Choosing RAM for a gaming PC. The most powerful computer hardware of our time

I think it’s no secret to anyone that RAM is an important component of a gaming system, and the performance in games is affected by several RAM parameters. For example, not long ago the 3DNews laboratory found out that the central AMD processors Ryzen is very sensitive to DDR4 frequencies. Testing has shown that using fast DDR4-3200 memory compared to standard DDR4-2133 with the same timings increases FPS in games by 12-16%, depending on the application. Therefore, if you want to get the most out of your system, buying a fast RAM kit is one of the most powerful options.

Performance is affected not only by frequency, but also by latency. And yet the most important parameter RAM is the volume. If, in the case of using a slow kit, we lose units of FPS, then if a certain number of gigabytes is missing, the game will either slow down or not start at all. Therefore, we decided to find out how much RAM a gaming computer needs in 2017. Obviously, the main “battle” will take place between 8 and 16 GB kits.

A good example: a user upgraded his computer, adding a video card to the existing configuration GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB. Now its system unit fully complies with the recommended requirements of Watch_Dogs 2, which I so wanted to play. However, even without using the maximum graphics quality settings, spending time in your favorite “sandbox” was marred by microfreezes that appeared every now and then. And the GeForce GTX 1060 seems to do its job perfectly, since the average figure stays around 50 FPS, but the whole impression is spoiled by these drawdowns! It turns out that the lack of RAM was involved in the visually noticeable drop in frame rate, because adding another 8 GB partly solved this problem - with the same settings and with the same video card, it became more comfortable to play.

The main topic has been outlined, but, in my opinion, it is no less important to answer one more question: will the use of fast file swaps?

⇡ Modern gaming platforms

Under the definition " gaming computer» a very large number of configurations fall into place. For example, in the monthly section "" ten various systems. The most inexpensive one includes a Pentium G4560, GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB and 8 GB DDR4. Using this amount of RAM is the most common option, according to the official statistics of the Steam game client. But modern platforms allow you to install 64 and even 128 GB of RAM.

Even now, without testing, we can safely say: the specified maximum amount of RAM is excessive for gaming configurations, although the entertainment industry is in lately the most active engine of computer progress. As already mentioned, most users install 8 or 16 GB in their systems. The table lists both the most modern (LGA1151, LGA2011-v3, AM4) and time-tested platforms, which can easily be classified as gaming in 2017. In most cases, AMD and Intel CPUs use dual-channel RAM controllers. This means that motherboards for the corresponding platform use either two DIMM slots or four. And boards with LGA2011 and LGA2011-v3 sockets have four or eight slots for installing RAM, respectively. For Haswell processors-E and Broadwell-E there is also an “exotic” exception to the rule - ASRock X99E-ITX/ac.

Dual channel built-in mode CPU memory controller implies the use of an even number of modules. In order to easily increase the amount of RAM over time, it is better to use a motherboard with four DIMM slots. So, we can purchase a 16 GB memory kit, consisting of two 8 GB modules, and over time, purchase two more modules with similar characteristics. Some motherboards have only a couple of slots for installing RAM - these are either very budget boards (for example, based on H110, B250 and A320 chipsets for Kaby Lake and Ryzen processors), or devices of the mini-ITX form factor, or exclusive overclocking solutions, such as ASUS Maximus IX Apex. These devices support half the amount of RAM: 32 GB for Skylake, Kaby Lake and Ryzen processors; 16 GB for Haswell, Broadwell, Sandy Bridge, Ivy Bridge and Vishera processors. Consider this point when upgrading or assembling system unit from scratch.

⇡ Test stand

All tests used the LGA1151 platform along with Core processor i7-7700K, overclocked to 4.5 GHz. Video cards, RAM and storage drives were changed. Full list components are presented in the table.

