Build a Budget PC - #3

Choosing the RAM

What is RAM?

RAM is Random Access Memory. This is where the data that is currently in use by the CPU is 'stored'. You can look at RAM as your computer's short-term memory. This is a very fast access data storage solution and holds data that is likely to be needed soon. It is normally 100x faster for your CPU to communicate with the RAM then compared to even a very fast SSD. This makes it ideal for storing a few Gb of data that is in frequent use. The higher capacity your RAM is the more data can be stored in this 'SUPERFAST' solution.

How can I make sure my RAM is compatible?

Ram compatibility is one of the easiest things to do when building a budget PC. All you have to do is see what DDR your MOBO supports (DDR3 in my case), and install it making sure it is 240pin DIMM. The 240 pin means it is desktop RAM rather than laptop RAM. Do not worry too much about the frequency of the RAM because it is mainly just a selling point. Higher frequency does not always offer a performance boost. In some cases, super high-frequency RAM can be 4-5% slower than 1600MHz RAM.

How much RAM do I Need?

You can have anywhere from 1Gb to 128Gb on a modern PC so how can I work out how much RAM I need? For most PC users I would recommend 8Gb of RAM. This seems to be the sweet spot. 8Gb gives you enough headroom to render objects in 3D, use photoshop, play almost any AAA rated game. You could probably run on 4Gb but you would be wanting more headroom very soon. As you can see from my memory stats when browsing the web with 3-4 tabs open there is about 3Gb of memory usage. For this reason, if you are not doing anything intensive on your PC then 4 should be enough, but for gaming, I would recommend 8 or even 16. I would recommend getting any RAM in a dual channel set (if your MOBO supports it).

Which RAM did I Choose?

When I first started looking for RAM I thought RAM was just RAM. This is what a lot of people will tell you saying that if sold as it actually is it does not matter what RAM you buy. After my experience of buying RAM off the internet for half the price as is on newegg.com, you would think differently. I purchased a 2x4GB kit from a seller online with over 4,000 5 star reviews. It seemed too good to be true and it was. The ram didn't work! I had to send it back and get my money back so be careful what you buy. Eventually, I got two 4Gb sticks of Integral RAM at 1600MHz. This works perfectly and as you can see from my graph gives me plenty of headroom and speed.