If you are interested in building a brand new PC, or simply upgrading an older system, the best RAM depends on the platform you choose, and software you opt to run. Almost all the desktops available in the market use DDR4, and support the relevant speeds as well.
It is important to understand that why do you need faster RAM. If you are using an Intel-based PC with a graphics card, the programs and applications won’t respond in the manner they should be. You definitely want faster RAM, if you want to play gaming without a specific graphics card. But, if you are not interested so much about the best performance possible, then DDR4 memory is the best option.
For the ones who are not aware of DDR4, let us talk about what it is. It is the successor of DDR3 RAM, followed by DDR2 and so on. This RAM comes in two forms: DIMMs and SODIMMs. The first one is the main desktop ones, while the latter is smaller, and used for laptop RAM upgrades.
This also brings a new concept of clock speeds. This is an important concept for overclocking of the RAM. XMP and AMP are the standards that run RAM at higher clock speeds. The by-default overclocking is recommended over creating your own overclocks. In the higher versions of RAM kits, both of the profiles above are included. XMP is Intel powered, and AMP is AMD powered, but there lies no difference between the two.
Both of them are compatible with your platform.
Also, there are “channels” which refer to a various number of DIMMs that are running in synchronization with each other, and how it has an impact on the speed. There are different types of channels: single-channel, dual-channel, and quad-channel. It is worth to note that if you want to run RAM in multi-channel configurations, each and every configuration will need to be matched in speed, capacity and brand as well. This is all about DDR4 RAM, the profiles associated with it, and the channels.
If you are a newbie in deciding to choose to buy RAM, then this might be a tough deal for you. The first question that you should be asking is how much RAM is sufficient for your application to run hassle-free and not let your system hang? Let us segregate the use of different RAM sizes to make it easy for you to choose when you need it.
Contents
- 1 Types of DDR4 RAM You Can Buy :
- 2 Best options for DDR4 RAM available in 2019
- 2.1 Patriot Viper Steel DDR4-4400(2×8 GB)
- 2.2 Crucial Ballistix Sport LT 8 GB DDR4-2666 RAM
- 2.3 Kingston HyperX Fury Black
- 2.4 Corsair Vengeance LPX
- 2.5 G.Skill Trident Z DDR4-3000 (2×16 GB)
- 2.6 XPG Gammix D10 16 GB DDR4-2400 RAM
- 2.7 Ballistix Sport LT
- 2.8 Corsair Dominator Platinum
- 2.9 HyperX Predator RGB DDR4-2933 (4X8 GB)
- 2.10 Patriot Signature Line 8 GB DDR4-2400 RAM
- 2.11 Patriot Viper 4 Series
- 2.12 Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 16 GB DDR4-2666
- 2.13 Patriot Viper RGB DDR4-3600 (2x 8 GB)
- 2.14 G. Skill Ripjaws V
- 2.15 Ballistix Tactical Tracer RGB
Types of DDR4 RAM You Can Buy :
Here’s the breakdown that you should know.
4 GB RAM
You can either multitask or you can play games. With 4 GB RAM, you can definitely not do both simultaneously. Few of the new age games require more than 6 GB RAM. So, if you play those games on your system with only 4 GB RAM, your system is ought to hang.
8 GB RAM
You can multitask as well as play the games. There will be no problems when you do both at the same time, especially if you have nothing too heavy going on in the background of your game. Since your RAM specification is greater than what the games depend, it should never ever be a problem.
16 GB RAM
Again, it is much greater than needed RAM for a game to work smoothly, so this time with much more intensity, you will be able to play the games and multitask as well. This one’s recommended for people who need extra RAM for running Virtual Machines, or for doing some advanced calculations. For most of the users, it serves no purpose.
32 GB + RAM
This one really is useful for servers or some extreme scenarios. It is said to be a luxury, and not at all a necessity.
There’s no ‘best’ amount for gaming, but practically if you think about it, 8 GB is more than sufficient for you to play games.
The second thing that should be given a little bit of thought to is the RAM speed. Most of the DDR4 compatible motherboards and RAM can reach up to 4200 MHz without any issues in the performance. Getting RAM to run at a higher speed can get tricky. Yes, it is better to run 3000 DDR4 than 1333 DDR3, but there is a marginal difference in gaming at higher speeds as well. So, this one is the factor you should worry about before buying RAM.
Buying DDR4 RAM does not probably seem to be the easiest task, but this guide will definitely be able to help you buy the right one.
Best options for DDR4 RAM available in 2019
Patriot Viper Steel DDR4-4400(2×8 GB)
This DDR4 RAM kit is a high-performance choice for you, if you have a board that is able to handle top speed and workloads (or games) that can take advantage of it. The simplicity of the kit has ensured to boost the performance of applications (including few games). The market for gaming and builds purely focused on singular tasks is pretty competitive, that is why the Viper Steel DDR4-4400 still has a long way to go.
Crucial Ballistix Sport LT 8 GB DDR4-2666 RAM
This one is the right one if you want the best DDR4 RAM for the money. It gives you a decent capacity as well as good speed. And, the best part is that it is not as expensive as the other DDR4 RAM. The capacity and speed are more than enough for any gaming-focused build. Also for the style and color conscious, this DDR4 RAM comes in multiple colors like Gray, Red, and White. Make the kit blend in or stick out according to your likes.
