Most modern motherboards only support DDR4 as of this writing, but some still support DDR3. Lastly, you should make sure your RAM’s DDR type (more on that in a moment) is compatible with your motherboard (not all motherboards accept all DDR types). Also, if you’re using two RAM modules at once, you want to make sure they’re inserted into matching DIMM slots on your motherboard (these slots are usually color-coded and oftentimes not right next to each other). The pins on the bottom of each RAM stick are notched, which means the RAM modules can only be inserted into the DIMM slot one way. RAM is pretty easy to install into your computer’s motherboard as long as you’re doing it correctly. Just know that more RAM means more strain on your computer’s power supply and CPU so make sure your other components can handle the load.įor more on how much RAM you need for your system, check out our guide: Most non-gaming computers have between 2-4GB of RAM, but for high-end gaming you’ll definitely want at least 8GB, and preferably 12-16GB if you’re able. The amount of memory on a single RAM stick can vary, with higher capacity sticks being more expensive.
Typically, most motherboards have a total of four DIMM slots, though some have more or less than that. Along the bottom of each RAM stick is a series of pins, and those pins are meant to match the DIMM (Dual Inline Memory Module) slots on your computer’s motherboard. There’s also a second type of RAM called Graphics DDR (or GDDR) RAM which is designed for graphics cards, but for the scope of this article we’ll just focus on DDR SDRAM for motherboards.Įach module of DDR SDRAM is produced as a sort of long stick with memory chips fused onto the sides. SDRAM is also divided into a number of speed classes using the Double Data Rate (or DDR) classing system.
The RAM you use for a gaming PC is called SDRAM, or Synchronous Dynamic Random-Access Memory. In this article, we’ll provide a newbie-friendly primer on RAM, explain the different DDR speeds, and outline which types of RAM are best for PC gaming. How many individual modules should you use? What’s the difference between DDR 3 RAM and DDR 4 RAM? Can different types of RAM be mixed together? When it comes to picking out RAM, though, things can get a little confusing. If the graphics card is the engine of your computer, then RAM is what gives that engine its horsepower. Your gaming computer’s RAM sticks (also referred to as memory modules) may not be as flashy as your supped-up RTX 2080 graphics card or your RGB-enabled keyboard, but you don’t want to skimp when it comes to picking out RAM.
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