RAM upgrade. What memory do I choose?

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Gdourado

Gdourado

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Hello,
How are you?
My system came with a single Samsung 8gb DDR3 module.
With that, I only have single channel memory operation.
I would like to buy a 16gb kit with 2x 8gb DIMMs and then sell my original samsung DIMM.
The thing is that there are so many memory kits out there, I just don't know what to choose...
There are memories from 1600 MHz to 2400 and from cl9 to cl12... And so many brands, I just don't know...
My system is an Asus Z87M, Core i5 4670K, GTX 770 and a Kingston SSD.
What kind of memory kit would give me the best performance at the best price?

Thanks for your input! :)

Cheers!
 
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Tradesman1
Just spec wise the Tridents would equate at 1866 to run 8-9-9-26 or so, some 2400 sticks have gotten to run at CL7 with 1866.......on the flip side, you might get the Crucials to run 2133 (possibly at CL10 prob CL11.........the Crucials I've been hands on with didn't have much OC headroom, have run my 2400 Tri's (those in my Z77 (in sig) at 2666)
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random5

random5

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best performance/ price ratio would be to buy identical 8GB samsung RAM and run em together for 16GB ,if you can't get identical 1,then just get same frequency and voltage DDR3 RAM of any model/maker...w8w8w8...samsung makes RAM sticks? whoah i'll have to check em out.
 
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Gdourado

Gdourado

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Hi,
Thank you for your answer.
My system came with one M378B1G73QH0-CK0.
I though I would be Better served by one of those gaming performance kits from Corsair or G.skill.

Cheers!
 
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Gdourado

Gdourado

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Thank you for your reply.
I will look into those kits to see price and availability.
Also, does over clocking the memory bus on a haswell platform increase the performance noticeable?
I remember reading somewhere that there weren't great benefits from going from the stock 1600 speed to some OC speed.

Thanks once again.
Cheers! :)
 
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Tradesman1

Tradesman1

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Depends on what you do with your rig, if gaming where DRAM is not much more than a data conduit going to 1866 might be an additional 3-5 FPS, 2133 a few more, etc....but if you multi-task, do video work, imaging, CAD, VMs, work with large data sets, then the faster the better. For most people 1866-2400 is plenty
 
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random5

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1600MHz he got is completely fine getting 2 new sticks is just waste of cash and performance increase is barely noticable in comparison to what he would get by buying just 1 stick.
 
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Gdourado

Gdourado

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Random5, my idea would be to put the Samsung 8gb dimm on eBay and try to get 60 or 65 euros for it to reduce the investment on the 16gb kit. Is that a bad idea? I can get another Samsung dimm, equal to the one I have for 65 plus shipping. Around 70 total.
The g.skill I posted above is 147.
If I manage to sell the Samsung, the upgrade cost would be around 80. I think I would be better served that way.
Thoughts?

Cheers!
 
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Tradesman1

Tradesman1

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I think you'd be happier overall with faster sticks, you also want to consider that even if you get an identical model stick of the Samsung there is no guarantee it will play nice with the other stick, any time you mix packages of DRAM it can be and often is problematic....I help folks everyday that have bought two or more packages of DRAM and they won't play together
 
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corcorand82

corcorand82

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I would go with Kingston HyperX Blue 1600 or crucial ballistix sport.
Higher frequencies does not affect gaming very much, it is only useful in synthetic benchmarks (bragging rights)
Kingston
http://www.amazon.com/Kingston-HyperX-FURY-2x8GB-1600MHz/dp/B00J8E8YES
Crucial
http://www.amazon.com/Crucial-Ballistix-PC3-12800-240-Pin-BLS2KIT8G3D1609DS1S00/dp/B006YG9EEW/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1408841121&sr=1-1&keywords=crucial+ballistix+sport+16gb

My $0.02: Don't spend money on high-speed RAM, the money is better off used to buy a better GPU or CPU.
DDR3-1600 seems to work well for me.

If you do video editing/large file manipulations AND have a really good processor then high-speed RAM may be useful. In that case here are Some good budget options.
http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Vengeance-Desktop-Memory-CMY16GX3M2A1866C9/dp/B00D2LGRO2/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1408841296&sr=1-4&keywords=corcorand82+was+here
http://www.amazon.com/G-SKILL-Ripjaws-240-Pin-Desktop-F3-1866C9D-16GXM/dp/B008Y6T9MM/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1408841296&sr=1-5&keywords=corcorand82+was+here
Honestly, If you aren't a serious gamer (which I doubt you are, not understanding ram timings) I would not reccomend bumping up to 16GB in the first place. I only have 8GB of crucial ballistix sport and I can run most games on medium/high setting no issues at all. If you want to have 16GB in your system, I would wait until 2015 when ddr4 comes out and get ddr3 then, since most PC builders will be going for ddr4 memory and DDR3 prices will probably drop.



Thanks for asking and hope my answers made some sense.
 
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Gdourado

Gdourado

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Now I am thorn...
Was decided on getting the tridents, but now I just don't know...
The crucial ballistix sport you mentioned, I can get 30 euros cheaper than the g.skills....
Not a big difference, but still...

Cheers!
 
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Gdourado

Gdourado

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I guess the difference is that the Crucials are CL9 at 1600.
The g.skills are CL10 at 2400, what means that if I run the g.skills at 1600, i can probably run them at CL7... Would that be worth it? And warrant more performance?

Cheers!
 
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Gdourado

Gdourado

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Saw another kit today that caught my eye due to the specs and price.
It is the CRUCIAL BALLISTIX ELITE 2 X 8 GB DDR3-1866 PC3-14900 CL9.
It costs 25 less than the trident X.
What's your input?
Any better? Worse?
The elites are CL9 (9-9-9-27) 1866.
Trident X are CL10 (10-12-12-31) 2400.

Which is better?
Sorry for all this, but there are so many memory kits out there that it becomes overwhelming to choose one...

Cheers! And thanks!
 
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Tradesman1

Tradesman1

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Just spec wise the Tridents would equate at 1866 to run 8-9-9-26 or so, some 2400 sticks have gotten to run at CL7 with 1866.......on the flip side, you might get the Crucials to run 2133 (possibly at CL10 prob CL11.........the Crucials I've been hands on with didn't have much OC headroom, have run my 2400 Tri's (those in my Z77 (in sig) at 2666)
 
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