Choosing the right RAM for your computer is important because it is your main working memory. Not having enough RAM or a slow RAM can significantly impact your system’s performance. Because RAM serves as an intermediate between the CPU and the permanent storage i.e. SSD or HDD, it must offer no bottlenecks. It works in real-time with the CPU sending, receiving, and holding the data used by the CPU while doing any task.
Even opening a small software like Windows Notepad would require around 2 to 10 MB of RAM space. As you start to increase the text length, more RAM is required. Similarly, a single tab in Google Chrome can use 50-150 MB of RAM or more, depending on the website content and design. Opening multiple tabs significantly increases memory usage.
Modern computers use the much-advanced version of the RAM called SDRAM. It is an updated version of the normal Asynchronous DRAM which doesn’t have its own clock but shares the same as the CPU. This helps in much better and streamlined data transmission between the RAM and CPU.
SDRAM keeps improving with its new DDR versions also known as Double Data Rate. With the latest DDR versions, the performance of the RAM modules increases while the latency decreases. To ensure a RAM’s compatibility with your PC, the DDR version is perhaps the most important aspect to look at. Unlike the SSD, DDR RAMs aren’t forward and backward-compatible. So, if your motherboard supports DDR5 RAM, you can’t install DDR4 RAM in it because it will be physically incompatible as well. This is one thing that you should consider while buying a new RAM for your computer. There are many others which we will discuss in this article.
RAM selection based on CPU, Motherboard, and Chipset
It is pretty easy to ensure a RAM’s compatibility with your system if you just take care of these three things. First of all, check a CPU’s memory specifications. Check what type and size of memory is supported. For example, these are the memory specifications of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X. All CPUs will have their supported memory speed and capacity on the official product page.
Now, I am going to the PCPartPicker to select the best motherboard based on my budget. I can also go through the CPU specifications to find out the supported chipsets for this CPU and then choose the motherboard accordingly.
But, I generally use PCPartPicker and I am doing the same here as well. You can also search for the motherboard with these chipsets and make your decision. PCPartPicker may not have all the options available for you.
For the Intel CPUs, you can check the supported chipsets by going to this page and seeing the compatible products section after searching for your CPU.
So, I finalized the Asus TUF Gaming B650M-Plus WIFI motherboard. It has got 4 memory slots and can support a maximum of 192GB memory. Now, I don’t want to rely just on PCPartPicker to choose the RAM as well. So, I searched for this motherboard on Google and go to its official page. From there, I can check the supported memory and buy the memory accordingly.
With the memory specifications from the motherboard, it is easy to choose the right frequency of the memory and see what kind of overclocking is offered along with it. Also, we can see which memory with ECC and without ECC is supported. So, in this way, you can easily pick the RAM based on the motherboard, CPU, and chipset.
1. DDR Generations
As we have started talking about the DDR generation, it is better to keep going with it. So, the DDR5 is the fastest and the most latest SDRAM generation out there. Most modern CPUs support DDR5 and DDR4 RAM but, again, the compatibility will depend on the chosen motherboard as well. You will see no latest CPU coming with the DDR3 memory support. A CPU supporting both DDR5 and DDR4 memory can work on both types of (compatible) motherboards but you have to choose the RAM based on both motherboard and CPU (not only CPU).
Starting from Intel’s 6th-gen Skylake processors (released in 2015), Intel officially shifted to DDR4 as the main supported memory type. However, some Skylake motherboards still offered limited DDR3L (low-voltage DDR3) support.
AMD’s Ryzen 1000 series CPUs, based on the Zen architecture (released in 2017), only support DDR4. AMD’s previous FX series (Bulldozer and Piledriver) supported DDR3, but with the Ryzen lineup, DDR4 became a new norm.
