What are RAM modules. How to choose RAM: parameters and recommendations

RAM is used for temporary storage of data necessary for the operation of the operating system and all programs. There should be enough RAM, if it is not enough, then the computer starts to slow down.

A board with memory chips is called a memory module (or bar). Memory for a laptop, except for the size of the strips, is no different from memory for a computer, so follow the same recommendations when choosing.

For an office computer, one 4 GB DDR4 stick with a frequency of 2400 or 2666 MHz is enough (it costs almost the same).
RAM Crucial CT4G4DFS824A

For a multimedia computer (movies, simple games), it is better to take two DDR4 sticks with a frequency of 2666 MHz, 4 GB each, then the memory will work in a faster dual-channel mode.
RAM Ballistix BLS2C4G4D240FSB

For a mid-range gaming computer, you can take one 8 GB DDR4 bar with a frequency of 2666 MHz so that in the future you can add another one and better if it is a simpler running model.
RAM Crucial CT8G4DFS824A

And for a powerful gaming or professional PC, you need to immediately take a set of 2 DDR4 sticks of 8 GB each, while a frequency of 2666 MHz will be enough.

2. How much memory do you need

For an office computer designed to work with documents and access the Internet, one 4 GB memory bar is enough.

For a multimedia computer that can be used to watch high-quality videos and undemanding games, 8 GB of memory is enough.

For a mid-range gaming computer, the minimum option is 8 GB of RAM.

A powerful gaming or professional computer requires 16 GB of memory.

More memory may be needed only for very demanding professional programs and is not needed by ordinary users.

Memory size for old PCs

If you decide to increase the amount of memory on an old computer, then please note that 32-bit versions of Windows do not support more than 3 GB random access memory. That is, if you install 4 GB of RAM, then the operating system will see and use only 3 GB.

As for 64-bit versions of Windows, they will be able to use all the installed memory, but if you have an old computer or have an old printer, then they may not have drivers for these operating systems. In this case, before buying memory, install the 64-bit version of Windows and check if everything works for you. I also recommend that you look at the website of the motherboard manufacturer and see how many modules and total memory it supports.

Also note that 64-bit operating systems consume 2 times more memory, for example, Windows 7 x64 takes about 800 MB for its needs. Therefore, 2 GB of memory for such a system will not be enough, preferably at least 4 GB.

Practice shows that modern Windows 7,8,10 operating systems are fully disclosed with 8 GB of memory. The system becomes more responsive, programs open faster, and jerks (freezes) disappear in games.

3. Types of memory

Modern memory is of the DDR SDRAM type and is constantly being improved. So DDR and DDR2 memory is already obsolete and can only be used on older computers. DDR3 memory is no longer advisable to use on new PCs, it has been replaced by a faster and more promising DDR4.

Please note that the selected memory type must be supported by the processor and motherboard.

Also, new processors, for compatibility reasons, can support DDR3L memory, which differs from regular DDR3 by a lower voltage from 1.5 to 1.35 V. Such processors will be able to work with regular DDR3 memory if you already have it, but processor manufacturers do not recommend this from - due to increased degradation of memory controllers designed for DDR4 with an even lower voltage of 1.2 V.

Memory type for old PCs

Legacy DDR2 memory is several times more expensive than more modern memory. A 2 GB DDR2 stick costs twice as much, and a 4 GB DDR2 stick costs 4 times as much as a DDR3 or DDR4 stick of the same size.

Therefore, if you want to significantly increase the memory on an old computer, then perhaps the best option would be to switch to a more modern platform with a replacement motherboard and, if necessary, a processor that will support DDR4 memory.

Calculate how much it will cost you, perhaps a profitable solution would be to sell an old motherboard with old memory and purchase new, albeit not the most expensive, but more modern components.

The motherboard connectors for installing memory are called slots.

Each type of memory (DDR, DDR2, DDR3, DDR4) has its own slot. DDR3 memory can only be installed in motherboard with DDR3 slots, DDR4 with DDR4 slots. Motherboards that support the old DDR2 memory are no longer produced.

5. Memory specifications

The main characteristics of memory, on which its performance depends, are the frequency and timings. The speed of the memory does not have such a strong impact on the overall performance of the computer as the processor. However, you can often get faster memory for a fraction of the price. Fast memory is needed primarily for powerful professional computers.

5.1. Memory frequency

The frequency has the greatest effect on the speed of the memory. But before buying it, you need to make sure that the processor and motherboard also support the required frequency. Otherwise, the actual memory frequency will be lower and you will simply overpay for something that will not be used.

Inexpensive motherboards support a lower maximum memory frequency, such as 2400 MHz for DDR4. Medium and high-end motherboards may support higher frequency memory (3400-3600MHz).

But with processors, the situation is different. Older processors with DDR3 memory support may support memory with a maximum frequency of 1333, 1600 or 1866 MHz (depending on the model). For modern processors that support DDR4 memory, the maximum supported memory frequency may be 2400 MHz or higher.

6th generation Intel processors and above and AMD Ryzen processors support DDR4 memory at 2400 MHz or above. At the same time, their lineup includes not only powerful expensive processors, but also processors of the middle and budget class. Thus, you can build a computer on the most modern platform with an inexpensive processor and DDR4 memory, and in the future, change the processor and get the highest performance.

The main memory for today is DDR4 2400 MHz, which is supported by the most modern processors, motherboards and costs the same as DDR4 2133 MHz. Therefore, it makes no sense to purchase DDR4 memory with a frequency of 2133 MHz today.

What memory frequency is supported by a particular processor can be found on the manufacturers' websites:

By model number or serial number, it is very easy to find all the characteristics of any processor on the site:

Or just enter the model number in search engine Google or Yandex (for example, "Ryzen 7 1800X").

5.2. high frequency memory

Now I want to touch on another interesting point. On sale you can find RAM at a much higher frequency than any modern processor supports (3000-3600 MHz and higher). Accordingly, many users are wondering how this can be?

It's all about the technology developed by Intel, eXtreme Memory Profile (XMP). XMP allows the memory to run at a higher frequency than the processor officially supports. XMP must be supported by both the memory itself and the motherboard. Memory with a high frequency simply cannot exist without the support of this technology, but not all motherboards can boast of its support. Basically, these are more expensive models above the middle class.

