What is needed for RAM. How to check the compatibility of the motherboard and RAM: a few simple ways

- This is one of the most important components of a computer, on which its speed directly depends. It is a kind of working area of the system processor, which stores temporary information that allows the computer to quickly and correctly respond to changing conditions of various programs and applications. All information contained in RAM (Random Access Memory) resides there until the next information arrives or until the computer is turned off. It is the volume and the speed of receiving and transmitting information that are the key factors in choosing this component of the system.

In order to know how to choose the right RAM, the type and model of the processor and motherboard of the PC must be taken into account. The physical RAM module is installed directly on the motherboard, which can only support certain types of RAM. It follows from this that between the RAM, the processor and motherboard there is a constant relationship, and the mismatch of one of the components with the other disrupts the correct functioning of the entire system. And if everything is clear with the motherboard and processor - the computer simply cannot start up with a processor that does not match the board, then RAM memory will work in most cases, but if there are compatibility problems, an unpleasant picture will be observed, manifested in unnaturally slow computer operation.

In order to avoid mistakes, you must first visit the official website of the motherboard manufacturer and find out what type of memory is supported. Next, you need to deal with the technical characteristics of the RAM, knowing which you can choose the ideal memory for the system.

RAM type

At the moment, the most popular type of memory are DDR modules. They differ in the following technical parameters:

DDR SDRAM is already a morally obsolete type of memory. It has a small clock frequency of 400 MHz.
- DDR2 is a rather successful solution that has been used for quite a long time. It has 120 pins on both sides, reduced, in comparison with DDR SDRAM, power consumption of 1.8 V, as well as increased clock frequency to 1066 MHz. At the moment, it is practically not used in modern motherboards.
- DDR3 is a modern type of RAM. At a reduced price compared to previous generations, it has much better performance: power consumption 1.5 V, clock frequency up to 2400 MHz.
- DDR4 is the next step in development. It has improved performance in all respects, but the release of this memory module has not yet begun.

RAM

This is the amount of information that can simultaneously contain RAM. It follows from this that the more it is, the better. However, it is necessary to determine the type of work performed on the computer, if it is an office computer, then 2 GB will be enough, but a gaming computer with a powerful processor and video card requires 4 GB of RAM. Also, remember that more than 3 GB of RAM will be recognized and used only by a 64-bit operating system.

Clock frequency
One of the main parameters of RAM, the speed of data exchange with the processor directly depends on its size, and the higher the frequency, the faster the performance. The clock frequency of the RAM should not exceed the clock frequency of the motherboard, otherwise, the system may crash. For example: a DDR3-1600 MHz RAM module inserted into a DDR3-1333 MHz motherboard slot will operate exactly at the motherboard clock frequency, and stability is not guaranteed. There is also the concept of RAM bandwidth, which directly depends on the frequency of RAM and its ratio with the processor bandwidth affects the overall performance of the entire system. Ideally, the amount of RAM bandwidth should match that of the processor. On an example, it looks like this: for a processor with a bandwidth of 10600 Mb / s, it is recommended to install two memory modules with a bandwidth of 5300 Mb / s, which together form the processor bandwidth.

Timings
RAM time delays, which are indicated as consecutive numbers, for example 5-5-5, each of which is responsible for its own parameter:

CAS Latency - duty cycle time
- RAS to CAS Delay - full access time
- RAS Precharge Time - Precharge time

The speed of the RAM depends on these indicators, and the lower they are, the better. However, with an increase in the clock frequency of the RAM, its timings increase, and with a decrease in the timings, the cost of RAM increases, so you should proceed from the allowable budget when choosing RAM.

RAM voltage
An indicator that determines the energy consumed for the normal operation of the RAM, and, accordingly, heat release. The standard value for DDR3 is 1.5 V, but overclocker RAM models can have increased consumption and, accordingly, increased heat dissipation, which is why such modules have radiator plates. The supply voltage can be directly controlled from the BIOS, but this should not be done, as the RAM module may fail if it is not adapted for such manipulations.

RAM manufacturers
When buying a thing, first of all, attention is drawn to the manufacturer of it, and if the brand is of high quality, then in most cases the thing will not deceive expectations. The same applies to RAM. Of the well-established manufacturers of RAM, the following can be distinguished:

Corsair
Transcend
OCZ
Kingston

These manufacturers always provide only a quality product, and also indicate the real characteristics of their offspring. You should also be able to read the product marking code, by which you can determine all the characteristics of the memory module. For example, Kingston KHX 2000C9AD3T1K2 / 4GX, the following can be read from the main parameters:

KHX - manufacturer and model
2000 - operating frequency
9 - CAS duty cycle time
D3 – DD3 module type
4G - 4 Gb memory

In addition to all of the above, you need to know that if more than one RAM module is used, then the RAM must be of the same manufacturer from the same batch and with identical clock frequency, timings and volume parameters. Only in this case it is possible to achieve the coordinated work of the RAM modules.