This is what you can expect with all these DDR variants in the real-world.
| RAM Type | Release Year | Frequency Range (MHz) | Maximum Speed (MHz) | Typical Latency (CL) | Performance Use Cases |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DDR3 | 2007 | 800 – 2133 | Up to 2133 | CL8 to CL12 | Basic tasks, older gaming systems |
| DDR4 | 2014 | 1600 – 3200+ | Up to 3200+ (4000+ with overclocking) | CL14 to CL19 | Gaming, content creation, multitasking |
| DDR5 | 2020 | 4800 – 8400+ | Starts at 4800, can reach 8400+ | CL30 to CL40 | High-performance tasks, gaming, AI |
If you want to know how DDR works by using the same data signals to transmit a double amount of data, you can read this Wikipedia page. Just keep in mind that it is important to first match the DDR version with the selected CPU and the motherboard. Also, DDR versions aren’t backward and forward-compatible with different motherboards.
2. Speed or Frequency of RAM
RAM speed is measured in MHz (frequency). Because the SDRAM doesn’t have its physical clock, its frequency refers to the effective data transfer rate. The higher the RAM frequency, the better will be its performance.
A RAM module coming with 3600 MHz actually will have an actual frequency of 1300 MHz, which is doubled with the help of DDR. The RAM speed isn’t denoted in MB/s or GB/s because RAM speed is actually used to determine the operational speed instead of the bandwidth. MHz is also used because the same MHz speed in DDR3, DDR4, and DDR4 can have different effective speeds because of the DDR variants.
However, you can easily estimate the bandwidth of a RAM using this formula:
Data Transfer Rate (in GB/s) = (Memory Clock Speed × 2 × Data Width) ÷ 8
With the RAM modules, the frequency or the speed is written in this manner: DDR4-2400 or DDR5-4800. A DDR5-4800 means that this RAM module operates at the maximum frequency of 4800 MHz. The theoretical data rate of a DDR5-4800 MHz RAM will be around 48 GB/s.
However, don’t just go for the highest speed. Make sure to check the maximum supported performance by both the motherboard and the CPU.
Tasks and Recommended RAM Speeds
1. Basic Computing (Web Browsing, Word Processing, Email, Text-Editing, etc)
Recommended Speed: DDR4-2133 to DDR4-2666 (or similar DDR5 speeds starting at 4800 MHz).
The basic tasks like using Google Chrome, editing text, and light photo-editing, aren’t heavily dependent on RAM. They don’t generally require very high or fast RAM. Even entry-level speeds in the DDR4 range (2133–2666 MHz) are more than sufficient for these tasks. If you have an older system which can work on DDR3 RAM, these things can be done easily on that as well.
2. Gaming
Recommended Speed: DDR4-3000 to DDR4-3600 (or DDR5 starting at 4800 MHz).
Faster RAM can help a lot in gaming improving the load times and also the frame rates. Specifically, the CPU-bound games like Microsoft Flight Simulator, Battlefield V, The Sims 4, and Rainbow Six Siege etc can get a lot of performance benefits from a faster RAM. While you should focus more on the GPU and its VRAM if your primary goal is gaming, your computer’s main RAM can help a little in some games. However, it will give an overall performance boost to your computer.
3. Content Creation
Recommended Speed: DDR4-3200 to DDR4-4000 (or DDR5 with speeds of 4800 MHz and above).
Content Creation is where you should make sure to employ the fastest RAM supported by your CPU and motherboard. For tasks like video editing, 3D rendering, and image editing, faster RAM speeds can help reduce rendering times and increase the efficiency of multi-tasking with large files. Software like Adobe Premiere Pro, Photoshop, After Effects, DaVinci Resolve, Blender, Final Cut Pro, generally benefits with a fast RAM speed.
4. Multitasking and Productivity
Recommended Speed: DDR4-3000 to DDR4-3600 (or DDR5 at 4800 MHz and higher).
If you are running multiple apps on your computer at the same time, the faster RAM would help you quickly switch between these apps. We will come to the RAM capacity but speed is also very important in improving your overall productivity.
5. High-Performance and Enthusiast Builds
Recommended Speed: DDR4-3600 to DDR4-5000 (or DDR5 up to 5200 to 6000 MHz or beyond).
