Tips for selecting RAM in 2018
Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2018 8:17 pm
While not directly related to silence, it is a decision builders (and buyers) will make, especially within the context of the CPU and motherboard they choose, so I wanted to give tips for beginners, or those who haven't built a PC in several years:
CPU choice
All RAM does is allow your computer to run as fast as your CPU can run. RAM doesn't inherently make the computer faster. It only removes the blockage that's hindering your CPU. If you buy a great CPU and an unideal amount of RAM, you can always add more RAM. However, no amount of additional RAM can make a bad or very outdated CPU good.
Motherboard choice
While ATX and EATX boards allow for 4-8 sticks of RAM, ITX and many Micro ATX boards limit you to two sticks of RAM (which probably isn't a big issue for most builders). If you have a motherboard with two slots, it's better to go with one larger capacity stick than two smaller ones since you can always upgrade the second slot later. Also, the DDR of your RAM must be the same as the DDR your motherboard accepts - there is no backward compatibility (DDR4 motherboards must have DDR4 RAM).
RAM speed
CPU's and motherboards will have, in their specs, the amount of RAM speed they can tolerate. Of course, many motherboards allow you to overclock the RAM in the BIOS to get higher speed. Additional RAM speed can improve performance, depending on the how the CPU utilizes it, of course. There is a little bit of improvement in performance when moving along the 2400-3000 MHz range, but beyond that there are very diminished returns. If you use two sticks of different speeds, it will run at the speed of the slowest stick.
RAM power consumption
Each stick of DDR4 RAM consumes a negligible amount of energy (1-2 watts?). Cooling, noise and wattage isn't a meaningful concern for RAM.
Symmetry
While this aspect is not mandatory, and may not be necessary for everyone, it is generally more reliable to have sticks be of the same size, same brand/model and when using more than one stick, it's best to have an even number of sticks.
RAM capacity
If using a light OS like Linux, 2-4 GB should be fine. For Windows or Mac, 8 GB is recommended for most users. 8 GB is plenty for the vast majority of productivity, web browsing and office programs. For modern computer games, 8 GB is plenty (16 will have little to no improvement on games). For creative work, such as Photoshop, Adobe Premiere, Digital Audio Workstations and 3D modeling, more RAM is recommended because many of these programs are designed to use as much RAM as possible. More RAM will yield faster workflow. For those using apps like these as a passion or a profession, it may be a good idea to start with 16 GB (and then see if you need more). If you can only afford 8 GB of RAM at the moment, these programs are still very viable, those that are passionate about what they create will still be able to create great things and this shouldn't discourage any creative minds from pursuing these programs. In a few years, 16 GB may be more beneficial for many, but with many websites and apps being designed for mobile and budget markets, I expect 8 GB to not become obsolete for most users anytime soon.
RAM price
Right now, RAM is at an all-time high price. When it was cheap, buying extra wasn't a bad idea, but now additional RAM comes at a higher opportunity cost of dollars that could be invested into other parts of the build. I generally tell people to buy as much RAM as they need at the moment and don't try to future proof. If the programs you use don't even need the extra RAM, you may be spending an extra $80-160 for nothing.
CPU choice
All RAM does is allow your computer to run as fast as your CPU can run. RAM doesn't inherently make the computer faster. It only removes the blockage that's hindering your CPU. If you buy a great CPU and an unideal amount of RAM, you can always add more RAM. However, no amount of additional RAM can make a bad or very outdated CPU good.
Motherboard choice
While ATX and EATX boards allow for 4-8 sticks of RAM, ITX and many Micro ATX boards limit you to two sticks of RAM (which probably isn't a big issue for most builders). If you have a motherboard with two slots, it's better to go with one larger capacity stick than two smaller ones since you can always upgrade the second slot later. Also, the DDR of your RAM must be the same as the DDR your motherboard accepts - there is no backward compatibility (DDR4 motherboards must have DDR4 RAM).
RAM speed
CPU's and motherboards will have, in their specs, the amount of RAM speed they can tolerate. Of course, many motherboards allow you to overclock the RAM in the BIOS to get higher speed. Additional RAM speed can improve performance, depending on the how the CPU utilizes it, of course. There is a little bit of improvement in performance when moving along the 2400-3000 MHz range, but beyond that there are very diminished returns. If you use two sticks of different speeds, it will run at the speed of the slowest stick.
RAM power consumption
Each stick of DDR4 RAM consumes a negligible amount of energy (1-2 watts?). Cooling, noise and wattage isn't a meaningful concern for RAM.
Symmetry
While this aspect is not mandatory, and may not be necessary for everyone, it is generally more reliable to have sticks be of the same size, same brand/model and when using more than one stick, it's best to have an even number of sticks.
RAM capacity
If using a light OS like Linux, 2-4 GB should be fine. For Windows or Mac, 8 GB is recommended for most users. 8 GB is plenty for the vast majority of productivity, web browsing and office programs. For modern computer games, 8 GB is plenty (16 will have little to no improvement on games). For creative work, such as Photoshop, Adobe Premiere, Digital Audio Workstations and 3D modeling, more RAM is recommended because many of these programs are designed to use as much RAM as possible. More RAM will yield faster workflow. For those using apps like these as a passion or a profession, it may be a good idea to start with 16 GB (and then see if you need more). If you can only afford 8 GB of RAM at the moment, these programs are still very viable, those that are passionate about what they create will still be able to create great things and this shouldn't discourage any creative minds from pursuing these programs. In a few years, 16 GB may be more beneficial for many, but with many websites and apps being designed for mobile and budget markets, I expect 8 GB to not become obsolete for most users anytime soon.
RAM price
Right now, RAM is at an all-time high price. When it was cheap, buying extra wasn't a bad idea, but now additional RAM comes at a higher opportunity cost of dollars that could be invested into other parts of the build. I generally tell people to buy as much RAM as they need at the moment and don't try to future proof. If the programs you use don't even need the extra RAM, you may be spending an extra $80-160 for nothing.