PC and laptop RAM identical in technical specifications and all of the above is suitable for both computer and laptop. They only have a different form factor, and if a PC has a DIMM, then a laptop has a SO-DIMM. In appearance, they differ in size - SO-DIMM is two times shorter.

Based on the above information, you can correctly choose the right RAM module, the main thing is not to rush into the choice and clearly understand the parameters of the processor, motherboard and RAM. By choosing the right RAM, you can significantly increase the performance of your computer for a moderate amount.

If you want to buy a laptop or if the available RAM is not enough for you, and even using the paging file does not allow you to perform the necessary tasks, then a reasonable question arises, how to choose RAM for a laptop. Let's see what characteristics you should pay attention to in order to be satisfied with the performance of the laptop.

RAM is random access memory.

What module do we need?

Only the form factor will have to be chosen, because for laptops it is the same - SO-DIMM (double-sided memory module). The rest of the characteristics may raise some questions, so let's go over the main parameters.

Memory capacity: how much to hang in grams?

If you are going to run modern games or resource-intensive graphical applications, then you need a lot of memory to store and transfer temporary files. You can look at the following parameters:

A laptop for working with office applications, surfing the Internet - from 1 GB.
An ordinary home laptop that runs games at low settings and simple graphic editors like Photoshop - from 2 GB.
Laptop for gaming at medium settings - from 4 GB.
Powerful multimedia laptop for modern games and resource-intensive graphics applications - from 8 GB.

If you have an old one, then putting more than 8 GB of memory is pointless - the laptop will not work faster. However, if the processor allows you to increase the amount of memory to 8 GB or more, then be sure to install a 64-bit laptop on your laptop. Windows version, since x32 can not work with RAM, the amount of which exceeds 4 GB.

How important are frequency and other parameters?

The higher the frequency, the faster the processor will receive and process data. Therefore, try with the highest possible frequency that the motherboard and processor support. To avoid compatibility issues, choose identical modules. If you are going to install several bars, it is better to immediately purchase a Kit-set, which includes 2-3 modules with the same characteristics.

Do not buy DDR4 standard strips - the technology has not yet been fully tested. DDR3 laptop RAM is the best, proven and stable solution so far. The DDR5 standard does not exist at all - there is only GDDR5 video memory, which many mistakenly consider the fifth generation of DDR.
Do not buy cheap modules from unknown manufacturers. They work out the warranty period, but after a couple of years, malfunctions may appear.
If there is support for dual-channel mode, take two smaller sticks, and not one larger one (2 x 4 GB instead of 1 x 8 GB). This will improve performance by about 15%.
With a significant difference in price, take memory with higher timings.

Timing is the time interval during which the command sent by the RAM controller is executed. The lower the timing, the better, but it affects the speed of work less than the frequency. Therefore, it is better to take the bar with a high frequency and a little more delay than vice versa.

We hope you figured out how to choose RAM for a laptop. There is nothing complicated here - the main thing is not to chase numbers and brands, but to approach the choice in a practical and thoughtful way.

Story random access memory, or RAM, began back in 1834, when Charles Babbage developed the "analytical engine" - in fact, the prototype of a computer. Part of this machine, which was responsible for storing intermediate data, he called the "warehouse". Memorization of information there was organized in a purely mechanical way, by means of shafts and gears.

In the first generations of computers, cathode-ray tubes, magnetic drums were used as RAM, later magnetic cores appeared, and after them, in the third generation of computers, memory on microcircuits appeared.

Now the RAM is performed according to the technology DRAM in form factors DIMMs and SO-DIMMs, is a dynamic memory organized in the form of semiconductor integrated circuits. It is volatile, that is, the data disappears when there is no power.

The choice of RAM is not a difficult task today, the main thing here is to understand the types of memory, its purpose and main characteristics.

Memory types

SODIMM

SO-DIMM form factor memory is designed for use in laptops, compact ITX systems, monoblocks - in a word, where the minimum physical size of memory modules is important. It differs from the DIMM form factor by a module length reduced by about 2 times, and a smaller number of pins on the board (204 and 360 pins for SO-DIMM DDR3 and DDR4 versus 240 and 288 for boards of the same types of DIMM memory).
In terms of other characteristics - frequency, timings, volume, SO-DIMM modules can be any, and they do not differ from DIMMs in any fundamental way.

DIMM

DIMM - random access memory for full-size computers.
The type of memory you choose must first of all be compatible with the socket on the motherboard. RAM for a computer is divided into 4 types - DDR, DDR2, DDR3 and DDR4.

DDR memory appeared in 2001 and had 184 pins. The supply voltage ranged from 2.2 to 2.4 V. The operating frequency was 400 MHz. Still found on sale, however, the choice is small. Today, the format is outdated - it is suitable only if you do not want to completely update the system, and in the old motherboard the connectors are only for DDR.

The DDR2 standard was released already in 2003, it received 240 pins, which increased the number of threads, decently speeding up the data transfer bus to the processor. The operating frequency of DDR2 could be up to 800 MHz (in some cases - up to 1066 MHz), and the supply voltage from 1.8 to 2.1 V - slightly less than that of DDR. Consequently, the power consumption and heat dissipation of the memory have been reduced.
DDR2 vs DDR Differences:

240 contacts vs 120
· New slot not compatible with DDR
Less power consumption
Improved design, better cooling
Higher maximum operating frequency

Also, like DDR, an outdated type of memory - now it’s only suitable for old motherboards, in other cases it makes no sense to buy, since the new DDR3 and DDR4 are faster.

In 2007, RAM was updated with the DDR3 type, which is still massively distributed. The same 240 pins remain, but the connection slot for DDR3 has changed - there is no compatibility with DDR2. The frequency of the modules is on average from 1333 to 1866 MHz. There are also modules with frequencies up to 2800 MHz.
DDR3 is different from DDR2:

· DDR2 and DDR3 slots are not compatible.
· The clock speed of DDR3 is 2 times higher - 1600 MHz versus 800 MHz for DDR2.
Differs in a reduced supply voltage - about 1.5V, and lower power consumption (in the version DDR3L this value is on average even lower, about 1.35 V).
· Delays (timings) DDR3 more than DDR2, but the operating frequency is higher. In general, the speed of DDR3 is 20-30% higher.

DDR3 is a good choice today. Many motherboards sell DDR3 memory slots, and due to the massive popularity of this type, it is unlikely to disappear soon. It's also slightly cheaper than DDR4.

DDR4 is a new type of RAM developed only in 2012. It is an evolutionary development of the previous types. Memory bandwidth has increased again, now reaching 25.6 GB/s. The operating frequency has also risen - on average from 2133 MHz to 3600 MHz. If we compare the new type with DDR3, which lasted on the market for 8 years and became widespread, then the performance gain is insignificant, and besides, not all motherboards and processors support the new type.
DDR4 differences:

Incompatibility with previous types
Reduced supply voltage - from 1.2 to 1.05 V, power consumption also decreased
Operating memory frequency up to 3200 MHz (can reach 4166 MHz in some brackets), while, of course, proportionally increased timings
May slightly outperform DDR3

If you already have DDR3 sticks, then there is no point in rushing to change them to DDR4. When this format spreads massively, and all motherboards already support DDR4, the transition to a new type will happen by itself with an update of the entire system. Thus, we can summarize that DDR4 is more of a marketing than a really new type of RAM.

What memory frequency to choose?

Choosing a frequency should begin with checking the maximum supported frequencies by your processor and motherboard. It makes sense to take a frequency higher than supported by the processor only when overclocking the processor.

Today, you should not choose memory with a frequency below 1600 MHz. The 1333 MHz option is acceptable in the case of DDR3, if these are not old modules lying around at the seller, which will obviously be slower than new ones.

The best option for today is memory with a frequency interval from 1600 to 2400 MHz. A higher frequency has almost no advantage, but costs much more, and is usually overclocked modules with raised timings. For example, the difference between modules at 1600 and 2133 MHz in a number of work programs will be no more than 5-8%, in games the difference can be even less. Frequencies in 2133-2400 MHz are worth taking if you are engaged in video / audio encoding, rendering.

The difference between the frequencies of 2400 and 3600 MHz will cost you quite a lot, without adding any noticeable speed.

How much RAM to take?

The amount you need depends on the type of work being done on the computer, the operating system installed, and the programs you use. Also, do not lose sight of the maximum amount of memory supported by your motherboard.

Volume 2 GB- for today, it may be enough only for browsing the Internet. More than half will be eaten up by the operating system, the rest will be enough for the leisurely work of undemanding programs.

Volume 4 GB- suitable for a medium-sized computer, for a home PC media center. Enough to watch movies, and even play undemanding games. Modern - alas, with difficulty pull. (Better choice if you have a 32-bit operating system Windows system, which sees no more than 3 GB of RAM)

Volume 8 GB(or a set of 2x4GB) - the recommended volume for today for a full-fledged PC. This is enough for almost any game, to work with any resource-demanding software. Best choice for general purpose computer.

16 GB (or 2x8GB, 4x4GB sets) will be justified if you work with graphics, heavy programming environments, or constantly render video. It is also perfect for online streaming - here with 8 GB there can be freezes, especially with high quality video broadcasts. Some games at high resolutions and with HD textures may perform better with 16 GB of RAM on board.

Volume 32 GB(set 2x16GB, or 4x8GB) - so far a very controversial choice, it will come in handy for some very extreme work tasks. It would be better to spend money on other computer components, this will have a stronger effect on its performance.

Operating modes: better 1 stick of memory or 2?

RAM can operate in single-channel, dual-, three- and four-channel modes. Definitely, if your motherboard has a sufficient number of slots, then it is better to take several identical smaller ones instead of one memory bar. The speed of access to them will increase from 2 to 4 times.

In order for the memory to work in dual-channel mode, you need to install brackets in slots of the same color on the motherboard. As a rule, the color is repeated through the connector. It is important at the same time that the memory frequency in the two bars is the same.