The essence of XMP technology is that the motherboard automatically increases the frequency of the memory bus, so that the memory starts to work at its higher frequency.

AMD has a similar technology called AMD Memory Profile (AMP) that was supported by older AMD motherboards. These motherboards usually supported XMP modules as well.

Buying more expensive memory with a very high frequency and an XMP-enabled motherboard makes sense for very powerful professional computers equipped with a top-end processor. In a middle-class computer, this will be money thrown to the wind, since everything will rest on the performance of other components.

In games, the memory frequency has little effect and there is no point in overpaying, it will be enough to take it at 2400 MHz, or at 2666 MHz if the price difference is small.

For professional applications, you can take a memory with a higher frequency - 2666 MHz, or if you want and funds allow for 3000 MHz. The difference in performance here is greater than in games, but not cardinal, so there is not much point in overclocking the memory frequency.

Once again I remind you that your motherboard must support the memory of the required frequency. In addition, sometimes Intel processors become unstable at memory frequencies above 3000 MHz, while Ryzen has this limit around 2900 MHz.

Timings are delays between read/write/copy data operations in RAM. Accordingly, the smaller these delays, the better. But timings have a much smaller impact on the speed of the memory than its frequency.

There are only 4 main timings, which are indicated in the characteristics of memory modules.

Of these, the most important is the first digit, which is called latency (CL).

Typical latency for 1333 MHz DDR3 memory is CL 9, for higher clocked DDR3 memory CL 11.

Typical latency for 2133 MHz DDR4 memory is CL 15, for higher clocked DDR4 memory CL 16.

You should not buy memory with a latency higher than indicated, as this indicates a general low level of its technical characteristics.

Usually, memory with lower timings is more expensive, but if the difference in price is not significant, then memory with lower latency should be preferred.

5.4. Supply voltage

The memory can have a different supply voltage. It can be either standard (generally accepted for a certain type of memory), or increased (for enthusiasts), or vice versa, reduced.

This is especially important if you want to add more memory to your PC or laptop. In this case, the tension of the new strips should be the same as that of the existing ones. Otherwise, problems are possible, since most motherboards cannot set different voltages for different modules.

If the voltage is set to a bar with a lower voltage, then others may not have enough power and the system will not work stably. If the voltage is set to a bar with a higher voltage, then the memory designed for a lower voltage may fail.

If you are building a new computer, then this is not so important, but to avoid possible problems compatibility with the motherboard and the replacement or expansion of memory in the future, it is better to choose brackets with a standard supply voltage.

The memory, depending on the type, has the following standard supply voltages:

DDR - 2.5 V
DDR2 - 1.8V
DDR3 - 1.5V
DDR3L - 1.35V
DDR4 - 1.2V

I think you noticed that DDR3L memory is on the list. This is not a new type of memory, but the usual DDR3, but with a reduced supply voltage (Low). This is the kind of memory needed for Intel 6th generation and above processors that support both DDR4 and DDR3 memory. But in this case, it is better to assemble the system on the new DDR4 memory.

6. Marking of memory modules

Memory modules are marked according to the type of memory and its frequency. The marking of DDR memory modules begins with PC, followed by a number indicating the generation and speed in megabytes per second (Mb / s).

This marking is inconvenient to navigate, it is enough to know the type of memory (DDR, DDR2, DDR3, DDR4), its frequency and latency. But sometimes, for example, on classifieds sites, you can see the markings rewritten from the bar. Therefore, so that you can navigate in this case, I will give the marking in a classic form, indicating the type of memory, its frequency and typical latency.

DDR - obsolete

PC-2100 (DDR 266 MHz) - CL 2.5
PC-2700 (DDR 333 MHz) - CL 2.5
PC-3200 (DDR 400 MHz) - CL 2.5

DDR2 - obsolete

PC2-4200 (DDR2 533 MHz) - CL 5
PC2-5300 (DDR2 667 MHz) - CL 5
PC2-6400 (DDR2 800 MHz) - CL 5
PC2-8500 (DDR2 1066 MHz) - CL 5

DDR3 - obsolete

PC3-10600 (DDR3 1333 MHz) - CL 9
PC3-12800 (DDR3 1600 MHz) - CL 11
PC3-14400 (DDR3 1866 MHz) - CL 11
PC3-16000 (DDR3 2000 MHz) - CL 11

PC4-17000 (DDR4 2133 MHz) - CL 15
PC4-19200 (DDR4 2400 MHz) - CL 16
PC4-21300 (DDR4 2666 MHz) - CL 16
PC4-24000 (DDR4 3000 MHz) - CL 16
PC4-25600 (DDR4 3200 MHz) - CL 16

DDR3 and DDR4 memory may have a higher frequency, but only high-end processors and more expensive motherboards can work with it.

7. Design of memory modules

Memory sticks can be single-sided, double-sided, with or without heatsinks.

7.1. Chip placement

Chips on memory modules can be placed on one side of the board (single-sided) and on both sides (double-sided).

It doesn't matter if you are purchasing memory for a new computer. If you want to add memory to an old PC, then it is desirable that the location of the chips on the new bar is the same as on the old one. This will help avoid compatibility issues and increase the likelihood of memory running in dual-channel mode, which we will discuss later in this article.

Now on sale you can find a lot of memory modules with aluminum heatsinks of various colors and shapes.

The presence of heatsinks can be justified on DDR3 memory with a high frequency (1866 MHz or more), since it heats up more. At the same time, ventilation must be well organized in the case.

A modern DDR4 RAM with a frequency of 2400, 2666 MHz practically does not heat up and the radiators on it will be purely decorative. They can even interfere, because after a while they will become clogged with dust, which is difficult to clean out of them. In addition, such memory will cost a little more. So, if you want, you can save on this, for example, by taking Crucial's excellent 2400 MHz memory without heatsinks.

Memory with a frequency of 3000 MHz or more also has an increased supply voltage, but it also does not get very hot, and in any case it will have radiators.

8. Memory for laptops

Notebook memory differs from desktop memory only in the size of the memory module and is labeled SO-DIMM DDR. As well as for stationary computers, memory for laptops has the types DDR, DDR2, DDR3, DDR3L, DDR4.