On these systems, you generally have no issues with the prices and you can pick the best possible components in the market. So, it is best to go for the maximum speed and capacity that your system can support.
3. Latency
Latency in RAM is the time delay (in nanoseconds) between the data request and the arrival of the information to the CPU from the RAM. Latency is very critical in gaming, multi-tasking, and content creation.
CL (CAS Latency): CAS (Column Address Strobe) Latency is the most important latency parameter when buying a new RAM. It comes with a number written in this way: CL14 or CL16. You can read more about the CAS and CAS latency in this article. The CAS latency number is a measure to tell how many clock cycles will a RAM take to respond to the read command once the column address is sent. The lower the CAS latency, the faster will be the RAM response time hence a faster performance.
RAM timing specifications are usually written in this manner: CL-tRCD-tRP-tRAS,
- tRCD (Row Address to Column Address Delay): Time it takes to open a row and access a column.
- tRP (Row Precharge Time): Time it takes to close a row before opening another.
- tRAS (Row Active Time): Time it takes to keep a row active before it can be closed.
For gaming, a lower latency (CL14 – CL16) is considered good at higher frequencies (3600 MHz or more). But, not always.
An important thing to notice is that the DDR5 RAMs come with very high latency compared to the older DDR variants. This is because of its architecture. The lowest latency in high-performance DDR5 modules is around CL30. The speed, however, starts from 4800 MHz. Because, DDR5 operates at a higher frequency, the actual time taken to access the data is lower. You can easily calculate the total effective latency with a simple calculation like this:
Total Latency = CL/Frequency x 2000.
So, for a 4800 MT/s RAM with CL30, the actual latency will be around 6.25ns. If we compared it to a RAM with CL16 and 3200MT/s, the actual latency will be higher i.e. 10ns. So, don’t get confused in the latency numbers especially if you are choosing a DDR5 RAM.
MT/s stands for MegaTransfers per second. Because the DDR RAM performs data movement twice a clock cycle, the MT/s value is generally double that of the MHz value. A RAM with 3200MHz will offer 6400 MT/s.
Choosing between higher frequency and lower latency
Keep in mind that in most cases, a higher-frequency RAM with slightly higher latency may outperform lower-frequency RAM with higher latency. So, it’s important to keep both aspects in mind before making a purchase.
4. Single-Channel vs Dual-Channel vs Quad-Channel RAM
There is no Dual-Channel or Single-Channel RAM in reality. All RAM modules are the same in this context. However, they can be installed in single or multiple-channel configurations. If your motherboard supports dual-channel memory, it is good to make use of both of them to utilize the maximum memory bandwidth offered by the system. However, a single memory module will always work in single-channel mode.
A memory channel is like a pathway through which the CPU and RAM connect and communicate. Each memory channel can send and receive data simultaneously between the CPU and RAM. Most modern motherboards will have two memory channels. Now, if it has two DIMM memory slots, each will have one memory channel allocated to it. So, if you want to make use of both of them, you’ll have to install two memory chips on them. To do this, choose two 8GB memory modules instead of a single 16GB RAM module. Similarly, if you are planning to have 32GB of total RAM, install two 16GB modules on both slots instead of one.
The same goes for the quad-channel RAM. To make the best use of the quad-channel memory, you should divide the total capacity in four memory modules (e.g. x4 8GB memory modules to reach 32GB total memory).
Some low-end motherboards can only have single-channel where you normally get two DIMM slots.
People get so confused about it but it is pretty simple. In the motherboards with single-channel configurations, there is just one data channel that communicate to the CPU.
In the dual-channel configuration, there are two different paths but in order to make use of both, it is obvious that you need two memory sticks. Now, on the motherboard, the two adjacent slots share the same memory channel. So, if your motherboard has four memory slots, the first and second channels will share the first channel while the third and fourth channels will share the second channel. So, if you have four RAM sticks, you don’t have to worry about anything. But, if you have two memory sticks, you must install them in alternating slots in order to make use of both the memory channels.