- Single channel mode– single-channel operation mode. Turns on when one memory bar is installed, or different modules operating at different frequencies. As a result, the memory runs at the frequency of the slowest bar.
- dual mode– two-channel mode. Works only with memory modules of the same frequency, increases the speed by 2 times. Manufacturers produce specially for this kits of memory modules, in which there can be 2 or 4 identical strips.
-Triple Mode- works on the same principle as the two-channel. In practice, it is not always faster.
- Quad mode- four-channel mode, which works on the principle of two-channel, respectively, increasing the speed of work by 4 times. It is used where exceptionally high speed is needed - for example, in servers.

- Flex Mode- a more flexible version of the two-channel mode of operation, when the bars are of different volumes, but only the frequency is the same. In this case, the same volumes of modules will be used in dual-channel mode, and the remaining volume will operate in single-channel mode.

Does memory need a heatsink?

Now is not the time when, at a voltage of 2 V, an operating frequency of 1600 MHz was reached, and as a result, a lot of heat was released, which had to be somehow removed. Then the heatsink could be a criterion for the survival of an overclocked module.

At present, memory power consumption has dropped significantly, and a heatsink on a module can be justified from a technical point of view only if you are fond of overclocking, and the module will operate at frequencies beyond its limits. In all other cases, radiators can be justified, perhaps, by a beautiful design.

If the heatsink is massive and noticeably increases the height of the memory bar, this is already a significant disadvantage, since it can prevent you from installing a processor supercooler in the system. By the way, there are special low-profile memory modules designed for installation in compact cases. They are slightly more expensive than regular sized modules.

What are timings?

Timings, or latency (latency)- one of the most important characteristics of RAM, determining its speed. Let us outline the general meaning of this parameter.

Simplified, RAM can be represented as a two-dimensional table in which each cell carries information. Cells are accessed by specifying the column and row number, and this is indicated by the row access strobe. RAS(Row Access Strobe) and column access gate CAS (Acess Strobe) by changing the voltage. Thus, for each cycle of work there are calls RAS and CAS, and there are certain delays between these accesses and write / read commands, which are called timings.

In the description of the RAM module, you can see five timings, which for convenience are written as a sequence of numbers separated by a hyphen, for example 8-9-9-20-27 .

· tRCD (time of RAS to CAS Delay)- timing, which determines the delay from the RAS pulse to CAS
· CL (time of CAS Latency)- timing, which determines the delay between the write / read command and the CAS pulse
· tRP (time of Row Precharge)- timing, which determines the delay in transitions from one line to the next
· tRAS (time of Active to Precharge Delay)- timing, which determines the delay between the activation of the line and the end of work with it; is considered the main value
· command rate– determines the delay between the command to select a single chip on the module until the command to activate the row; this timing is not always indicated.

To put it even more simply, it is important to know only one thing about timings - the smaller their values, the better. At the same time, the bars can have the same frequency of operation, but different timings, and a module with lower values will always be faster. So it is worth choosing the minimum timings, for DDR4 the timings of 15-15-15-36 will be the benchmark for average values, for DDR3 - 10-10-10-30. It is also worth remembering that the timings are related to the memory frequency, so when overclocking, you will most likely have to raise the timings, and vice versa - you can manually lower the frequency, while lowering the timings. It is most beneficial to pay attention to the totality of these parameters, choosing rather a balance, and not chasing the extreme values of the parameters.

How to decide on a budget?

With more money, you can afford more RAM. The main difference between cheap and expensive modules will be in timings, frequency of operation, and in the brand - well-known, advertised ones can cost a little more than noname modules from an incomprehensible manufacturer.
In addition, the radiator installed on the modules costs extra money. Not all planks need it, but manufacturers now do not skimp on them.

The price will also depend on the timings, the lower they are, the higher the speed, and, accordingly, the price.

So, having up to 2000 rubles, you can purchase a 4 GB memory module, or 2 x 2 GB modules, which is preferable. Choose depending on what your PC configuration allows. Modules like DDR3 will cost almost half as much as DDR4. With such a budget, it is more reasonable to take DDR3.

To the group up to 4000 rubles Includes 8 GB modules and 2x4 GB kits. It is the best choice for any task except professional work with video, and in any other heavy environments.

Into the amount up to 8000 rubles The amount of memory will cost 16 GB. Recommended for professional purposes, or for avid gamers - enough even in reserve, waiting for new demanding games.

If not a problem to spend up to 13000 rubles, then the best choice would be to put them in a set of 4 sticks of 4 GB. For this money, you can even choose prettier radiators, possibly for subsequent overclocking.

I don’t advise taking more than 16 GB without the purpose of working in professional heavy environments (and even then not in all), but if you really want to, then for the amount from 13000 rubles you can climb Olympus by purchasing a 32 GB or even 64 GB kit. True, this will not make much sense for an ordinary user or gamer - it is better to spend money on, say, a flagship video card.