In terms of frequency, timings and voltage, memory for laptops does not differ from memory for computers. But laptops only come with 1 or 2 memory slots and have tighter limits on maximum capacity. Be sure to check these parameters before choosing a memory for specific model laptop.

9. Memory modes

Memory can operate in single channel (Single Channel), dual channel (Dual Channel), three-channel (Triple Channel) or four-channel mode (Quad Channel).

In single-channel mode, data is written sequentially to each module. In multichannel modes, data is written in parallel to all modules, which leads to a significant increase in the performance of the memory subsystem.

Single-channel memory mode is limited only by hopelessly outdated motherboards with DDR memory and the first models with DDR2.

All modern motherboards support dual-channel memory, and only a few very expensive motherboards support three-channel and four-channel memory.

The main condition for the dual-channel mode is the presence of 2 or 4 memory sticks. Three-channel mode requires 3 or 6 memory sticks, and four-channel mode requires 4 or 8 sticks.

It is desirable that all memory modules are the same. Otherwise, dual-channel operation is not guaranteed.

If you want to add memory to an old computer and your motherboard supports dual-channel mode, try to choose a bar that is as identical as possible in all respects. It is best to sell the old one and buy 2 new identical strips.

In modern computers, memory controllers have been moved from the motherboard to the processor. Now it is not so important that the memory modules are the same, since the processor in most cases will still be able to activate dual-channel mode. This means that if in the future you want to add memory to a modern computer, you will not necessarily look for exactly the same module, just choose the most similar in terms of characteristics. But still, I recommend that the memory modules be the same. This will give you a guarantee of its fast and stable operation.

With the transfer of memory controllers to the processor, 2 more modes of dual-channel memory operation appeared - Ganged (paired) and Unganged (unpaired). If the memory modules are the same, then the processor can work with them in Ganged mode, as before. If the modules differ in characteristics, then the processor can activate the Unganged mode to eliminate distortions in working with memory. In general, the speed of the memory in these modes is almost the same and does not make any difference.

The only downside to dual channel mode is that multiple memory modules are more expensive than one of the same size. But if you are not very tight on funds, then buy 2 bars, the memory speed will be much higher.

If you need, say, 16 GB of RAM, but you can't afford it yet, you can buy one 8 GB stick to add another one of the same in the future. But still, it is better to purchase two identical strips at once, since then you may not be able to find the same one and you will encounter a compatibility problem.

10. Manufacturers of memory modules

One of the best price / quality ratios today is the memory of the impeccably proven Crucial brand, which has modules from budget to gaming (Ballistix).

The well-deserved brand Corsair competes on a par with it, the memory of which is somewhat more expensive.

As an inexpensive but high-quality alternative, I especially recommend the Polish brand Goodram, which has bars with low timings for a low price (Play line).

For an inexpensive office computer, simple and reliable memory from AMD or Transcend will suffice. They have proven themselves perfectly and there are practically no problems with them.

In general, the Korean companies Hynix and Samsung are considered leaders in the production of memory. But now the modules of these brands are mass-produced in cheap Chinese factories, and there are a lot of fakes among them. Therefore, I do not recommend purchasing the memory of these brands.

An exception may be Hynix Original and Samsung Original memory modules, which are made in Korea. These planks are usually blue in color and are considered to be of better quality than those made in China and have a somewhat higher warranty. But in terms of speed characteristics, they are inferior to memory with lower timings from other quality brands.

Well, for enthusiasts and fans of modding, there are available overclocker brands GeIL, G.Skill, Team. Their memory is characterized by low timings, high overclocking potential, unusual appearance and is slightly cheaper than the well-known Corsair brand.

There is also a large assortment of memory modules on sale from the very popular manufacturer Kingston. Memory sold under the budget Kingston brand has never been of high quality. But they have a top HyperX series, which is well-deservedly popular, which can be recommended for purchase, but it is often overpriced.

11. Memory packaging

It is better to purchase memory in individual packaging.

It is usually of higher quality and is much less likely to be damaged in transit than unpackaged memory.

12. Increase memory

If you are planning to add memory to an existing computer or laptop, first find out what the maximum number of sticks and the total amount of memory your motherboard or laptop supports.

Also check how many memory slots are on the motherboard or in the laptop, how many of them are occupied and what brackets are installed in them. Better to do it visually. Open the case, take out the memory sticks, examine them and write down all the characteristics (or take a photo).

If for some reason you do not want to go into the case, then you can see the memory parameters in the program on the SPD tab. Thus, you will not recognize a single-sided bar or a double-sided one, but you can find out the characteristics of the memory if there is no sticker on the bar.

There is a base and effective memory frequency. The CPU-Z program and many similar ones show the base frequency, it must be multiplied by 2.

After you know how much memory you can increase, how many free slots and what memory you have installed, you can begin to explore the possibilities of increasing memory.

If all the memory slots are occupied, then the only way to increase the memory is to replace the existing strips with new larger ones. And the old strips can be sold on the classifieds site or exchanged at a computer store when buying new ones.

If there are free slots, then you can add new ones to the existing memory strips. At the same time, it is desirable that the new strips be as close as possible in terms of characteristics to those already installed. In this case, you can avoid various compatibility issues and increase the chances that the memory will work in dual-channel mode. To do this, the following conditions must be met, in order of importance.

The memory type must match (DDR, DDR2, DDR3, DDR3L, DDR4).
The supply voltage of all strips must be the same.
All slats must be single sided or double sided.
The frequency of all bars must match.
All strips must be of the same volume (for dual-channel mode).
The number of bars must be even: 2, 4 (for two-channel mode).
It is desirable that the latency (CL) match.
It is desirable that the bars are from the same manufacturer.

The easiest way to start the choice is with the manufacturer. Choose in the catalog of the online store strips of the same manufacturer, volume and frequency as you have installed. Make sure that the supply voltage matches and check with the consultant whether they are single-sided or double-sided. If the latency also coincides, then it's generally good.

If you couldn't find similar strips from the same manufacturer, then choose all the others from the list of recommended ones. Then again look for the strips of the required volume and frequency, check the supply voltage and specify whether they are single-sided or double-sided. If you could not find similar planks, then look in another store, catalog or classifieds site.