Kingston HyperX Fury Black
This DDR4 RAM is known to be the most affordable RAM. Kingston has a brand value as it is one of the most known and the oldest memory manufacturers in the market. It won’t be the cheapest memory kit, but it has a really high price/performance ratio. Even the slightest increase in voltage will bring more power. In addition, it is known for its stability.
Corsair Vengeance LPX
Though it is expensive, it is a very powerful RAM when compared to the other RAM. And, compared to the others, it is portable due to its small size. It has excellent overclocking capability. Also, this one is extremely versatile in comparison to its biggest competitors. It has also been tested against all the motherboards for checking its compatibility, and hence it has proved its worth.
G.Skill Trident Z DDR4-3000 (2×16 GB)
This DDR4 RAM is the best 32 GB Kit available in the market. The biggest advantage is obviously its high capacity. Like the few other RAM, it also has good overclockability. For its good features, it is not overly priced. This is the best option for you to have a demand for increased memory capacity.
XPG Gammix D10 16 GB DDR4-2400 RAM
This one brings both great capacities as well as a good price for the users. Though the speed isn’t on top of the world, the price for 16GB of RAM is extremely reasonable. And, for the ones who are obsessed with matching colors, they come in various colors like Red, Black, and RGB. The latter two options are more expensive than Red. Though it is only rated for 2400 MHz, it is still worth it for use.
Ballistix Sport LT
This series is available in multiple sizes like 4 or 8 or 16 GB multi-channel package with 8, 16, or 32 GB capacity with the frequency 2400 MHz. The speed is high, with good heat dissipation, and is affordable. Its frequency is sufficient for the mainstream. And, also the overclocking potential is good enough.
Corsair Dominator Platinum
It is one of the very powerful rams in the market today. Despite its bulkiness, it is known to have superb overclocking ability. Though it is expensive, the features make it worth a buy. They have refined the design. This one is good for the users who are interested in visual improvements than the performance gains. This RAM is definitely recommended if your budget is quite high, and is interested in the high-performance features of Corsair. Otherwise, Vengeance LPX would still do for you.
HyperX Predator RGB DDR4-2933 (4X8 GB)
It has the best overclocker value for a 32 GB Kit. Overclocking is the primary feature that makes it the best fit for the users, and is definitely part of the recommended list. The best part about this one is that it is compatible with all of the leading motherboard-based utilities for RGB. Though it may seem that it is overpriced, it is pretty much a colorful kit.
Patriot Signature Line 8 GB DDR4-2400 RAM
This one is the best for those who have a really tight budget because this is the one with the least price out of all of the DDR4 RAM. They have decent capacity and speed as well. Anything cheaper you find in the market than this one should not be trusted as it will usually be coming from some non-reputable manufacturer. If aesthetics is not your final goal, then this is the one you should be starting from.
Patriot Viper 4 Series
Patriot is also a leading name in the manufacturing units of memory, USB, SSD, and accessories as well. It is affordable as well as a good gaming experience. It brings powerful bandwidth and also a more rapid response. It is compatible with XMP 2.0, and also has manual editing of SPD options for easy overclocking. And, in addition, you have a lifetime guarantee for quality.
Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 16 GB DDR4-2666
This is by far the best RGB RAM, and obviously, it is pricey as well. Hands-down, without any second thoughts, one can say that it is the best RGB solution. It gives you great capacity (16 GB) as well as good speed. This one is purely recommended for the RGB fans, otherwise, you can pass on this specific one.
Patriot Viper RGB DDR4-3600 (2x 8 GB)
It is the RAM with a lifetime warranty and is known for the best high-speed. Giving 16 GB capacity, it is moderately priced. Being the fastest kit, it provides benefits to the user who wants both the features i.e. overclocking capability as well as the show (RGB).
G. Skill Ripjaws V
It is the company’s 2nd generation memory product, and this new series brings affordable prices as well as faster speeds. Also, the re-designing ensures that heat sinks no more have poor heat dissipation. It is only a few Hz behind the other frequency options. You can easily afford it, and it will give you excellent performance.
Ballistix Tactical Tracer RGB
This one is a super-performance memory product specially designed for the gamers, the high-performance lovers, and also the overclockers. This is a game-oriented product, and all the gamers, once they use it, will definitely love it. It works on the default frequency of 2400 MHz. It also provides the set of XMP files which lets it operate at a maximum of 3000 MHz for a better performance than earlier. This one is really attractive to players as the higher frequency memory leads to different degrees of gain for various applications for the gamers.
Conclusion :
Hence, this is all about the best DDR4 RAM available in the market. There is many more DDR4 RAM available in the market. Choosing between so many options can be overwhelming, so these are few of the best ones. Some will take care of the budget as your criteria, while some will guarantee you best performance. The features range from lowest to highest in terms of price, speed, capacity as well as frequency. Overclocking is also an important parameter that the users may keep in mind while choosing their best fit. What you choose finally depends on the usage, your system, and the criteria. In the end, it depends on your requirements, and criteria for the better upgrading of your system.