Recommendations for DDR3 RAM?

[Grasshopper]

I'm currently building a new PC based around an Asrock Z77 Exteme 6 motherboard, and an i5-3570k processor. However, I'm having difficulty in deciding what type of DDR3 RAM I should buy.

I don't need more than 8 GB at the moment. If fact I could probably manage with only 4GB. But I would eventually like to fill each slot with the maximum size of RAM it will take (i.e. 4 * 8GB) without having to discard RAM that I've already bought. However, in order to do that, and take advantage of the motherboard's dual channel architecture, I would have to buy at least 2 * 8GB, which is far more than I need.

So I'm wondering how much of a performance hit I would suffer if I ignore the dual channel facility for the time being, and just buy one 8GB module. It occurs to me that I could potentially compensate by buying RAM rated faster than the stock 1600MHz recommended for the processor I've chosen, and then overclock it slightly. Would this be worthwhile?

I'm also slightly concerned about the latency figures I'm seeing. Most of the 8GB modlues I've looked at are rated as CL10. However, for some reason the 4GB modules tend to have a lower latency, but I'm reluctant to buy them for the reason I gave earlier.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Cakemeister]

In my opinion, the latency numbers don't matter too much, nor does having only one stick of ram instead of two. What matters is getting high-quality ram.

I'm guessing that you will get close to zero performance hit on bootup.

I like your CPU/MB choice, but you didn't menthion what applications you are planning on running. If you play games, almost all current games are GPU-dependent, not CPU. Also, CPU dependence is not memory based, but clockspeed based.

[HaRuMaN]

In my opinion, the latency numbers don't matter too much, nor does having only one stick of ram instead of two.

I always like to have at least 2 sticks in every build, that way if the a stick dies, there's still one left to be able to boot.

[Cakemeister]

A good point.

[Thenasty]

Microcenter have DDR3 1333 8GB for $20.00 (4gb x 2).

[Grasshopper]

Thanks for the replies.

I like your CPU/MB choice, but you didn't menthion what applications you are planning on running. If you play games, almost all current games are GPU-dependent, not CPU. Also, CPU dependence is not memory based, but clockspeed based.

This will be my main PC, and will be used for general computing tasks. My intention is to run most applications within a virtual machine. Hence the need for a fairly fast processor. I'm also into emulation (especially MAME) and that also requires a fairly fast processor.

With regards to games, I'm still very into retro gaming but I don't play modern 3D games much anymore. This is partly because I don't have the time, but mainly because I've lost patience with the poor quality control of most publishers (i.e. games routinely released with very serious bugs), increasingly intrusive and obnoxious copy protection measures, and high prices. That being said, I will be buying a few newish games (maybe a couple of years old) to put the machine through its paces.

One thing worth mentioning is that, in order to spread the costs, it's my intention to make do with the integrated GPU for at least a year, and possibly longer if I can live with the performance. Presumably the integrated GPU will have to make use of the main system RAM, and that's one of the reasons why I'm concerned about RAM performance.

[ark_ader]

Don't be cheap on memory get 16gb.

[edekoning]

Don't buy slow/cheap DDR3-1333 memory if you are getting an expensive i5 CPU! Here's an informative article on the performance/price differences between DDR3 1333/1600/1866/2133/2400:

www.anandtech.com/show/6372/memory-performance-16gb-ddr31333-to-ddr32400-on-ivy-bridge-igp-with-gskill

[Grasshopper]

Don't buy slow/cheap DDR3-1333 memory if you are getting an expensive i5 CPU! Here's an informative article on the performance/price differences between DDR3 1333/1600/1866/2133/2400:

www.anandtech.com/show/6372/memory-performance-16gb-ddr31333-to-ddr32400-on-ivy-bridge-igp-with-gskill

Thanks. I read the article. Very complicated, but I got the gist of it.

I'm now leaning towards buying these:

http://www.ebuyer.com/370061-corsair-16gb-ddr3-1866mhz-memory-cmz16gx3m2a1866c9

They're a little faster than the stock 1600MHz modules recommended for my chosen processor, but not stupidly expensive, and Corsair is a reasonably safe brand. Do you think they're good enough for my purposes, or should I go faster?

[edekoning]

Either 1600 or 1866 would be fine. The only thing you got to look out for is if the memory will fit under the chosen CPU cooler. What I mean by this is, is that if you are buying a big CPU cooler it may sit over the memory slots. If that's the case than the memory might not fit if it has large cooling fans, like the one you selected. Instead you should opt for 'low-profile' memory modules.

[Grasshopper]

Either 1600 or 1866 would be fine. The only thing you got to look out for is if the memory will fit under the chosen CPU cooler. What I mean by this is, is that if you are buying a big CPU cooler it may sit over the memory slots. If that's the case than the memory might not fit if it has large cooling fans, like the one you selected. Instead you should opt for 'low-profile' memory modules.

I did think of that but I couldn't find any low profile modules with the same spec on Corsair's site. I guess I could go with another brand.

[edekoning]

You could try the corsair vengeance modules: www.corsair.com/us/vengeance-low-profile-16gb-dual-channel-ddr3-memory-kit-cml16gx3m2a1600c10.html