So, again, it is good to divide the total RAM capacity in two or four parts so that you can make use of multiple memory channels supported by your motherboard.
5. Capacity
This is a subjective criteria where you should know your needs and then choose the RAM capacity wisely. 16 GB is the ideal starting point for most modern computers while most can run at 8GB as well. However, as per your software demands, you should pick the right amount of RAM. Different tasks and workload demand different capacities and it is not easy to generalize them. However, I will try to generalize here. But, I recommend making a list of software that you want to use and see their minimum and recommended memory requirements. Go for extra 2 to 4GB and you are good to go.
Ideal RAM Capacity for Gaming
| Game Title | Minimum RAM | Recommended RAM | My Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Call of Duty: Warzone | 12 GB | 16 GB | 16 GB (optimal for smooth gameplay) |
| Fortnite | 4 GB | 8 GB | 16 GB (for multitasking) |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 8 GB | 12 GB | 16 GB (for better performance) |
| Apex Legends | 6 GB | 8 GB | 16 GB (to prevent stutters) |
| Battlefield V | 8 GB | 16 GB | 16 GB (for large multiplayer matches) |
| GTA V | 4 GB | 8 GB | 16 GB (better performance and mods) |
| Assassin’s Creed Valhalla | 8 GB | 16 GB | 16 GB (to handle open-world elements) |
| DOOM Eternal | 8 GB | 8 GB | 16 GB (for multitasking and streaming) |
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | 6 GB | 8 GB | 16 GB (for mods and smooth gameplay) |
| Resident Evil Village | 8 GB | 16 GB | 16 GB (to optimize performance) |
For modern games, 16 GB is a sweet point. However, you can go for 32GB for future-proofing.
Ideal RAM Capacity for Multi-tasking and Productivity
| Software/Application | Minimum RAM | Recommended RAM | My Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, etc.) | 2 GB | 4 GB | 8 GB (for smoother performance with multiple documents) |
| Microsoft Teams/Zoom | 4 GB | 8 GB | 16 GB (for running multiple meetings or collaborating) |
| AutoCAD | 8 GB | 16 GB | 16 GB (for larger projects and multitasking) |
| Google Chrome (with multiple tabs) | 4 GB | 8 GB | 16 GB (for heavy multitasking with many tabs open) |
| Visual Studio | 4 GB | 8 GB | 16 GB (for larger projects and IDE responsiveness) |
| Virtual Machines (e.g., VMware) | 8 GB | 16 GB | 32 GB (depending on VM configurations and guest OSes) |
Again, the general recommendations are 16GB of RAM. But, this will vary depending on the software and your requirements. Some advanced work-builds may require 32GB or 64GB of RAM.
Ideal RAM capacity for students
| Software/Application | Minimum RAM | Recommended RAM | My Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) | 2 GB | 4 GB | 8 GB (for smoother performance with multiple documents) |
| Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, etc.) | 2 GB | 4 GB | 8 GB (for multitasking with multiple tabs) |
| Web Browsers (Chrome, Firefox) | 4 GB | 8 GB | 16 GB (for heavy browsing with multiple tabs) |
| Statistical Software (SPSS, R) | 4 GB | 8 GB | 16 GB (for larger datasets and analysis) |
| Note-Taking Apps (Evernote, OneNote) | 2 GB | 4 GB | 8 GB (for better performance with many notes) |
| Adobe Acrobat Reader | 2 GB | 4 GB | 8 GB (for handling large PDFs) |
| MATLAB | 4 GB | 8 GB | 16 GB (for larger projects and simulations) |
| Basic Graphic Design (Canva) | 4 GB | 8 GB | 16 GB (for smooth performance while designing) |
| Programming IDEs (Visual Studio Code, PyCharm) | 4 GB | 8 GB | 16 GB (for larger projects and coding tasks) |
| Video Conferencing (Zoom, Microsoft Teams) | 4 GB | 8 GB | 8 GB is enough but 16 GB for additional works |
Ideal RAM Capacity for Content Creators
| Software/Application | Minimum RAM | Recommended RAM | My Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe Photoshop | 8 GB | 16 GB | 32 GB (for handling larger files and multitasking) |
| Adobe Premiere Pro | 8 GB | 16 GB | 32 GB (for 4K video editing and effects) |
