RAM Buying Guide – July 2022

Introduction

RAM is one of the most overlooked parts in a PC. However, it is incredibly important to how your PC functions. Simply put, RAM stores data from every open program to quickly access it because RAM is several orders of magnitude faster to access than any normal storage device. We don’t use DRAM for general purpose storage just because it is very expensive and volatile, which means that when your PC turns off, all of the data that is stored is erased.

Buying RAM can actually be very simple for most people. Get the capacity you want, speed you want, and whatever looks nice to you. However, if you want to overclock it, or want to make sure your RAM has good compatibility and stability, you need to research the kits for what RAM die they’re based on, so you know how it overclocks, how well binned the die is so you have an idea how far you can push it, and if it has a built-in temp sensor, which is a godsend for temperature sensitive dies like Samsung B-die.

To help out with picking the RAM we have split them into several categories for each capacity:

1. Budget – Inexpensive RAM that does the job, don’t expect great overclocking headroom or high speeds
2. Value overclocking – Best bang-for-your-buck when it comes to overclocking headroom, optimal for those who just want good performance at a good price
3. High end – If you want the absolute maximum performance you can get, want to try out extreme overclocking, or just want to burn some extra money, get yourself a high end kit of RAM

Our Picks: