Difference between higher and lower priced RAM sticks

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Mizuki1408

Mizuki1408

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Feb 4, 2015
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I've been shopping around for a single 8GB DDR4 RAM stick and I thought it would be simple like flashdrives, just pick the size you want, find a low price, and boom, you're all set. Well, I guess it's not that simple. I found a few other articles with people saying that it's literally just you paying more for appearance and brand recognition but is there a reason I should be buying a $60 RAM stick as opposed to a $30 one? Especially if I'm going to be using my computer for gaming? I heard latency plays a role, most of the ones I've been able to find are 13-15. As for speed, 2133 seems to be the standard but I see some of them going up to 3000. Does it really matter in the long run or am I sinking money into something so I can feel good about my marginal improvement?
 
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weberdarren97

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Aug 10, 2015
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It depends on your motherboard and CPU. Some motherboards can run RAM at higher speeds than others. 2133 is a rather safe speed for DDR4 for most motherboards.

What is your motherboard and CPU?

Also, voltage can play a role as well. And some sticks come with longer warranties, which makes them more expensive because they were manufactured with tighter tolerances for error.

Have you looked through the qualified vendors list in your motherboard manual? That's a good place to start.
 
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reedo_43

reedo_43

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Feb 18, 2010
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Marketing and looks mostly. You will see minimal difference in real world gaming experience. But they are so pretty1 You can get them water cooled and led lighting as well. A bunch of BS if you ask me. Back in the day they were just green and worked.
 
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weberdarren97

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Aug 10, 2015
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I like the GeIL RAM that has the light bars on it... It looks awesome through a window. I mean, put some LED's around the Window to illuminate the case with a cool white color and then have red glowing RAM. Why not?

I enjoy over the top and expensive tech. Your opinions may vary.
 
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Mizuki1408

Mizuki1408

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This is really all I wanted to know definitively. I don't care if it looks like a deformed rectangle, if the only difference is appearance, I think it's a no brainer to go with the cheaper brand. I was thinking about just getting one of the Corsair Value select ones for $40 on Amazon
 
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Mizuki1408

Mizuki1408

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I can definitely understand the appeal of having LED lights and having it shine through a clear system don't get me wrong. It's just not a factor for me since appearance isn't a big deal for me
 
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Mizuki1408

Mizuki1408

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I actually don't have the new system yet since it's on the way. But I wanted to make sure I had an additional RAM stick for it when it got here since it only comes with 8GB ram onboard. If it helps, it's this HP Pavilion that I customized with the second option for an Nvidia Geforce GTX 960 4GB dedicated. The way it's looking now, I might just have to wait for it to get here because RAM ended up being a little more complicated than I thought.

http://store.hp.com/us/en/pdp/Laptops/hp-pavilion---15t-laptop-%28touch-option-available%29-t9y85av-1

and this is the RAM I was going to buy to go with it

https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Module-2133MHz-Unbuffered-SODIMM/dp/B0143UM6Y0/ref=cm_wl_huc_item
 
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Mizuki1408

Mizuki1408

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From what I understand, there's really no way of seeing what the specs of your RAM stick is unless you open up the back panel and take it out. Being that I don't have the computer with me now, it's not possible but I can find out from HP if you need that info
 
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Mizuki1408

Mizuki1408

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Mizuki1408

Mizuki1408

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It's not going to make a difference that my two RAM sticks aren't the same brand or anything? I imagine the default sticks that come with the system are typically the lowest end stuff they can find
 
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Mizuki1408

Mizuki1408

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That's what I'm thinking. Since the computer already comes with one, I didn't want to buy two more because then I'd just have an extra and that seems like a waste but HP seems to use RAM sticks from a company called Macron and I don't know anything about them.
 
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