Always the best option is to sell all the old memory and buy 2 new identical strips. If the motherboard does not support the required size brackets, you may have to buy 4 identical brackets.

13. Setting up filters in the online store

Go to the "RAM" section on the seller's website.
Select recommended manufacturers.
Select form factor (DIMM - PC, SO-DIMM - laptop).
Select the type of memory (DDR3, DDR3L, DDR4).
Select the required amount of strips (2, 4, 8 GB).
Select the maximum frequency supported by the processor (1600, 1866, 2133, 2400 MHz).
If your motherboard supports XMP, add a higher frequency memory (2666, 3000 MHz) to your selection.
Sort the selection by price.
Sequentially view all positions, starting with the cheapest ones.
Choose a few bars that match the frequency.
If the price difference is acceptable to you, go for the higher frequency, lower latency (CL) sticks.

Thus, you will get the optimal price / quality / speed memory for the lowest possible cost.

14. Links

RAM Corsair CMK16GX4M2A2400C16
RAM Corsair CMK8GX4M2A2400C16
RAM Crucial CT2K4G4DFS824A

Over the past ten years, computers have made a huge leap forward. During this time, many technologies managed to appear, gain popularity and become a thing of the past. Also with the development of RAM. In this article, we will consider all the main types of RAM that are used or have been used in personal computers.

The RAM of any modern computer is of the DRAM type or Dynamic random access memory. It is volatile random access memory. This memory has two main characteristics: it is very fast and it is cleared when the power is turned off. That is why when you reboot, all unsaved data is lost, and turning on the computer takes so long. All necessary data must be read from and re-placed in memory.

In turn, DRAM memory is divided into a large number various types. Modern personal computers use these types of DRAM memory: DDR SDRAM, DDR2 SDRAM and DDR3 SDRAM.

All three of these types of memory appeared in turn, each new version receiving significant improvements over the previous one. They are not compatible with each other. Therefore, a computer equipped with a DDR memory slot cannot connect DDR2 memory, and so on.

To avoid erroneous installation of memory into a motherboard that is not suitable for it, memory modules have a different and incompatible shape. This can be seen in the picture above.

Form factors DIMM and SODIMM

The form factor (module design) for desktop computers is called a DIMM, and it is different from the form factor of laptop memory modules, which are called SODIMMs. This must be taken into account when for . Like desktop modules, DDR, DDR2, and DDR3 SODIMMs have design differences that prevent them from being installed in the wrong slot. See picture below.

Now all new computers are equipped with support exclusively for the latest DDR3 memory (in the form factor DIMM or SODIMM, depending on the type of computer). But, old versions of DDR and DDR2 can still be found on the market, so if you want to increase the amount of RAM in your old computer, this can be done without problems.

How to choose the right type of RAM

In order to expand the computer's RAM, you first need to find out what kind of memory it supports. This can be done in several ways:

Unplug one RAM module and look at the sticker on it. The type of memory to which the given memory module belongs is always indicated there.
Run one and z . With the help of such programs, you can always get all the necessary information about RAM and other components.
But if on this moment the computer is turned off and no RAM modules are installed in it, you can get the necessary information on the manufacturer's website.

A few days ago, I "freaked out" - I was tired of buying in parts the components of the future home "supercomputer". I took it and bought the remaining parts at once - the motherboard, processor and RAM.

Today I will tell how to choose RAM for computer and even how to install it correctly.

Before choosing RAM for a computer, you need to clearly understand what it is in general.

RAM in a computer is one of the components, along with central processing unit and an SSD drive, which is responsible for system performance.

The official definition goes something like this: RAM (Random Access Memory) is a volatile part of a computer system that temporarily stores the input, output, and intermediate data of programs and the operating system.

But I, as always, will try to convey this definition to you in simple terms ...

Useful Additional Information Online:

The processor is the brain of the computer that processes all the information. HDD ( or SSD drive) stores all data (programs, photos, movies, music ...). RAM is an intermediate link between them. The data that needs to be processed by the processor is “pulled” into it.

Why "pull up"? Why not immediately take them from the hard drive? The fact is that the RAM is many times faster than even an SSD drive.

What data the processor may soon need is determined by the operating system itself, automatically. She is very smart not to be talked about.

RAM types

When mammoths still walked the earth, the RAM was divided into SIMM and DIMM - immediately forget about these types of RAM, they have not been released or used for a long time.

Then DDR was invented (2001). There are also computers with this type of memory. The main difference from DDR2 and DDR3 is the number of contacts on the DDR memory board, there are only 184 of them. This type of RAM is much slower than its modern counterparts (DDR2 and DDR3).

DDR2 (2003) has a larger number of contacts (240 pieces), thanks to which the number of data streams has expanded and the transfer of information to the processor has noticeably accelerated. The maximum frequency of DDR2 is 1066 MHz.

DDR3 (2007) - here they left the number of contacts alone (240 pieces), but made them electrically incompatible. Maximum DDR3 frequency - 2400 MHz . This type of memory is also characterized by lower power consumption and higher bandwidth.

DDR3 turned out faster than DDR2 by 15-20%.

More useful information on the website:

DDR2 and DDR3 sticks have different "key" arrangements, they are not interchangeable...

DDR4 was announced in 2010, and the first bar was released a year later. This is the most common type of RAM in modern computers. This modern type of RAM consumes 35% less power than DDR3 and outperforms previous generation memory by as much as 50%.

The number of contacts in DDR4 was increased to 288 pieces (arranged more densely), and the frequency was already up to 3200 MHz.

RAM stick form factor

RAM sticks for laptops (SODIMM) and desktop computers (SDRAM) are different in size and appearance. For laptops, they look like this ...

... and for stationary home computers, something like this ...

This is where their differences (mostly) end. The characteristics that you need to know when choosing RAM are exactly the same for these two types.

RAM

In the last century, the amount of RAM was measured in kilobytes and megabytes (it’s even ridiculous to remember). Today - in gigabytes.

This parameter determines how much temporary information will fit into the RAM chip. Everything is relatively simple here. Windows itself consumes about 1 GB of memory during its operation, so there should be more of it in the computer.

