4 Random Access Memory

The most important aspect of choosing RAM are the amount, speed, and dual-channel capability.

Amount

Recall that RAM serves as a measure of how much can be done at once. Therefor, the more RAM, the more programs can be opened and used at the same time. This is a much better measure of multi-tasking than something like the CPU core count, as almost every program uses RAM to run more quickly. RAM is measured in gigabytes, with 4, 8 and 16GBs being the most common. In 2021, programs are simply more demanding than they once were. As a result, I recommend 8GBs of system RAM at a minimum, with 16GBs suggested for more demanding tasks like playing games or editing video. Luckily, as of writing this RAM is relatively in expensive, and finding a quality 16GB kit is very affordable.

Speed

RAM speed is measured in megahertz, abbreviated MHz. RAM speed can be more or less important, depending on your CPU choice. AMD’s Ryzen line discussed earlier, for example, it able to take advantage of faster memory more effectively than and Intel CPUs. The three most common speeds available now are 2666, 3200 and 3600MHz. If using an Intel CPU, buy RAM rated for 2666MHz speed. It will be slightly less expensive, and there will be little to no benefit from buying faster ram. If using an AMD CPU, I recommenced buying faster RAM. 3200MHz is a nice middle ground between price and performance. RAM at this speed will be noticeably faster than memory running at 2666MHz, but without the steep price hike that high-speed RAM often carries.

Dual vs. Single Channel

Memory is inserted into slots in the motherboard, usually called DIMMS. Most motherboards will have two or four such slots, and using them improperly can seriously hurt performance! RAM is able to run in two modes, single or dual channel. While the method behind this system is incredibly complex, what’s important for us to to always use RAM running in dual channel mode. When buying memory, PC builders often use the term “stick” to mean one physical RAM module, which will be inserted into the aforementioned DIMM slot. A “kit” meanwhile, is all the memory that will go into a system. Lets assume we want our system to have my suggested 16GBs of RAM. While it’s common to see single sticks of RAM containing 16GBs of RAM, it is far better to buy two 8GB sticks (Stewart, 2021). This lets us populate two DIMM slots, and will force our memory to run in dual channel mode. This can almost double memory performance!

Budget Considerations

Luckily for the new PC builder, RAM is relatively cheap at the time of writing. As a result, a quality kit of 16GB RAM can be purchased fairly inexpensively, often for less than $100. Unless you opt for something more exotic, like RAM with built in lighting, I recommend buying the cheapest RAM that meets the criteria discussed above.