⇡ RAM consumption in modern games

Determine how much RAM is consumed modern games, not so difficult. Exists large number diagnostic utilities. But it is important to understand that the amount of RAM used depends on several parameters, and therefore may differ significantly depending on the different systems. So, along with the launch of games, various software does not stop working.

For example, the opening of only ten Chrome tabs leads to an increase in RAM consumption by 1.5 GB. Appetites Google browser have long become a “meme”, but let’s not forget about constantly active messengers, antiviruses, drivers and other utilities that are loaded along with the operating system.

I recently spent comparative testing GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB and Radeon RX 470 4 GB. There is an opinion among users that an additional gigabyte of video memory is another argument in favor of an AMD graphics adapter. A small experiment showed that out of twelve games, exactly half consume more than four gigabytes of video memory in Full HD resolution. The stand used a GeForce GTX 1080 accelerator with 8 GB GDDR5. It turns out that if there is not enough video memory, all data that does not fit into GDDR5 cells will be placed in RAM. Some games immediately inform the user that the video memory limit has been exceeded. Some - GTA V, HITMAN, Battlefield 1 - will simply not allow you to set more high quality graphics until the user himself removes the special “fuse” in the settings menu. Therefore, to study the issue in more detail, it is necessary to use several video cards. My choice was made on three popular NVIDIA models: GeForce GTX 1060 with 3 and 6 GB GDDR5, as well as GeForce GTX 1080.

RAM consumption was measured in fifteen applications. The graphs display the maximum load rate, which was recorded after 10 minutes of random gameplay. For clarity, results have been rounded. RAM load indicators were recorded using MSI programs Afterburner with 100ms polling rate. Among other programs, when launching games, only Steam clients, Origin and Uplay, as well as Windows Defender, FRAPS and MSI Afterburner.

The assumption made earlier has become a fact - already in Full HD resolution we see that using the 3 GB version of the GeForce GTX 1060, nine out of fifteen games exceeded the 8 GB RAM bar. That is more than half. The same games run on stands with GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB and GeForce GTX 1080 turned out to be less RAM-hungry.

With increasing resolution, the trend continued - already thirteen out of fifteen games consumed more than 8 GB of RAM in a stand with a GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB installed. Seven projects consistently consumed more than 10 GB of RAM. The RAM load also increased noticeably when using the GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB in the test bench. This means that six gigabytes of video memory are no longer enough for games at the graphics quality settings we have specified.

Testing in Ultra HD resolution was carried out only with the GeForce GTX 1080, because there is no point in using versions of the GeForce GTX 1060 in this resolution - GPUs These video cards simply cannot cope with the increased load.

The results turned out to be quite predictable. We can safely say: many modern AAA projects at close to maximum graphics quality settings consume more than 8 GB of RAM. In addition, measurements in Rise of the Tomb Raider, Watch_Dogs 2, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and Mass Effect Andromeda demonstrate the lack of a serious safety margin when the system has 16 GB of RAM. In addition, testing was carried out with a minimum active applications in Windows 10. In my opinion, there are all the prerequisites for the fact that projects will soon appear for which 16 GB of RAM at maximum or close to maximum graphics quality settings will not be enough.

I think many have already noticed the fact that I considered only one scenario - games at maximum (or close to them) graphics quality settings. However, most gamers use less powerful video cards, and therefore use different quality modes.

The good thing about computer games is that, as a rule, they have a large number settings that worsen or improve the quality of the output picture. For example, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided has five pre-programmed modes: Low, Medium, High, Very High and Ultra. Many developers use similar categories. Please note that it is quite difficult (sometimes even impossible) to determine by eye where the quality is high and where the quality is very high. Thus, there is no point in turning the sliders to the maximum in some games. And significantly less video memory and RAM are used.

