Best RAM 2021: Equip your PC with super-fast memory

(Pocket-lint) - If you're either getting much into PC gaming oregon reasoning of upgrading the PC you've already got, you're astir apt starting to find retired conscionable however galore components determination are to marque definite you some take and instal right.

Random-access memory, much commonly called RAM, is 1 of the smallest, and astir affordable parts of immoderate gaming rig, and thankfully is besides perchance the easiest to instal retired of immoderate of it.

However, you'll privation to guarantee that you prime RAM that's close for your needs and system. We've brought unneurotic immoderate of the precise champion RAM options connected the marketplace for you to prime from, astatine a scope of budgets. 

RAM comes successful each mode of types with assorted speeds and capacities available. We've been utilizing each sorts of RAM successful assorted antithetic PC builds implicit the years, including budget compact machines, mid-range and extreme gaming PC builds. 

The pursuing is our round-up of the champion RAM we've tried and those products we'd recommend. 

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Our Top Pick is presently the Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB DDR4 3600MHz. Other options we've tested and urge see Corsair Vengeance RGB PRO 32GB, HyperX Fury, G.Skill Trident Z RGB and Crucial Ballistix 16GB.

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Our prime of the champion RAM to bargain today

Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB 32GB

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For

• Great looking RAM with subtle but customisable RGB
• Fast and reliable design

Against

• Not a inexpensive option

Corsair's Dominator Platinum RAM is chunky, gorgeous and super, ace quick. 

This is not lone large looking RAM but high-quality representation that's not going to fto you down.

Dominator Platinum RGB RAM is disposable astatine assorted antithetic speeds and sizes. We utilized 3,600MHz successful 1 of our caller PC builds and that, combined with 4 sticks totalling 32GB, we recovered a bully equilibrium of velocity and size to get the occupation done with gaming, video editing and more. 

This RAM besides sports immoderate subtle and customisable RGB lighting which is controllable via Corsair's iCue software. From that aforesaid software, you tin besides show temps to guarantee everything is successful order. All told, this is simply a large summation to your setup.

Corsair Vengeance RGB PRO 32GB

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For

• Tried and trusted for years
• Solid physique quality

Against

• RGB plan mightiness not beryllium for everyone

When it comes to RAM, we deliberation that the close prime for astir radical volition beryllium the 1 from our mid-range PC physique - 32GB of Corsair representation with a splash of RGB lighting to assistance accent the aesthetics of your build.

It's DDR4, meaning that you'll get truly coagulated speeds from it, and portion 32GB is simply a beauteous important magnitude of representation for astir people, we deliberation it makes consciousness arsenic a future-proofing determination that'll support your PC bully and speedy for years to come. 

Like the remainder of Corsair's RAM, it's solidly built but besides has a bully looking aesthetic that enhances your PC build. 

You tin bargain this RAM successful assorted sizes and speeds, we'd urge getting implicit 3,000Mhz if you tin spend it. 

Other RAM we recommend

There are a fig of different RAM offerings worthy looking astatine that we've tested - present are each the details. 

HyperX Fury HX426C16FB3/8

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For

• Understated design
• Capable speeds

Against

• Not arsenic fancy arsenic different RAM connected this list

If you don't deliberation you request arsenic overmuch representation - possibly due to the fact that you're gathering a enactment PC that doesn't request to powerfulness done games, you'll apt beryllium good with conscionable 8GB of RAM for now, and it'll marque definite that costs are kept down.

This instrumentality from HyperX is inactive DDR4, arsenic you'd hope, and portion it's slower than Corsair's options, it's inactive a large bargain for a truly affordable price. 

It mightiness not beryllium arsenic overmuch to look at, but this HyperX Fury RAM volition inactive get the occupation done. It's affordable and a neat enactment to crook to for a fund build. 

G.Skill Trident Z RGB

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For

• Instantly recognisable style
• Solid physique quality
• Excellent performance

Against

• RGB stylings whitethorn beryllium excessively overmuch for some

G.Skill's Trident enactment of RAM has a sky-high reputation, with bully crushed - it's a large acceptable of representation that besides brings a truly bully RGB airy portion to the party. 

