The Best RAM for Your PC (2025)

DDR4 vs DDR5

There are presently 2 standards connected the market, and determination astir apt volition proceed to beryllium for a portion arsenic DDR4 phases out. Chances are, if you’re upgrading an older system, you’ll request DDR4 RAM, and if you’re gathering a caller system, you’ll beryllium looking for DDR5. Check your motherboard exemplary to marque sure, due to the fact that they aren’t compatible with each other. You tin besides cheque retired an in-depth explainer connected the differences betwixt DDR4 and DDR5 if you’re curious.

Capacity

Once you cognize whether you request DDR4 oregon DDR5, the adjacent large determination is however overmuch representation you want. Unless you truly program connected conscionable browsing the web and watching the occasional video, I urge starting astatine 32GB. Most representation is sold successful kits, truthful if you privation 32GB you’ll typically bargain a brace of 16GB sticks, often shown successful listings arsenic 2x16GB, and instal them according to your motherboard’s instructions for dual transmission memory. Some gamers whitethorn payment from 64GB of memory, but thing much would beryllium for peculiar usage cases.

Speed

The different fig you’re apt to spot prominently displayed connected representation is timepiece speed, measured successful MHz. DDR5 starts astatine 3,200MHz, but it seems similar astir DIY representation falls successful the 6,000-6,400MHz range. Some enthusiast RAM goes each the mode up to 8,000MHz, but I don’t deliberation the mean idiosyncratic volition payment from that overmuch speed.

Notably, if you privation to afloat utilize your RAM’s stated speed, you’ll request to marque definite XMP, oregon AMD’s EXPO, are enabled successful your BIOS. Check your motherboard manual for much accusation connected enabling the diagnostic and mounting your MHz properly.

Latency

Performance has different measurable relation successful the signifier of CL, oregon CAS Latency. While the timepiece velocity measures however accelerated the RAM tin determination data, the CL denotes however rapidly it tin entree that data, with a little fig meaning faster access. While timepiece speeds got a immense bump with DDR5, the CL numbers mightiness look precocious to folks who person acquisition with DDR4. Just cognize that the higher timepiece speeds marque up for this difference, truthful present we’re looking astatine 28-30 for the archetypal fig alternatively of the 12-16 we had before.

Fit and Compatibility

There are a fewer considerations you besides whitethorn privation to support successful caput erstwhile purchasing representation for your system. Most modules are astir the aforesaid size, but if you person a ample CPU cooler you whitethorn privation to marque definite immoderate shrouds connected the representation aren’t excessively tall. Most DIY motherboards don’t person capableness limits for representation that should interest your mean PC user, oregon adjacent gamer, but if you’re upgrading an older system, you’ll privation to cheque the manual and motherboard exemplary to corroborate however overmuch retention it tin handle.

Know that determination are typically 2 sizes of representation module. You’ll usually find DIMMs successful desktop computers, and SO-DIMMs successful laptops, but immoderate precise tiny desktop computers whitethorn opt for laptop memory.