2 GB - may be enough for a budget computer (movies, pictures, Internet)

4 GB - suitable for more demanding programs, games at medium and maximum quality settings

8 GB - "pull" half of the heavy games at maximum quality settings or programs that are very memory-demanding

16 GB - the newest modern and heavy games, as well as special professional monster programs will “fly”

32 GB - You have nowhere to put your money? Send them to me.

It is very important to take into account that ordinary 32-bit Windows operating systems "do not see" more than 3 GB of memory and, accordingly, do not use it. If you buy more than 3 GB of RAM, you MUST install a 64-bit system.

RAM frequency

Inexperienced users often, when choosing a RAM, are limited by its volume, but the memory frequency is no less important. It determines the speed at which data will be exchanged with the processor.

Modern conventional processors operate at 1600 MHz. Accordingly, it is desirable to buy memory with such a frequency, not higher (1866 MHz is possible). The difference between 1333 MHz and 1600 MHz is practically invisible "by eye".

As for memory sticks with a frequency of 2133 MHz and higher, they themselves cost wild money, for their full-fledged work you need special motherboards that cost wild money, and most importantly, you need a processor with an unlocked multiplier (supporting overclocking), which costs ...

At the same time, all this disgrace will get very hot (you need a powerful cooling system (preferably water), which costs ...) and consume a lot of energy. This is the choice of crazy gamers.

By the way, the increase in computer performance with such overclocking will be only from 10 to 30%, and you will spend three times more money. Do you need it?

RAM timing

The “terrible” parameter of RAM, which few people know about and which is rarely taken into account when choosing memory, but in vain.

Latency (timing) is the time delay of a signal. It is measured in beats. Timings can take values from 2 to 13. The bandwidth of the "processor-memory" section and, as a result, the system performance depend on them, though quite a bit.

The lower the timing value, the faster the RAM works. For example, I purchased memory with timings of 9-9-9-24, but there are also faster ones, of course.

RAM timings can be adjusted in BIOS when overclocking the system (it is not recommended for inexperienced users to do this).

And at the end of the article, as promised at the beginning, I will tell you ...

How to properly install RAM in a computer

Before the procedure, be sure to turn off the computer and disconnect the power cord from the system unit.

No settings, after installing the memory, do not need to be made in the system. The system itself recognizes it and starts using it.

The easiest way to install memory is in a laptop (it can be more difficult to open the back cover). In laptops, the RAM is located in horizontal position, lies.

Just lift and pull it out of the grooves, insert a new one until it stops. The lock on the bar (slot) will not let you make a mistake when installing ...

On desktop computers, this process is a bit more complicated. The memory stands vertically to the motherboard and is clamped with latches.

To remove the bar, it is enough to spread these latches to the sides and it will “jump” out of the slot by itself. Installation will also take you 2 seconds - bring the bar to the slot, match the lock (slot) on the bar with the jumper in the slot and insert it all the way (hear a click - these latches will clamp the bar).

A memory module is a small circuit board that is partly responsible for the performance of a computer system. As a rule, a memory module refers to a board with memory chips (RAM). With the development of electronics, boards are becoming smaller and more powerful, which allows them to be used in smartphones and tablets without much difficulty. The average RAM for a user device today is from 1 to 4 GB.

Every innovation in any field starts with fundamental research that lay the foundation for future inventions. It is already becoming clear that information carriers in modern form will cease to exist, as happened once with floppy disks and punched cards. Some companies (for example) are actively conducting research on creating DNA memory, but IBM decided to go the other way and start developing drives in which copper atoms will act as information carriers.

A lot of readers on our site are interested in questions one way or another related to the choice of RAM, and our site has a very great desire to answer everyone. To make it interesting for you in the process of gaining knowledge, this article is presented by the author in the form of a fascinating story from which you will learn EVERYTHING about computer RAM!

You will learn not only how to choose and buy RAM from a quality manufacturer, but also how to properly install RAM modules in your computer and much more, for example:

How much RAM does a modern computer need for the comfortable operation of all resource-intensive applications, for example: modern games at maximum settings, video and sound processing programs, etc. What should be a powerful modern computer?
(follow the link and read a separate article).
(follow the link and read a separate article)?
What way out does the operating system find when there is a shortage of RAM?
Does the computer benefit from excess RAM?
Do I need to completely disable the swap file if you have large volume physical RAM, for example 16 -32 GB?
How much better is dual-channel RAM than single-channel. Which is better to buy, one stick of 8GB memory or two sticks of 4GB?
How to choose the right memory modules for dual-channel operation?
What is the frequency of RAM and is it possible to install RAM strips with different frequencies in a computer?
What is the latency (timings) of RAM? Is it possible to install RAM sticks with different timings in a computer?
What is the difference between the RAM sticks used on laptops and regular RAM?
Nowadays, DDR3 memory is actively used, but are there DDR4 memory sticks on sale?
If you have an old computer and want to buy DDR2 RAM, then think a few times, because DDR2 memory is expensive, maybe you should replace the motherboard, processor and change the RAM to DDR3.
How to choose a manufacturer of RAM and is all RAM made in China?
Do I need to overclock the RAM and how much will the performance of the RAM increase with overclocking?
Is a heatsink really necessary for RAM?
What is a RAM controller, why is it needed and where is it located?
What does the ECC RAM marking mean?

How to choose RAM

Friends, in the last article we considered the issue of choice and I thought about what article to write next. It seems to be logical after the processor to choose a motherboard for it, but I usually do it differently. After choosing a processor, I choose a memory and a video card, I don’t know why, it’s probably just easier and you can immediately figure out how much to expect, since choosing a motherboard is the most difficult part of choosing a computer configuration. In view of this, I decided not to deviate from the tradition I have chosen and devote this article to the choice of random access memory (RAM). Since this site is dedicated to the repair of personal computers, of course, the choice of RAM will be considered not only for new, but also for older PCs.

Like choosing a processor, choosing RAM is not at all a difficult task, probably even easier. But, as elsewhere, there are nuances. Often the choice of RAM comes down to its current price and the amount you are willing to spend. IN Lately price trends for RAM modules are rather ambiguous. A few years ago there was a real boom in increasing the amount of RAM in personal computers. And it was connected not even so much with the growing requirements of modern applications and operating systems, how much with an incredible reduction in the price of it.