I think it's no secret to anyone that RAM is an important component of a gaming system, and several RAM parameters affect performance in games at once. For example, not so long ago, the 3DNews lab found out that AMD Ryzen CPUs are very sensitive to DDR4 frequency. Testing has shown that the use of fast DDR4-3200 memory compared to the standard DDR4-2133 at the same timings increases FPS in games by 12-16% depending on the application. So if you want to get the most out of your system, buying a fast RAM kit is one of the most effective options.

Performance is affected not only by frequency, but also by delays. And yet the most important parameter of RAM is the volume. If, in the case of using a slow kit, we lose FPS units, then if a certain number of gigabytes is not enough, the game will either slow down or not start at all. Therefore, we decided to find out how much RAM a gaming computer needs in 2017. Obviously, the main "battle" will unfold between sets of 8 and 16 GB.

A good example - the user has upgraded his computer, supplementing the existing configuration with a GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB video card. Now its system unit fully complies with the recommended requirements of Watch_Dogs 2, which I so wanted to play. However, even without using the maximum graphics quality settings, spending time in your favorite “sandbox” was overshadowed by micro-freezes that appeared every now and then. And it looks like the GeForce GTX 1060 does a great job, as the average keeps around 50 FPS, but these drawdowns spoil the whole impression! It turns out that the lack of RAM was involved in the appearance of a visually noticeable drop in frame rate, because adding another 8 GB partially solved this problem - with the same settings and with the same video card, it became more comfortable to play.

The main topic is marked, but, in my opinion, it is equally important to answer one more question: will the use of a fast swap file fix the situation with the lack of RAM in games?

⇡ Modern gaming platforms

A very large number of configurations fall under the definition of a "gaming computer". For example, in the monthly column "" ten different systems are considered. The cheapest includes the Pentium G4560, GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB and 8 GB DDR4. Using this amount of RAM is the most common option, according to the official statistics of the Steam game client. But modern platforms allow you to install 64 and even 128 GB of RAM.

Current gaming platforms
	Intel					AMD
socket	LGA1155	LGA2011	LGA1150	LGA2011-v3	LGA1151	AM3+	FM2/2+	AM4
Year of sale	2011	2011	year 2013	year 2014	2015	2011	year 2012	2017
Supported processors	Sandy Bridge, Ivy Bridge	Sandy Bridge E, Ivy Bridge-E	Haswell, Haswell Refresh and Devil's Canyon, Broadwell	Haswell-E, Broadwell-E	Skylake, Kaby Lake	Zambezi, Vishera	Trinity, Richland, Kaveri, Godavari (Kaveri Refresh)	Ryzen, AMD 7th Generation A-series/Athlon
Memory controller	DDR3-1066/1333	DDR3-1066/1333 /1600/1866	DDR3-1333/1600	DDR4-2133/2400	DDR4-1866/2133/ 2400, DDR3L-1333/1600	DDR3-1066/1333/ 1600/1866	DDR3-1600/1866/ 2400	DDR4-2133/2400/ 2666
Memory controller	Built-in, two-channel	Built-in, four-channel	Built-in, two-channel	Built-in, four-channel	Built-in, two- channel	Built-in, two-channel	Built-in, two-channel	Built-in, two-channel
Maximum RAM	32 GB	64 GB	32 GB	Haswell-E - 64 GB Broadwell-E - 128 GB	64 GB	32 GB	64 GB	64 GB

Even now, without testing, we can safely say that the indicated maximum amount of RAM is redundant for gaming configurations, although the entertainment industry has recently been the most active engine of computer progress. As already mentioned, most users install 8 or 16 GB in their systems. The table lists both the most modern (LGA1151, LGA2011-v3, AM4) and time-tested platforms that can be classified as gaming in 2017. In most cases, AMD and Intel CPUs use dual-channel RAM controllers. This means that on motherboards for the corresponding platform, either two or four DIMM slots are used. And boards with an LGA2011 and LGA2011-v3 socket have four or eight slots for installing RAM, respectively. For Haswell-E and Broadwell-E processors, there is an "exotic" exception to the rule - ASRock X99E-ITX / ac.

The dual-channel mode of the memory controller built into the central processor implies the use of an even number of modules. In order to easily increase the amount of RAM over time, it is better to use a motherboard with four DIMM slots. So, we can purchase a 16 GB memory kit, consisting of two 8 GB modules, and eventually buy two more modules with similar characteristics. Some motherboards have only a couple of slots for installing RAM - these are either very budget motherboards (for example, based on the H110, B250 and A320 chipsets for Kaby Lake and Ryzen processors), or mini-ITX form factor devices, or exclusive overclocking solutions, such as ASUS Maximus IX Apex. These devices support half the amount of RAM: 32 GB for Skylake, Kaby Lake and Ryzen processors; 16 GB for Haswell, Broadwell, Sandy Bridge, Ivy Bridge and Vishera processors. Consider this moment when upgrading or when assembling the system unit from scratch.

⇡ Test bench

During all tests, the LGA1151 platform was used along with the Core i7-7700K processor, overclocked to 4.5 GHz. Changed video cards, RAM and drives. A complete list of accessories is presented in the table.