From the list of games that consumed the most RAM at maximum (or close to them) quality settings, I selected five applications: Watch_Dogs 2, Mass Effect Andromeda, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and Ghost Recon Wildlands. Using the same NVIDIA video cards, I measured the RAM consumption when activating modes prepared in advance by the developers. In some games (Watch_Dogs 2 and Ghost Recon Wildlands) when changing overall quality Graphics are automatically changed and smoothed. In other applications, the antialiasing setting must be set separately. As a matter of fact, in Mass Effect Andromeda, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, anti-aliasing was not used at all for this part of the experiment. The results are entered into a summary table.

Areas in which a gratifying fact is recorded are highlighted in green - games upon activation a certain regime high-quality graphics consume less than 8 GB of RAM. The table clearly shows that setting the “High” and “Medium” parameters is suitable for video cards with 4 GB of video memory or less, for graphics adapters with 6+ GB GDDR5 - even more so.

A sharp drop in RAM consumption in Rise of the Tomb Raider is also noticeable when using the 3 GB version of the GeForce GTX 1060. We see logical confirmation of the fact that when using the “High” picture quality mode, the game requires less video memory than at “maximum settings”.

Of course, it affects the consumption of video RAM and system memory and disabling anti-aliasing, which should eliminate irregularities (ladders) along the edges of objects. Anti-aliasing is one of the parameters that is critical to the amount of video memory. Therefore, on a gaming system with 8 GB of RAM and a graphics accelerator with 2, 3 or 4 GB of video memory, it makes sense to turn off anti-aliasing or use “light” modes, if these are supported by the application.

Textures are the second parameter that is critical to the amount of video memory, and therefore RAM. The use of low-resolution textures noticeably spoils the image, but at the same time, there is no particular difference between the “High” and “Very High” modes in Rise of the Tomb Raider (in other games too). Therefore, if there is a lack of video memory and RAM, this parameter can be sacrificed in order to achieve a comfortable frame rate.

Image settings in computer games so many. The developers work closely with hardware manufacturers - AMD, NVIDIA and Intel, and therefore applications abound different quantities all kinds of options. For example, Rise of the Tomb Raider features a PureHair mode that significantly transforms the hairstyles of the characters in this game. They also use various ambient light blocking technologies (SSAO, HBAO, HBAO+, VXAO, etc.) that darken cavities and corners, adding visual depth to them.

All these settings to one degree or another affect the consumption of video memory and RAM. However, not as much as anti-aliasing, shadows and texture size.

It seems that the answer to the main question has been received: measurements of RAM consumption show that 16 GB is our everything if you plan to play with maximum settings graphics quality. On the other hand, there is proof that 8 GB of RAM is still enough for anyone modern project- you just need to reduce the image quality. Most often, it is enough to set the mode to “High” or “Medium”. According to the author, the picture will still be of a completely acceptable level. However, it is interesting to know how typical gaming systems when there is not enough RAM? The second part of the experiment is devoted to this issue.

Memory DDR3 is gradually losing its position as the most widespread and is no longer recommended for assembling new systems. It’s another matter if the task is to modernize a slightly outdated computer, and within a limited budget. It's clear similar conditions exclude the most overclocked memory kits from the list of options, and they are not considered in our review.

It is noteworthy that within the platform Intel The race for megahertz doesn't make much sense either. The exception here is quite specific tasks that are not of interest to most users. On the other hand, the difference in price for memory kits of the same size but with different clock frequencies is vanishingly small (in the range from 2133 to 3000 MHz, of course). So why not choose a faster set of RAM for the future?

The situation is completely different with the latest platform AMD. Due to the peculiarities of their internal architecture, the performance of Ryzen processors directly depends on the operating frequency of the Infinity Fabric memory bus, and therefore its controller. In turn, the frequency of the latter is “tied” to the characteristics installed modules and can be increased by overclocking.