A 4 gigabyte (GB) memory stick could be purchased for as little as $25 or less. As a result, solely for marketing purposes (for greater attractiveness and increase in sales of computers), this very memory began to be “shove” into new computers in huge volumes. So, the cheapest system unit, costing about $200-250, necessarily had 4 GB of memory, and the average one for $300-350 had all 8 GB. The sellers in the stores put a lot of emphasis on this, while silently saying that this PC will never be able to realize (fully use) such a memory amount, since the rest of the “stuffing”, such as the processor and video card, left much to be desired. This, in fact, was a kind of deception of buyers or, to put it beautifully, a marketing ploy ...

Unfortunately, the times have passed when it was possible to stock up on RAM “for free” at the very least, and now the price for it has increased significantly. It seems that we are again "hooked" on the needle of technical progress... But do you really need a large amount of RAM?

How much RAM does a modern computer need

I must say that until recently, I was fond of modern computer games. Therefore, I always tried to keep my PC up to date. Probably, not a single year has passed since I built my first full-fledged PC in 1997 that I have not treated myself to the purchase of a new video card, processor or memory.

In those old (by the standards of computers) times, there was a certain division on the use of operating system components by computers. Games needed only a powerful video card, some RAM, and the processor almost did not matter, since all the calculations were performed by the video card, which has both its own processor and its own memory.

To encode video, on the contrary, a powerful processor and a sufficient amount of RAM were needed, but the video card did not matter, etc. Modern gaming applications, on the other hand, have “learned” to make full use of the powerful components of modern computers that were “idle” before, such as a processor and RAM.

When it comes to using the PC as a gaming and entertainment platform, then, until recently, I did not come across games that could even load at least 3 GB of memory at 100% even at maximum graphics settings. But in some cases, the total memory load was close to this figure, despite the fact that the game itself consumed about 2 GB, and other applications such as skype, antivirus, etc. took the rest.

Note: Please note that it was not about 4 GB, but about 3. The fact is that 32-bit Windows operating systems (OS) cannot use more than 3 GB of RAM and therefore they simply “do not see the “surplus” ... In fairness, it should be noted that for 32-bit OS built on the Linux kernel, there are no such hard limits. So, friends, there is no point in putting more than 4 GB of memory on a 32-bit Windows, they simply will not be used.

For not very new, but also relatively old systems, on which you can put a lot of memory, using a 64-bit OS, in some cases, can be problematic. Since 64-bit versions of drivers for some equipment may simply not exist.

Not so long ago, just at the time of the total reduction in the cost of memory, I purchased the same amount in addition to my 4 GB. But this was not caused by its shortcoming, but by the fact that on my rather powerful motherboard, due to some misunderstanding) there were slots for the already almost obsolete DDR2 memory and I was afraid that a little more and it might completely disappear or wildly rise in price, and then such a “freebie” ... After that, I switched to a 64-bit operating system, because otherwise this acquisition would not look so reasonable). You also need to consider that I have a fairly powerful 4 nuclear processor and an expensive modern video card, thanks to which I can play games at very high graphics settings, at which the consumption of RAM is maximum.

If you have an entry-level or mid-range PC, then 4 GB of RAM will be enough for you., since you can comfortably play modern games only at low or medium settings, which do not require large amounts of memory. In such conditions, installing, say, 8 GB of RAM is money thrown away. But if your PC is powerful enough and is a gaming one, then I would still recommend installing 8 GB, as there is some tendency for modern games to gradually increase the consumption of RAM.

For example, the recently published call game of Duty: Ghosts simply refused to launch if it detected that you had less than 6 GB of RAM installed. Again, in fairness, it should be noted that craftsmen made a fix that allows you to bypass this limitation at launch and the game worked.

Regarding 64-bit operating systems, then you should know that it, like all 64-bit applications, consumes exactly 2 times more memory than 32-bit ones. Here it is already fully justified by memory addressing technology and significantly improves performance.

How fast should a computer be?

We will not go into details, but you must understand that in order to feel the increase in speed, the following conditions must be met:

The central processing unit (CPU) must have a 64-bit architecture, the operating system must be 64-bit.

The application that you want to use to improve the performance of certain operations must be 64-bit, the data that is processed must be streaming (video conversion, archiving), since the speed gain is achieved by processing more information in one pass. In this case, the increase will be very significant - up to 2 times. Under these conditions, using Intel processor(with longer pipeline) You will get the best possible performance for such operations. But, as you know, in games, data is transferred in small portions (since it is impossible to predict the next step of the user), therefore, even in those games where there are 64-bit versions of the game engine to run, there will be almost no increase. And yet the decisive role of the video card in them has not gone away.

As for professional use, in areas such as video editing, 3D modeling, design, specialists in these areas know exactly what kind of hardware and how much memory they need. Usually it is from 16 GB and more. And if, say, in 3D modeling there is no streaming data processing, then here it’s just that the volume and quality of models can be so high that a bunch of RAM is “stupidly” needed here to place this model.

If you are not a professional, but really like to convert video, then 4-8 GB is enough for you.

Truly huge amounts of RAM can be demanded in scientific systems and highly loaded servers. In the latter, for example, the amount of memory from 64 GB is considered quite common. But the memory there is not cheap - server (with parity check and automatic error correction), since failures on them are not allowed.

Well, for example, I will give a situation from my real life. When I was training in networking and system administration, I often had to emulate a large number of simultaneously running operating systems and network equipment. Such bundles as 5-10 operating systems running in VirtualBox (or VMware) + the same number of emulated network devices in GNS can eat decently RAM. And it’s good if, in addition to the powerful “process” that supports modern technologies virtualization, there will be 8-16 GB of "RAM", otherwise the brakes are provided ...

Why can't you turn off the swap file?

What happens when there is not enough RAM? Yes, it's very simple - the OS, in order to compensate for the lack of memory, begins to actively use the hard disk (the so-called paging file). By the way, God forbid you turn it off. The operation of the system is very deeply tied to the swap file, and disabling it will more problems than good. As a result, not only the work of the processor is slowed down, but also the hard drive.

