. You can find the timings listed in the memory specs as four numbers interrupted by dashes such as “16-18-18-36” and the first number usually denotes the CAS Latencyso it would be CAS 16 in this case.
The basic thing you need to know is the lower the numbers are the faster your memory is. However, you should also know that faster memory speed results in higher latency. So you should also be wary of RAM that’s incredibly fast, but throws in a lot of latency that negates it.
With all of that in mind, you should stick to RAM with at most a memory speed of 3,773MHz and CAS 17.
Whether youre building a new system or upgrading your computer, adding one of these best RAM kits is a sure-fire way to make it operate a bit faster. A bit of extra memory can do wonders for improving your PCs responsiveness and multi-tasking capabilities. Plus, adding better or more memory is usually the cheapest way to improve the performance of your rig.
Kevin Lee is IGN’s Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspamMark Knapp is a regular contributor to IGN and an irregular Tweeter on Twitter @Techn0Mark
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