Does RAM name matter??

Father Aztekios · June 15, 2020

Hello everyone. I am currently waiting for the latest generation or ryzen cpus and rtx gpus to be released so that I can build my first ever gaming pc but choosing what RAM to buy confuses me very much. I will be using an x570 asus rog crosshair formula motherboard an RTX 3080 and a ryzen 4000 series cpu so I decided that 16gb of RAM (3600mhz) would be ok and for aesthetic purposes I wanted them to be the trident z neo series by g skill but I do not know which ones to get since the name and pricing in all of them differs from one another even though the main specs remain the same (16gb,3600mhz,16 CAS). So my question is if it matters which set I choose in (terms of compatibility) or if its ok to just pick up the cheapest one. "Excuse my poor english I am not a native speaker".

Edited June 15, 2020 by Father Aztekios

wall03 · June 15, 2020

Not really. Only 3 memory manufacturers.

aisle9 · June 15, 2020

All of the RAM being produced right now comes from one of three manufacturers: Samsung, Hynix or Micron. If your intent is to shoot for a very high overclock, you'll want to look for RAM with Samsung B-Die NAND. You'll have to Google the exact model number to find out exactly what NAND a kit is using. If you're just looking for general all-purpose RAM, then just buy the kit you want in the size you need and the speed you're after.

When in doubt, go to the motherboard manufacturer's website and download the QVL for your board. That will tell you what RAM has been tested by the board manufacturer on that board and proven to work.

You don't need to match RAM anymore, but if you don't get matched RAM, it will run at the slowest stick's speed and timings. With Ryzen, that's a big deal. G Skill is a well-known, reputable brand.