There is only one conclusion - there should be enough memory, if it is not enough, the computer starts to slow down terribly, but its excessive excess does not give any performance increase.

What is RAM

What kind of memory does not exist ...

A board with memory chips is usually called a memory module (or "bar"). There are single-sided and double-sided memory modules. On the first, the chips are placed on one side of the printed circuit board, on the second, on both sides. What's better? I don’t know) There is an opinion that double-sided modules “chase” better, read further in this article about what this means. On the other hand, the fewer chips, the higher the reliability of the module. I have seen cases more than once when one side of the chips failed on the bar and the computer saw only half of its volume. But now I would not focus on this.

The main thing you need to know is that if there are several memory modules in the computer, then it is desirable that they all be either single-sided or double-sided. Otherwise, the memory does not always get along well with each other and does not work at full speed.

To date, the most modern is DDR3 memory., which replaced the older DDR2, and it, in turn, is even older - DDR. A new, more modern DDR4 memory has already been developed, but it has not yet reached the masses. We will not go further.

When building a new PC, you should choose only the latest memory standard. At the moment it is DDR3.

Sometimes replacing the motherboard and purchasing a new type of memory is equivalent in price to adding the old type of RAM to the old board.

The new memory will also be much cheaper than the older DDR2, for which greedy manufacturers and sellers “beat” (keep) a high price, since there is not enough of it left and for those who want to upgrade their PC there is simply no other choice but to agree to such draconian conditions. In this case, it is worth considering, or maybe add a little and buy more promising components? And if you still sell the old one, you can generally get a plus, if you're lucky, of course)

laptop memory

Notebooks use the same memory as PCs, but have a smaller module size and are called SO-DIMM DDR (DDR2, DDR3).

Memory characteristics. Frequency and timings

Memory is characterized primarily by type. For desktop computers (desktops), memory types are used today: DDR, DDR2, DDR3.

The main characteristic of memory is its frequency. The higher the frequency, the faster the memory is considered. But this frequency must be supported by the processor and motherboard, otherwise the memory will work at a lower frequency, and the money that you overpaid will go down the drain.

Memory modules, as well as its types, have their own marking, which begins with PC, PC2 and PC3, respectively.

Today, the most common memory is DDR3 PC3-10600 (1333 MHz). It will run at its native frequency on any computer. In principle, the speed of the computer is not strongly limited by the memory frequency. For example, in games this increase will be absolutely indistinguishable, and in some other applications it will be more noticeable. But the difference in price, for example, in comparison with DDR3 PC3-12800 memory (1600 MHz) will be very small. Here I usually follow the rule - if the price is slightly higher ($1-3) and the processor supports a higher frequency, then why not - we take a faster memory.

Is it possible to install sticks of RAM with different frequencies in a computer?

The frequency of the RAM does not have to match, the motherboard will set the frequency for all the brackets according to the slowest module, but very often a computer with brackets of different frequencies is unstable. For example, it may not turn on at all.

Timings

The next memory performance parameter is the so-called delays (timings). Roughly speaking, this is the time that has passed from the moment the memory was accessed to the moment the necessary data was issued to it. Accordingly, the lower the timings, the better. There are dozens of different delays in reading, writing, copying, and various combinations of these and other operations. But there are only a few main ones that you can navigate.

Timings are indicated (though not always) on the label of memory modules in the form of 4 numbers with hyphens between them. The first and most important is latency, the rest are derivatives of it.

The delays depend on the quality of the memory chips. Accordingly - higher quality - lower timings - higher price. However, it is worth noting that timings affect performance much less than memory frequency. Therefore, I rarely attach importance to this, only if the price is approximately the same, you can take memory with lower timings. Usually, modules with ultra-low timings are positioned as top-end ones, they come with heatsinks (which we will talk about later), in beautiful packaging and are much more expensive.

Marking of the main types, memory modules, their frequency and typical latency (CL)

DDR - obsolete (completely)

DDR-266 - PC2100 - 266 MHz - CL 2.5

DDR-333 - PC2700 - 333 MHz - CL 2.5

DDR-400 - PC-3200 - 400 MHz - CL 2.5

DDR2 - obsolete (sometimes still found and can be used to add to an old PC)

DDR2-533 - PC2-4200 - 533 MHz - CL 5

DDR2-667 - PC2-5300 - 667 MHz - CL 5

DDR2-800 - PC2-6400 - 800 MHz - CL 5

DDR2-1066 - PC2-8500 - 1066 MHz - CL 5

DDR3 - modern

DDR3-1333 - PC3-10600 - 1333 MHz - CL 9

DDR3-1600 - PC3-12800 - 1600 MHz - CL 11

DDR3-1800 - PC3-14400 - 1800 MHz - CL 11

DDR3-2000 - PC3-16000 - 2000 MHz - CL 11

Is it possible to install RAM sticks with different timings in a computer?

Timings also do not have to match. The motherboard will automatically set the timings for all the brackets according to the slowest module. There shouldn't be any problems.

Memory modes

Yes, yes ... Perhaps not everyone knew, but RAM can operate in different modes, the so-called: Single Mode (single-channel) and Dual Mode (dual-channel).

In single-channel mode, data is first written to one memory module, and when its capacity is exhausted, it begins to be written to the next free module.

In dual-channel mode, data writing is parallelized and written simultaneously to several modules.

Here, friends, the use of dual-channel mode significantly increases the speed of the memory. In fact, the memory speed in dual-channel mode is up to 30% higher than in single-channel mode. But in order for it to work, the following conditions must be met:

Motherboard must support dual channel RAM

Memory modules must be 2 or 4

Memory modules must be either all single-sided or all double-sided

If any of these conditions are not met, the memory will only operate in single-channel mode.

It is desirable that all the bars be as identical as possible: they have the same frequency, latency, and even be of the same manufacturer. Otherwise, no one can give any guarantees for the operation of the two-channel mode. Therefore, if you want your memory to work to the maximum fast mode, it is highly desirable to immediately purchase 2 identical memory sticks, because after a year or two you will not find exactly the same.

