Help, which brand of RAM Sticks should I buy?

rodz

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Hello there, pals. This is my first post around here!

So, I'm planning on buying an upgrade for my desktop computer. The only things I'm planning to keep is the HDD, the case, the dGPU and the fan headers, since the PSU won't work at all on this 8-pin motherboard. But I'm still missing the RAM sticks. All I know is I want them to run on dual channel, and two sticks of 8GB.

This is the list I'm building: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/476V7T - Is a Ryzen 5 1600 on a GIGABYTE Aorus B450m, and the dGPU listed there is my actual dGPU. I'll be upgrading the dGPU later, so I'll use this one for the moment. Doesn't need an 6pin PSU connector.

I'll post a thread regarding the PSU upgrade, but which brand of rams should I buy? Compatibles with R5 1600 (I guess they'll run on 2666mhz) and the Motherboard.

Thanks!
 
Since you're obviously looking at bang for the buck, I'd get a 2600 instead of a 1600 for ~$10 more. One of the advantages of that is a better memory controller that would allow you more flexibility with RAM. You could pretty much get any 3000 or 3200Mhz RAM and it should work.

Then you could get something like this for $50.
 
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Since you're obviously looking at bang for the buck, I'd get a 2600 instead of a 1600 for ~$10 more. One of the advantages of that is a better memory controller that would allow you more flexibility with RAM. You could pretty much get any 3000 or 3200Mhz RAM and it should work.

Then you could get something like this for $50.

I guess that's the only plus, the ability to reach 3000Mhz on ram. But I think I'll stay with the 1600 since I'm trying to save for the two sticks of ram. Do you think this rams would go with my setup?
 
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I guess that's the only plus, the ability to reach 3000Mhz on ram. But I think I'll stay with the 1600 since I'm trying to save for the two sticks of ram. Do you think this rams would go with my setup?

2666 is probably flakey with the 1600. Honestly, I'd get the ones I linked as they are $10 cheaper and can potentially run faster. You can probably run around 2933Mhz on the 3000 sticks where you'll likely get 2400Mhz on the 2666 (I never had good luck with 2666Mhz memory and Ryzen for whatever reason) and pay an extra $10.

If you're paying extra for RGB RAM with your budget, I don't know if I can help you :p. I'd take the performance over the RGB lighting.
 
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Nanya, Samsung, Micron (not their Crucial or Ballistix brands), or Hynix, and I mean for the whole memory sticks, not just the chips on them. That way you'll get high quality RAM chips that aren't overclocked in the SPD or RAM chips that are factory rejects. Unfortunately those brands of modules are either expensive or available only on the used market, such as at eBay. Also they'll never have XMP profiles for easy overclocking because the quality standards are too high.

But if you have to buy one of the more common retail brands, look for:
  • Heat spreaders that aren't so tall that they can't fit under the CPU heatsink or if they do fit, require removal of that heatsink to install RAM sticks. Removing heat spreaders to make sticks fit will void the warranty and can even tear RAM chips off the circuit board.
  • A recommended operating voltage of just 1.20V for DDR4, 1.35V or 1.50V for DDR3, even at XMP settings. It means you're less likely to run into reliability problems.
  • A lifetime warranty that covers shipping costs both ways because some people have gotten 2-3 bad sets in a row.
  • Toll-free tech support, even if you're on an unlimited calling plan, because it means the company is probably more committed to service.
 
Nanya, Samsung, Micron (not their Crucial or Ballistix brands), or Hynix, and I mean for the whole memory sticks, not just the chips on them. That way you'll get high quality RAM chips that aren't overclocked in the SPD or RAM chips that are factory rejects. Unfortunately those brands of modules are either expensive or available only on the used market, such as at eBay. Also they'll never have XMP profiles for easy overclocking because the quality standards are too high.

You may be confused a bit. There are 3 major DRAM chip manufacturers - Samsung, Micron, Hynix. They produce the DRAM chip and OEM DRAM modules for other PC manufacturers (Dell, etc). Yes, those OEM memory modules are usually not sold in retail and they are pretty basic low speed modules and all the support is done by PC manufacturers, so there's no reason for regular PC owners to buy them.

Micron has a retail branch (Crucial) that sells end user DRAM modules and Ballistix is one of their retail brands.

All DRAM Manufacturers sell ungraded/unchecked DRAM chips wholesale to 2nd tier manufacturers like G.Skill, Kingston, Patriot, etc. Those are sold wholesale and the buyers grade the chips and assemble different kind of DRAM modules out of those graded chips.
 
Hello there, pals.
im not your pal, guy! ;) if you havent built yet nows the time for sales. 2666 ram will work fine with a 1600, i built one for a client with a msi b450m board. so your combo should be fine.
 
You may be confused a bit. There are 3 major DRAM chip manufacturers - Samsung, Micron, Hynix. They produce the DRAM chip and OEM DRAM modules for other PC manufacturers (Dell, etc). Yes, those OEM memory modules are usually not sold in retail and they are pretty basic low speed modules and all the support is done by PC manufacturers, so there's no reason for regular PC owners to buy them.

Micron has a retail branch (Crucial) that sells end user DRAM modules and Ballistix is one of their retail brands.

All DRAM Manufacturers sell ungraded/unchecked DRAM chips wholesale to 2nd tier manufacturers like G.Skill, Kingston, Patriot, etc. Those are sold wholesale and the buyers grade the chips and assemble different kind of DRAM modules out of those graded chips.

I'm not confused. I clearly differentiated between the chip brands and the modules made by the chip makers and sold under their brands (except Micron's Crucial), even if they're supplied to Dell, HP, Apple, etc. Buy Hynix chips on a Hynix module or Samsung chips on a Samsung module, and the chip speed ratings will match the module speed ratings, by the strictest standards -- no ungraded/upgraded chips, as is typically the case with G.Skill, Patriot, Kingston, Crucial, etc., and testing done with just motherboards. And the reason for the average person to buy the former: $.
 
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