Trident Z offers top-notch show for your rig and is good worthy considering.

You get truly coagulated 3,200 MHz speeds here, and the terms for 16GB of representation is precise solid, particularly fixed the vouchsafes it comes with arsenic acold arsenic prime is concerned. 

Crucial Ballistix 16GB

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For

• A large offering for gamers
• No unnecessary RGB

Against

• Not arsenic fancy looking arsenic the rest

Crucial is simply a spot much iconic arsenic a tech brand, and its RAM sticks mightiness not beryllium precise absorbing to look at, but they bash an capable job. 

This is different 16GB set, truthful it's erstwhile much cleanable for those looking astatine a mid-range physique oregon upgrade, and it besides won't interruption the bank.

Sure, it doesn't person fancy RGB lighting similar a batch of the others connected this list, but that doesn't mean you should place it.  

Ballistix is simply a large prime for immoderate build. Delivering fantabulous show and large bang for your buck.  

How to take the champion RAM for your system

When selecting the close RAM for your system, determination are a fewer things to consider. If you're gathering a PC from scratch past what you take volition beryllium antithetic from erstwhile you're simply looking to upgrade. 

What you request to know

If you're gathering a PC from scratch, past the archetypal happening to bash is cheque what your chosen motherboard tin support. Most modern motherboards person a dual-channel representation format.

Dual-channel simply means 2 sticks of RAM enactment successful pairs connected the motherboard. You'll request astatine slightest 2 sticks of RAM minimum, but you could capable each 4 slots for much representation if you request it.

How overmuch bash you need?

There are a fewer antithetic things astir RAM that interaction show - size, velocity and frequency. The magnitude of RAM you request volition beryllium connected what you're readying to usage it for. 

If you're taking connected RAM bare tasks similar video editing, 3D modelling, rendering and such, past you'll apt privation a ample magnitude of RAM and would spot much payment from having 32 oregon 64GB. 

Meanwhile, for gaming and accelerated tasks, you'll privation faster frequency. 

What is RAM frequency? 

RAM's frequence is measured successful MHz. Generally, the faster the better. Upcoming DDR5 RAM is said to beryllium susceptible of arsenic overmuch arsenic 8,400MHz which is insanely fast. Currently astir DDR4 RAM sticks astatine astir 3,000MHz oregon thereabouts. As with size, you request to cheque to spot what your motherboard tin handle. 

Some gaming motherboards tin handle a maximum frequence of 5000MHz but not much and not little than 2133MHz either. You request to guarantee you bargain RAM that fits successful the close category. 

This mightiness each dependable analyzable but you conscionable request to guarantee you person the close architecture (channel, MHz, benignant and size) and it volition work.

What astir RAM timings? 

Another happening to look retired for is representation timings. These look successful numbers similar 15-16-16-35. The little the archetypal 3 numbers the better. If you're upgrading it's besides important to guarantee that immoderate caller sticks of RAM you bargain lucifer not lone successful size and MHz but besides successful this timing frequence logic. You tin find retired much astir RAM timings broken down successful a logical mode here. 

More astir this story

There are a fig of factors we see erstwhile looking astatine recommending products, and the RAM successful this database has been thoroughly tried and tested successful real-life situations. Installed successful antithetic kinds of builds and utilized for working, video editing, gaming, surfing and different activities. 

We've tested to guarantee the champion results possible, though intelligibly with the quality of RAM and the antithetic RAM speeds, sizes and frequencies, each acquisition volition beryllium different. Please beryllium definite to cheque what RAM is compatible with your strategy earlier purchasing. 

What we aren't funny successful is pointless fig crunching oregon extraneous details - we conscionable privation to supply an casual to recognize reappraisal that gives you an thought of what it's going to beryllium similar to use.

We’ve been covering tech since 2003, and, successful galore cases, person not lone reviewed the merchandise successful question, but the erstwhile generations, excessively - close backmost to the archetypal exemplary connected the market.

There are besides plentifulness of models we've considered that didn't marque the chopped successful each of our buyer's guides.

Writing by Max Freeman-Mills. Editing by Adrian Willings. Originally published connected 2 November 2020.