Test bench configuration
CPU	Intel Core i7-7700K @4.5 GHz
Motherboard	ASUS MAXIMUS IX Hero
RAM	Kingston HyperX Predator HX430C15PB3K4/64, DDR4-3000, 4×16 GB
RAM	Kingston HyperX Fury HX421C14FB2K2/16, DDR4-2133, 2 × 8 GB
Drives	Western Digital WD1003FZEX, 1 TB
Drives	Samsung 850 Pro
Video cards	ASUS GeForce GTX 1060 (DUAL-GTX1060-3G), 3 GB
Video cards	ASUS Radeon RX 480 (DUAL-RX480-O4G), 4 GB
Power Supply	Corsair AX1500i 1500W
CPU cooler	Noctua NH-D9DX
Frame	Lian Li PC-T60A
Monitor	NEC EA244UHD
Operating system	Windows 10 Pro x64
Video card software
AMD	Crimson ReLive Edition 17.4.2
NVIDIA	GeForce Game Ready Driver 381.65
Additional software
Uninstalling drivers	Display Driver Uninstaller 17.0.6.1
Measuring FPS	Fraps 3.5.99
	FRAFS Bench Viewer
	Action! 2.3.0
Overclocking and Monitoring	GPU-Z 1.19.0
Overclocking and Monitoring	MSI Afterburner 4.3.0
Optional equipment
Thermal imager	Fluke Ti400
Sound level meter	Mastech MS6708
Wattmeter	watts up? PRO

⇡ RAM consumption in modern games

Determining how much RAM modern games consume is not so difficult. There are a large number of diagnostic utilities. But it is important to understand that the amount of RAM used depends on several parameters, and therefore can differ markedly on different systems. So, along with the launch of games, various software does not stop working.

For example, opening just ten Chrome tabs results in an increase in RAM consumption of 1.5 GB. Appetites Google browser have long become a "meme", but let's not forget about constantly active messengers, antiviruses, drivers and other utilities that are loaded with the operating system.

I recently did a comparative test between the GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB and the Radeon RX 470 4 GB. There is an opinion among users that an additional gigabyte of video memory is another argument in favor of an AMD graphics adapter. A small experiment showed that out of twelve games, exactly half consume more than four gigabytes of video memory in Full HD resolution. The stand used accelerator GeForce GTX 1080 with 8 GB GDDR5. It turns out that in the event of a lack of video memory, all data that did not fit into the GDDR5 cells will be placed in RAM. Some games immediately inform the user that the video memory limit has been exceeded. Some - GTA V, HITMAN, Battlefield 1 - will simply not let you set a higher quality of graphics until the user himself removes a special "fuse" in the settings menu. Therefore, for a more detailed study of the issue, it is necessary to use several video cards. My choice was on three running NVIDIA models: the GeForce GTX 1060 with 3 and 6 GB GDDR5, as well as the GeForce GTX 1080.

Graphics settings in games
		API	Quality	Full screen anti-aliasing
		API	Quality	1920×1080 / 2560×1440 / 3840×2160
1	The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Novigrad and surroundings	DirectX 11	Max. quality, NVIDIA HairWorks on	AA
2	Mass Effect Andromeda, the first task		Max. quality	Temporal smoothing
3	Ghost Recon Wildlands, built-in benchmark		Max. quality	SMAA + FXAA
4	GTA V, city and surroundings		Max. quality	4 × MSAA + FXAA
5	Rise of the Tomb Raider, Soviet base		Max. quality	SMAA
6	Watch_Dogs 2, city and surroundings		Ultra, HBAO+	Temporal anti-aliasing 2 × MSAA
7	Fallout 4, Diamond City and surroundings		Max. quality, high resolution textures, bullet fragments off.	TAA
8	HITMAN, built-in benchmark	DirectX 12	Max. quality	SMAA
9	Total War: WARHAMMER, built-in benchmark		Max. quality	4× MSAA
10	Battlefield 1 Jobs for the Young Mission		Ultra	TAA
11	Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, Utulek Complex		Max. quality	2× MSAA
12	Sid Meier's Civilization VI built-in benchmark		Ultra	8×MSAA
13	Star Wars Battlefront, Battle of Endor map		Max. quality	TAA
14	Tom Clancy's The Division, built-in benchmark		Max. quality	SMAA
15	DOOM, OIC mission	Vulkan	Ultra	TSSAA 8TX

RAM consumption was measured in fifteen applications. The graphs show the maximum download rate that was recorded after 10 minutes of random gameplay. The results have been rounded for clarity. RAM loading was measured using MSI Afterburner with a 100ms polling rate. Among other programs, only the Steam, Origin, and Uplay clients, as well as Windows Defender, FRAPS, and MSI Afterburner, were active when launching games.

The assumption made earlier has become a fact - already in Full HD resolution, we see that with the use of the 3 GB version of the GeForce GTX 1060, nine out of fifteen games have overcome the bar of 8 GB of RAM. That is more than half. The same games launched on stands with a GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB and GeForce GTX 1080 turned out to be less “gluttonous” in terms of RAM.