| Adobe After Effects | 8 GB | 16 GB | 32 GB (for complex compositions and rendering) |
| Final Cut Pro | 8 GB | 16 GB | 32 GB (for smooth editing of high-resolution video) |
| DaVinci Resolve | 8 GB | 16 GB | 32 GB (for color grading and rendering) |
| Blender | 8 GB | 16 GB | 32 GB (for complex 3D modeling and rendering) |
| Autodesk Maya | 8 GB | 16 GB | 32 GB (for animation and rendering) |
| Logic Pro / Ableton Live | 4 GB | 8 GB | 16 GB (for handling multiple tracks and plugins) |
| Unity / Unreal Engine | 8 GB | 16 GB | 32 GB (for game development and testing) |
These are some of the ideal numbers to choose the right capacity for different builds. The Recommended RAM shown in this table is enough but I have recommended it for future-proofing because not all computers would just use these software. A video editor will not only use Premiere Pro. He/She might need an encoder or compression software which demands heavy memory resources. There will be an operating system and many other things running in the background. So, I have given you the most popular RAM numbers that I have seen people choosing.
6. Price
Higher capacity and higher-performance RAMs are going to be costly compared to normal RAMs. If you are buying a budget RAM, you are surely compromising on something. Now, you have to see what are your requirements and the budget.
It is possible to buy a slow RAM with more capacity for the same price as a faster RAM with less capacity. So, you’ll have to decide on what to do.
If you ask me, I would go for faster RAM with less capacity and then upgrade in the future with more RAM at the same speed. However, if you do the vice-versa (buy more RAM with less speed), in future upgrades, you may have to uninstall those slow RAM modules and they may be of no use to you. So, keep these things in mind.
7. ECC (Error Correction Code) RAM
The biggest benefit of installing an ECC RAM is enhanced data reliability. ECC RAMs have inbuilt codes to ensure there are no data corruptions. This feature is required primarily in server and workstation RAMs. However, modern RAMs come with ODECC (On-Die ECC). Unlike normal ECC, ODECC only handles errors on the chip itself and doesn’t extend correction to data being transferred to the CPU. Normal ECC is also called External ECC where additional parity bits (72 bits instead of 64 bits) are there to check and fix the errors. ECC is a system-wide error correction while the ODECC is just for the memory die.
ECC is good if you want higher data reliability and want to overclock the system. However, most mid-range RAMs won’t have this feature at all. However, not having this feature doesn’t harm you that much.
8. Overclocking Support
Overclocking RAM involves taking it to a higher frequency than rated by the manufacturer. However, modern overclockable RAMs come with inbuilt profiles if a user wants to overclock them. Many RAM modules support Intel XMP (Extreme Memory Profile) or AMD EXPO, allowing easy overclocking of preset profiles. You can check overclocking support on the product page of your RAM and how far it can go in terms of frequency and latency. However, it is important to check if your motherboard also has these features supported in the BIOS/UEFI. Keep in mind that overclocking can generate more heat than usual so getting a heatsink RAM would be better in this case.
Keep in mind that altering the RAM frequency beyond the advertised speeds may result in component damage and a void warranty. It is better to refrain from manual RAM overclocking and buy the modules with XMP or EXPO features which are offered officially by the manufacturers.
9. Heatsink and RGB
These are optional specifications but I would recommend getting a RAM with heatsink if it has a high speed. RGB is clearly for aesthetics but make sure to check that the RGB can be controlled with your motherboard’s RGB software.
Regarding the heatsink, it can help you a lot when your RAM is working at full speed for long periods. RAM heatsinks don’t contribute much to your RAM’s price and is mostly a win-win situation.
I hope this helps!