Another question is if you need to increase the amount of memory on an old computer. In this case, you can try to find the most similar memory module to the one you already have. If you have 2 of them, and there are 2 more free slots on the motherboard, then you will have to look for 2 more of the same modules. An ideal, but not always economical option is to turn in the old memory as used and buy 2 new identical modules of a larger volume.

Of course, if your old computer is very weak, then there may not be much gain from dual-channel mode. In this case, you can install any module, but it is still better to choose the most suitable one in order to exclude its possible conflict with old modules and the complete inoperability of the computer. Try to arrange a return with the seller in advance or bring a system manager to him and let him try to find a suitable module.

RAM controller

It should be noted that before the memory controllers were in the chipset (logic set) of motherboards. In modern systems, memory controllers are located in processors. In this regard, the dual-channel memory mode has 2 more submodes: Ganged (paired) and Unganged (unpaired).

In paired (Ganged) mode, memory modules work in the same way as in old motherboards, but in unpaired (Unganged) each processor memory controller (in modern processors there are 2 of them) can work separately with each bar. This mode can be set in the computer's BIOS, but is usually selected automatically by the processor. If the bars are identical, then Ganged (but not necessarily), if they are different, then only Unganged. In any case, the memory will work in dual-channel mode. But I still recommend buying and installing 2 identical modules at once, this will eliminate distortions in their parameters and improve compatibility.

The dual-channel mode of operation of RAM has only one drawback - 2 memory sticks are somewhat more expensive than one of the same volume. Therefore, many stores and private assemblers save and set the bar. As a result, we have a modern computer that does not work at full capacity.

Some modern expensive motherboards, which usually have 6 memory slots, can even work in three-channel mode.

By the way, if you have 2 or 3 memory sticks, then in order for the two-channel or three-channel mode to work, all these sticks must be inserted into slots of the same color.

Some desktop memory modules have the abbreviation ECC in their markings..

This is memory with parity, a technology used in server systems. You should not pay any attention to this, since in desktop PCs this technology is not critical and, in most cases, does not work at all. It's all the same marketing ploy.

Memory connectors

There is nothing to talk about here at all. Each type of DDR, DDR2, DDR3 memory has its own slot on the motherboard of the same type (DDR, DDR2, DDR3). You will not insert one type of memory into another type of memory, since there is a special ledge (key) in the motherboard slot,

Which should line up with the slot on the memory module board. This is just done in order not to accidentally mix up and install the bar in the wrong slot and, as a result, not damage both the memory and, possibly, the motherboard. When buying memory, you need to know exactly what type of memory the motherboard supports.

About RAM heatsinks

Some memory modules are equipped with so-called heatsinks, which are overlays of aluminum plates, sometimes painted in copper or other colors, on both sides of the board. These overlays are connected to the memory chips through special thermal pads, which are designed to better transfer heat from the chips to the heatsinks. Radiators can have additional fins to increase the cooling area and even better heat dissipation.

In practice, memory chips during normal operation heat up slightly and do not require additional cooling. Gaskets between chips and heatsinks don't transfer heat as well as thermal paste between a CPU and a cooler. In addition, in the free space between the board and the heatsinks there is an air gap that interferes with natural cooling and eventually becomes clogged with dust, which is difficult to clean from there. This design provides for active cooling with an additional fan or good airflow inside the case. In addition, such modules can often cost more.

So who needs such joy, you ask? Well, ask me)

Answer: enthusiasts who are always short of everything, who want to overclock everything, overtake everyone, etc. In addition - it's just beautiful) Yes, friends, if you consider yourself to be in this group of users, then such a memory is for you! Because such a cooling system will be effective only with sufficiently high heating as a result of overclocking with an increase in voltage and mandatory additional airflow. Remember - conventional memory operating in normal mode does not need heatsinks.

An example of the correct use of memory with heatsinks in a powerful system

Overclocking RAM

Overclocking is a slang word in the computer lexicon, which means manually setting more aggressive parameters for the operation of electronic components, such as processors, memory, and video cards, than are provided by the manufacturer. As a rule, such parameters are the frequency (in processors there is also a multiplier). With particularly high overclocking, for relatively stable operation of these components, the voltage is also increased. As a result, higher heating of the elements occurs, requiring improved cooling. The so-called overclocking itself is possible thanks to a certain margin provided by the manufacturer so that the product works stably, and not at the limit of its capabilities, or especially for advanced users) In any case, this event makes the entire system less stable and reduces the life of overclocked components . If you still decide to experiment, then first study all aspects well and act strictly according to the instructions. By the way, if components fail as a result of overclocking, you may lose your warranty.

RAM manufacturers

Like other components, memory modules are manufactured by many manufacturers. And, as always, they have different quality. I recommend paying attention to the following brands that have an optimal price / quality ratio: AMD, Crucial, Goodram, Hynix, Kingston, Micron, Patriot, Samsung, TakeMS, Transcend.

Enthusiast brands include: Corsair, G.Skill, Mushkin, Team. These firms produce a wide range of modules with heatsinks and increased technical specifications. I recommend avoiding cheap Chinese brands: A-Data, Apacer, Elixir, Elpida, NCP, PQI and other little-known manufacturers.

Memory modules that are not made in China deserve special mention. Currently, there are not many of them, for example, modules that are labeled as Hynix Original and Samsung Original are made in Korea. The quality of such modules is considered higher, they cost a little more, but usually have a longer warranty (up to 36 months).

In fairness, it should be noted that even if you have purchased the memory of a well-known and proven brand, this, unfortunately, does not mean that you will not come across defects or modules damaged during transportation. Of course, in the products of top brands in individual packaging, there will be less defects (damages) than in the cheapest modules that are transported and sold in bulk.

Memory module in individual packaging

How to choose memory for a new computer

First of all, choose the most modern type of memory in use. Today it is DDR3. Decide on the volume you need. Briefly summarizing this article, I will give general recommendations by the minimum amount of RAM for PCs of different purposes:

For an office or weak home PC - 2 GB

4. It is better to select the most identical straps (one-sided or two-sided), with the same frequency and latency. The ideal option is to sell the old memory as used and install a new one in the right amount.

5. If you put memory with a higher frequency than your processor or motherboard supports, then it will work at a lower frequency.

Make the right choice with us friends, and no dust for you, no breakdown)

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