Need Help Picking Ram

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tential

Diamond Member
May 13, 2008
7,348
642
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I really just have no clue what to get. I just got a 4770k, and a new mobo (Z87-A) from Asua and I just need some Ram, and an SSD. I'm clueless about which Ram to get as there are literally HUNDREDS of choices. Using some posts here I narrowed it down to this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...e=7289%3A47711

That shows 200 choices granted some are above my price range. I just need 8 GB of ram (I think I do at least?).

For gaming and overclocking, but light ocing. I'll also be doing some encoding I think.

Thanks for the help in advance. I just need a good deal so I have some cash for my PSU and SSD. These last 3 parts have to be a combined 200 or so dollars somehow (or I just spend a little more).
 
birthdaymonkey

birthdaymonkey

Golden Member
Oct 4, 2010
1,176
3
81
tential said:
I really just have no clue what to get. I just got a 4770k, and a new mobo (Z87-A) from Asua and I just need some Ram, and an SSD. I'm clueless about which Ram to get as there are literally HUNDREDS of choices. Using some posts here I narrowed it down to this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...e=7289%3A47711

That shows 200 choices granted some are above my price range. I just need 8 GB of ram (I think I do at least?).

For gaming and overclocking, but light ocing. I'll also be doing some encoding I think.

Thanks for the help in advance. I just need a good deal so I have some cash for my PSU and SSD. These last 3 parts have to be a combined 200 or so dollars somehow (or I just spend a little more).
Click to expand...

The reason there are hundreds of choices is that RAM is a commodity, and they're all essentially the same when it comes to most tasks.

What are you planning to do with this computer you're building? If it's just for general use, you should pick 8GB (2x4GB) of 1600 or 1866 memory, the cheapest you can find from a decent brand (G.Skill, Corsair, Kingston, Crucial, etc. etc.).
 
T

tential

Diamond Member
May 13, 2008
7,348
642
121
Well like I said, it's for gaming. I'll be doing light ocing as well. I want to get my 4770k to at least 4 Ghz.

I just don't know anything about dual channel quad channel or whatever. This was all a lot simpler 8 years ago I feel like haha.
 
birthdaymonkey

birthdaymonkey

Golden Member
Oct 4, 2010
1,176
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tential said:
Well like I said, it's for gaming. I'll be doing light ocing as well. I want to get my 4770k to at least 4 Ghz.

I just don't know anything about dual channel quad channel or whatever. This was all a lot simpler 8 years ago I feel like haha.
Click to expand...

With the way OCing works now, your RAM has nothing to do with it. You just adjust the CPU multiplier. Your chipset doesn't support quad channel, and dual channel should be plenty of bandwidth. As long as you use two modules, dual channel will be enabled automatically.

Just get some 1600MHz or 1866MHz 9-9-9-24 memory and don't worry about it. :)

EDIT: Forgot to mention, but you should definitely get 1.5v or 1.35v RAM. 1.65v is not recommended with recent Intel CPUs.
 
Last edited:
B

Blain

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
23,643
3
81
Blain said:
If I were shopping for high quality memory, I would use the following parameters as a guide...

* DDR3 rated at 1.5v or lower
* DDR3 rated at the lowest CAS I could afford
* DDR3 rated at the highest clock speed I could afford
* Limit the scope of my purchease to G.Skill, Mushkin, Samsung, Corsair XMS or Crucial (non-Ballistix)

While not wavering on the voltage point, I would balance the other issues with my budget.

Remember, my goal is not pure "benchmarking" performance, but simply finding the highest quality memory I can afford. ^_^
Click to expand...
Blain said:
The only reason I pay a premium for low latency, high speed, low voltage memory is...
Quality and quality alone.
Click to expand...
Blain said:
1.5v is the JEDEC DDR3 voltage standard.
Stay with 1.5v or less if you can afford it..
Click to expand...
:colbert: What he said
 
birthdaymonkey

birthdaymonkey

Golden Member
Oct 4, 2010
1,176
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B

Blain

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
23,643
3
81
If your a Mushkin fan, obviously go with the 996988 kit, for the reasons I listed above.
 
T

tential

Diamond Member
May 13, 2008
7,348
642
121
I used your initial conditions Blain to get to that first list of 200 haha. I saw that post and that's how I first narrowed it down.

How would that lower voltage between 1.5v and 1.35v help? It's only a 4 dollar difference or whatever so if it helps I'll just get that one instead.
 
Z

zir_blazer

Golden Member
Jun 6, 2013
1,263
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You may want to read this Thread. I got recommended this kit because it supposedly got Hynix MFR chips that are found usually on the most high end Memory Modules, and that kit is cheap.
 
T

tential

Diamond Member
May 13, 2008
7,348
642
121
tmsmith124 said:
Not to thread hijack but I was originally looking at the new Corsair Vengeancnce pro - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820233542.

Would I be better off going with a higher CAS and lower speed, such as 1600 or 1866?
Click to expand...

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...=dfBL0fBRVnTyOWs1cdusPA&bvm=bv.47534661,d.dmQ

According to this SandyBridge review in the graphics section it won't make that much of a difference at all. Other sections of performance? See for yourself.

Google: Memory Speed Scaling Review
for more information if you need to find specific applications.

zir_blazer said:
Oh, I didn't noticed that you wanted just 8 GB, through a 2 * 8 GB kit.
Click to expand...

I'll most likely just add another kit of what I'm purchasing today when the time comes. I have only gone past 75% utilization of memory since I got 8 GB of ram on my laptop a handful of times. I had at least 100+ tabs up on google though as I was downloading wallpapers.
 
B

Blain

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
23,643
3
81
tential said:
How would that lower voltage between 1.5v and 1.35v help? It's only a 4 dollar difference or whatever so if it helps I'll just get that one instead.
Click to expand...
Read my criteria again to discover what I look for when buying DDR3.
 
B

Blain

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
23,643
3
81
Blain said:
Read my criteria again to discover what I look for when buying DDR3.
Click to expand...
tential said:
The Criteria says look for lower voltages. I'm saying why does that help?
Just curious.
Click to expand...
:colbert:
"If I were shopping for high quality memory, I would use the following parameters as a guide...

Remember, my goal is not pure "benchmarking" performance, but simply finding the highest quality memory I can afford.

The only reason I pay a premium for low latency, high speed, low voltage memory is...
Quality and quality alone."
 
T

tential

Diamond Member
May 13, 2008
7,348
642
121
Blain said:
:colbert:
"If I were shopping for high quality memory, I would use the following parameters as a guide...

Remember, my goal is not pure "benchmarking" performance, but simply finding the highest quality memory I can afford.

The only reason I pay a premium for low latency, high speed, low voltage memory is...
Quality and quality alone."
Click to expand...

Hmm ok. I thought there might be another reason. Thanks.
 
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