With an increase in resolution, the trend continued - already thirteen out of fifteen games consumed more than 8 GB of RAM in a stand with a GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB installed. Consistently more than 10 GB of RAM was consumed in seven projects. The loading of the RAM has noticeably increased in the case of using the GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB in the stand. This means that six gigabytes of video memory is not enough for games with the graphics quality settings we have set.

Testing in Ultra HD resolution was carried out only with the participation of the GeForce GTX 1080, because it makes no sense to use versions of the GeForce GTX 1060 in this resolution - the graphics processors of these video cards simply cannot cope with the increased load.

The results were quite predictable. We can safely say that many modern AAA projects at close to the maximum graphics quality settings consume more than 8 GB of RAM. In addition, measurements in Rise of the Tomb Raider, Watch_Dogs 2, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and Mass Effect Andromeda show that there is no serious margin of safety in the presence of 16 GB of RAM in the system. In addition, testing was carried out with a minimum of active applications in Windows 10. In my opinion, there are all prerequisites for the fact that soon there will be projects that will not have enough 16 GB of RAM at maximum or close to them graphics quality settings.

I think many have already paid attention to the fact that I considered only one scenario - games at maximum (or close to them) graphics quality settings. However, most gamers use less powerful video cards, and therefore use different quality modes.

Computer games are good because, as a rule, they have a large number of settings that worsen or improve the quality of the displayed picture. For example, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided has five pre-programmed modes: Low, Medium, High, Very High and Ultra. Many developers use similar categories. Please note that it is quite difficult (sometimes even unrealistic) to determine by eye where high quality is set, and where very high quality is set. Thus, unscrewing the sliders to the maximum in a number of games makes no sense. And video memory and RAM are used noticeably less.

From the list of games that at maximum (or close to them) quality settings consumed the most RAM, I chose five applications: Watch_Dogs 2, Mass Effect Andromeda, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and Ghost Recon Wildlands. Using all the same NVIDIA video cards, I measured the consumption of RAM when activating the modes prepared in advance by the developers. In some games (Watch_Dogs 2 and Ghost Recon Wildlands) when you change the overall quality of the graphics, the anti-aliasing automatically changes as well. In other applications, the anti-aliasing parameter must be set separately. In fact, in Mass Effect Andromeda, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, no anti-aliasing was used at all for this part of the experiment. The results are listed in the summary table.

Green highlights areas in which a gratifying fact is recorded - when a certain graphics quality mode is activated, games consume less than 8 GB of RAM. The table clearly shows that setting the parameters "High" and "Medium" is suitable for video cards with video memory of 4 GB or less, for graphics adapters with 6+ GB GDDR5 - even more so.

There is also a noticeable drop in RAM consumption in Rise of the Tomb Raider when using the 3 GB version of the GeForce GTX 1060. We see a logical confirmation of the fact that when using the "High" picture quality mode, the game requires less video memory than at "maximum speeds".

Of course, the consumption of video RAM and system memory also affects the disabling of anti-aliasing, which should eliminate irregularities (ladders) along the edges of objects. Anti-aliasing is one of the parameters that is critical to the amount of video memory. Therefore, in a gaming system with 8 GB of RAM and a graphics accelerator with 2, 3 or 4 GB of video memory, it makes sense to turn off anti-aliasing or use "easy" modes, if such are supported by the application.

Textures are the second parameter that is critical to the amount of video memory, and, consequently, RAM. The use of low-resolution textures significantly spoils the image, but at the same time, there is not much difference between the "High" and "Very high" modes in Rise of the Tomb Raider (in other games, too). Therefore, if there is not enough video memory and RAM, this parameter can be sacrificed in order to achieve a comfortable frame rate.

Maximum RAM consumption (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB), MB
Texture quality
Rise of the Tomb Raider General settings quality - maximum, but without smoothing)		Watch_Dogs 2 (general quality settings - "Ultra" mode, but without anti-aliasing)		Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (general quality settings - maximum, but no anti-aliasing)
very high	11600	Ultra	11000	Ultra	11000
high	6900	high	9700	very high	9600
Average	6400	Average	8800	high	7800
Low	6200	Low	7800	Average	7100
				Low	6900
Shadows
very high	10700	HFTS	11600	very high	11000
high	10500	PCSS	11000	high	10900
Average	10300	Ultra	11000	Average	10800
Off	10300	very high	11000
		high	10400
		Average	10400
		Low	10300

There are a lot of image settings in computer games. Developers work closely with hardware manufacturers - AMD, NVIDIA and Intel, and therefore applications are replete with a different number of various options. For example, Rise of the Tomb Raider has a PureHair mode, which significantly changes the hairstyles of the characters in this game. It also uses various ambient light blocking technologies (SSAO, HBAO, HBAO+, VXAO, and so on) that darken troughs and corners, adding visual depth to them.