An extremely unpleasant nuance in choosing memory modules for Ryzen The problem is that not every kit will work in such a system even at its rated clock frequency. Here the problem lies in the architecture of the modules themselves. Briefly, the recommendations can be boiled down to two pieces of advice: focus on peer-to-peer memory sticks and the latest BIOS revision for motherboard. The newer the AGESA protocol is, the better. Keep in mind, dual-rank memory with Ryzen will always run at lower frequencies, and early versions The specified protocol is “friendly” only for modules built on Samsung chips. And not just any, but exclusively the B-Die generation.

Happy upgrade!

RAM type

DDR SDRAM is already a morally obsolete type of memory. It has a low clock frequency of 400 MHz.
- DDR2 – quite good decision which has been used enough for a long time. It has 120 contacts on both sides, a lower power consumption of 1.8 V compared to DDR SDRAM, and an increased clock frequency to 1066 MHz. At the moment, it is practically not used in modern motherboards.
- DDR3 – modern type RAM. At a reduced price compared to previous generations, it has much better performance: power consumption of 1.5 V, clock frequency of up to 2400 MHz.
- DDR4 is the next step in development. It has improved performance in all respects, but production of this memory module has not yet begun.

RAM capacity

CAS Latency - duty cycle time
- RAS to CAS Delay - full access time
- RAS Precharge Time - Precharge time

The speed of the RAM depends on these indicators, and the lower they are, the better. However, as the clock frequency of the RAM increases, its timings increase, and as the timings decrease, the cost of RAM increases, so you should proceed from the acceptable budget when choosing RAM.

Corsair
Transcend
OCZ
Kingston

These manufacturers always provide only high-quality products, and also indicate the real characteristics of their creations. You should also be able to read the product identification code, which can be used to determine all the characteristics of the memory module. For example, Kingston KHX 2000C9AD3T1K2/4GX, from the main parameters you can read the following:

KHX – manufacturer and model
2000 – operating frequency
9 – CAS duty cycle time
D3 – module type DD3
4G – memory capacity 4 Gb

In addition to all of the above, you need to know that if more than one RAM module is used, then the RAM must be from the same manufacturer from the same batch and with identical parameters of clock frequency, timings and volume. Only in this case can you achieve coordinated operation of the RAM modules.

Slow down over time and if your computer is starting to show its age, you may want to consider replacing, upgrading, or adding better RAM. However, before you do this, there are a couple of things you need to consider. Capacity, speed, and overclockability are key considerations when choosing the best RAM for your PC. And, if your computer is only a few years old, you should keep a close eye on the best DDR4 RAM since DDR3 will not work on it.

However, as soon as you open any online store in search of the best DDR4 RAM, you will notice that there are hundreds of different RAM sticks available. Anyone unfamiliar with PC components will be a little confused. However, we are here to support you, we have prepared a ranking of the best RAM in 2018.

Every RAM kit on this list has been reviewed by our editorial team, so you can rest assured you're getting the best RAM on the market, no matter your needs. So, whether you're looking for an upgrade to open more Chrome tabs on your laptop, or you're a gamer looking for the fastest RAM available today, read on to find the best RAM in 2018.

| CORSAIRVENGEANCELED

BEST RAM 2018

The best RAM, no matter your needs, comes from Corsair. Their Vengeance series offers something for everyone, but LED DDR4 memory tops our rankings. In addition to allowing PC designers to specify additional lighting colors, Corsair Vengeance's built-in heat spreaders maximize cooling for higher overclocking and peak performance. Corsair Vengeance LED DDR4 offers CL16 latency and 3466 MHz clock speeds, as well as color matching to your PC's lighting.

| G.SKILLRIPJAWSVSERIES

BEST DDR4 RAM

If you're looking for high-speed, high-quality DDR4 RAM for your computer, look no further than the G.Skill Ripjaws V Series. G.Skill designed its flagship RAM based on reliability, low voltage power supply and simple overclocking XMP 2.0 for experienced users. With CL14-CL19 latency and speeds ranging from 2133MHz to 4000MHz, this is a fast RAM. While the Ripjaws V Series does not support RGB lighting, it comes in five colors: Blazing Red, Steel Blue, Classic Black, Radiant Silver and Gunmetal Gray.