All these settings to some extent affect the consumption of video memory and RAM. However, not as much as anti-aliasing, shadows, and texture size.

It seems that the answer to the main question has been received: measurements of RAM consumption show that 16 GB is our everything if you plan to play with maximum settings graphics quality. On the other hand, there is evidence that even 8 GB of RAM is still enough for any modern project - you just need to reduce the image quality. Most often, it is enough to set the mode to "High" or "Medium". According to the author, the picture will still be quite acceptable level. However, it is interesting to know how typical gaming systems will behave when there is not enough RAM? The second part of the experiment is devoted to this issue.

Laptops are mobile computers that have recently become more popular than classic ones. personal computers and monoblocks. There is nothing surprising in this, because the user receives an all-in-one transportable device of comparable power. There is already a webcam, Wi-Fi transmitter, and Bluetooth. Laptops are also much more convenient than regular PCs. And some of them can even be "upgraded" (improved). This will be discussed. And specifically - about which one would be preferable for a laptop. What should you pay attention to when buying a "RAM"?

Difference between DDR3 and DDR2

In principle, DDR3 is already a rather outdated standard. But most devices still use it, since the fourth version is not so common. The main difference between the "troika" and the previous generation is the speed of work. of this standard shows performance miracles in comparison with its "ancestors". And the operating frequencies have increased markedly, which could not but affect the speed. But the main difference is in timings and optimization. At the moment, DDR3 is the most productive "RAM" (with the exception of the "four"). That is why the operational one is DDR3. And no other.

It is also worth considering that there is a difference between memory modules for a stationary PC and a laptop, which is expressed in the size of the module itself and the working microcircuits. Therefore, the "notebook" version of the memory, as a rule, is somewhat weaker than the "full-size" one. But this is not so important. So, what do you need to know to choose the right component for a DDR3 laptop? Consider the required characteristics.

What to look for when buying memory?

When choosing a memory module, you should focus on the frequency range and volume that is supported by your motherboard. You can find out all the information about the board using the AIDA64 program. Notebook RAM DDR3 4GB (or more) may not be suitable for your machine in terms of frequencies. Although, if we take into account modern laptops, then there should be no problems with this parameter. The usual operating frequency of the simplest "RAM" is 1066 megahertz. But this is far from the limit. It often happens that such restrictions are conditional. Memory can easily work at 1333 megahertz.

It is also important to know the maximum amount of RAM that can be installed in your laptop. The standard volume for budget devices is 16 gigabytes. If you are going to install two modules (and dual-channel mode is always better) with a total capacity of 8 GB, then the prerequisite is that DDR3 4 GB RAM for a laptop must be from the same manufacturer (both modules). Otherwise, a conflict of components is possible. You also need to remember that it will not work to put a memory module with its own heatsink in budget laptops. So it's not worth overpaying. And now consider best options from the most famous manufacturers.

Kingston ValueRAM 8GB DDR3

This is a good memory module running at 1600 megahertz. This explains its relatively high cost. But this DDR3 laptop RAM will give your machine unrealistic speed. Especially two such modules operating in dual-channel mode. Memory is able to withstand even "overclocking". And this is its main advantage. Many also choose these memory modules because of their exceptional reliability. It is known that this RAM can survive a lot.

Kingston 4GB DDR3 PC3-10600

RAM for laptop DDR3 - 1333 megahertz. Moreover, this budget module can be used in the cheapest models. It easily installs even in the most intricate case and is able to ensure the smooth operation of any operating system. However, for demanding games, this module is not enough. And the volume is small - only 4 gigabytes. Even with two similar modules, the total volume will be only 8 gigabytes, which is very small for modern games. But for the operation of such a module, it’s enough for the eyes.

Corsair Mac Memory 4GB DDR3 PC3-8500

RAM for laptop DDR3 - 1066 megahertz. Probably the cheapest module of all currently existing. Its cost probably corresponds to its operating frequency - 1066 megahertz. This RAM can only be used in older laptops. Of course, it can be installed in new models, but instead of a performance increase, the user will receive its decline. Because the operating frequencies are very different. So, the target audience for this module is owners of outdated machines who use their laptops exclusively for work.

Kingston HyperX Impact 8GB DDR3 PC3-17000

But this is the most "cool" RAM for a DDR3 laptop. Its feature lies in the operating frequency. It is as much as 2133 megahertz. This is an absolute record in the world mobile computers. It is not surprising that such a module costs decent money. Its volume of 8 gigabytes is enough for everything. Especially if you install two such modules and make the RAM work in dual-channel mode. The performance gain will be just fantastic. If the video card allows, then running modern toys will not be difficult.

Conclusion

DDR3 laptop RAM is now the most common type of memory in the world of mobile computers. These modules can operate at an unrealistically high frequency, are able to have an impressive volume and perform well when working in multi-channel mode. The range of modules is very extensive. It includes both budget low-frequency models and expensive "bars" with a high frequency of operation and the possibility of overclocking. The choice of a particular model entirely depends on the user and his financial capabilities.