| KINGSTONHYPERXPREDATOR

BEST DDR3 RAM

Kingston's high-performance HyperX memory offers some of the best DDR3 on the market, and Predator models are specifically tuned for extreme performance and expandable with XMP profiles. The Predator DDR3 series provides CL9-CL11 latencies and speeds between 1866 MHz and 2666 MHz.

| KINGSTONHYPERXFURY

BEST BUDGET RAM

Kingston HyperX Fure is auto-overclockable RAM that won't break the bank. This intelligent DDR3 or DDR4 memory automatically detects system components for overclocking maximum frequencies, which allows you to optimize the performance of all the latest Intel chipsets. It comes with CL14 and CL16 latency, and also offers speeds between 2133 MHz and 2666 MHz. And while RAM is inexpensive, it can have a huge impact on your PC's performance.

| CORSAIRDOMINATORPLATINUM

BEST HIGH PERFORMANCE RAM

Corsair's Dominator Platinum is the best RAM for high-intensity workloads and is also suitable for users who need chrome-plated heat dissipators for maximum performance. Your memory's massive heatsinks and built-in fans may seem absurd, but they are absolutely necessary to run C19 memory up to 4000 MHz. In the budget segment, Corsair also offers a version of the C14 in the Dominator Platinum series, running at 2400 MHz.

| NIGHTHAWKTEAMT-FORCE

BEST GAMING RAM

When you're looking for the best gaming performance, look no further than Team T-Force Night Hawk DDR4 RAM. It comes with CL15 or CL16 delay and clock frequencies between 2666 MHz and 3200 MHz, so no matter which kit you buy, the RAM will perform at peak performance. The memory is also available in full RGB models for users who want more personalization in their hardware.

| G.SKILL TRIEDN Z RGB

BEST RGB RAM

G.Skill introduces the amazing performance of the Triden Z RGB with full backlight customization to further personalize your PC. At the top of each RAM stick there is a full-fledged rainbow panel that can glow to match the RGB lighting of the rest of the PC. Triden Z RGB DDR4 RAM comes with CAS latency between 14 and 19, and clock speeds between 2400 and 4266 MHz. No matter your style, you get the best RGB RAM only with the G.Skill Trident Z RGB.

| CORSAIRVENGEANCELPX

BEST LOW PROFILE RAM

Corsair Vengeance LPX Series RAM is designed for users who need maximum performance minimum size. This low profile RAM is essential for building PCs with massive CPU coolers. Despite the size of Corsair's RAM sticks, they also feature eight-layer heat spreaders for cooling during overclocking. And bye slim design does not allow you to install backlight LEDs, you can get the memory in three colors: black, red or blue. Corsair's Vengeance LPX DDR4 series runs from CL12 to CL19 latencies and between 2400 and 4600 MHz clock speeds.

| G.SKILLRAMMAC

BEST RAM FOR MAC

Along with custom RAM for desktops and laptops, G.Skill offers matching upgrades for Mac. Purchasing the missing set of RAM from Apple Store unreasonably expensive, so switching to third-party memory can save you a ton of money - if you think your computer is one of the last MacBooks or iMacs that still support the upgrade. These SO-DIMM sticks have CAS latencies between 9 and 11, with clock speeds ranging from 1333 MHz to 1600 MHz. Better performance for its money it promises G.Skill DDR3-1333 RAM for Mac.

| CRUCIALBALLISTIXSPORT

BEST RAM FOR LAPTOPS

Crucial is a manufacturer of RAM for laptops. The company has developed Crucial Ballistix Sport SO-DIMM RAM for effective use batteries while still maintaining speed for multitasking. The memory is ideal for those who want to squeeze a little more out of their laptop and this memory will likely provide more high speed than anything your laptop has to offer. CL16 latency and speed from 2300 MHz to 2666 MHz.