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Best RAM for Gaming in 2024

Check out these top memory kits for your PC.

Best RAM for Gaming
Need to add more RAM to your existing system? Looking for a memory kit for your new build? In this guide, we’ve listed the best memory kits currently available across a handful of categories and pricepoints.

Whether you need DDR4 RAM to upgrade an older system, or high-end DDR5 memory for your brand new PC build, we’ve listed the top options for each category.

If you’re new to building a PC, or you’re not sure what to look for when choosing memory, we recommend you watch our beginner’s guide to choosing memory below.

Watch: What to Look for in RAM

Watch our Beginner’s Guide to Choosing RAM below, or on our YouTube channel.

Quick Look: RAM Comparison

For a quick look at the top memory kits for gaming, the table below showcases our selections for the best DDR5 option, the best DDR4 option, the best RGB kits, the best low-profile RAM, and the best budget choices.

NAME SPECS
DDR5
Corsair Vengeance DDR5

Corsair Vengeance

  • 32GB (2x16GB)
  • 6400MHz
  • 32-40-40-84
  • 1.40V

Check Price

Read Review »

DDR4
G.Skill Ripjaws V DDR4

G.SKILL Ripjaws V

  • 32GB (2x16GB)
  • 3600MHz
  • 16-19-19-39
  • 1.35V

Check Price

Read Review »

RGB DDR5
Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5

Corsair Vengeance RGB

  • 32GB (2x16GB)
  • 6400MHz
  • 32-40-40-84
  • 1.40V

Check Price

Read Review »

RGB DDR4
OLOy Blade RGB DDR4

OLOy Blade RGB

  • 16GB (2x8GB)
  • 3600MHz
  • 16-20-20-40
  • 1.45V

Check Price

Read Review »

LP DDR5
G.SKILL RipjawsFlare DDR5

G.SKILL Ripjaws/Flare

  • 32GB (2x16GB)
  • 6400MHz
  • 32-39-39-102
  • 1.40V

Check Price

Read Review »

LP DDR4
Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4

Corsair Vengeance LPX

  • 32GB (2x16GB)
  • 3600MHz
  • 16-19-19-36
  • 1.35V

Check Price

Read Review »

CHEAP DDR5
TEAMGROUP T-Create DDR5

TEAMGROUP T-Create

  • 32GB (2x16GB)
  • 5600MHz
  • 46-46-46-90
  • 1.10V

Check Price

Read Review »

CHEAP DDR4
TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z DDR4

TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z

  • 16GB (2x8GB)
  • 3600MHz
  • 18-22-22-42
  • 1.35V

Check Price

Read Review »

*To read more about the memory kits listed above, hit the “Read Review »” link to skip down to our overview on that kit.

1. Corsair Vengeance

The best DDR5 memory

Best DDR5 - Corsair Vengeance

CAPACITY 32GB (2x16GB)
SPEED 6400MHz
TIMING 32-40-40-84
VOLTAGE 1.40V
PRICE AmazonNewegg

Corsair’s Vengeance line of memory has ranked among the best memory options for well over a decade now. And, their DDR5 edition is no different.

While there are faster kits out there (including within the Vengeance lineup) and options that offer lower CL latency, we like this specific Vengeance kit as it offers not only ample amounts of memory (32GB), good speed (6400MHz), excellent latency (CL32), and good timings (32-40-40-84), but it also comes in at a relatively affordable price (~$120).

You’ll be hard-pressed to find another memory kit out there that can offer that mix of speed and capacity for a better price, with exception to G.SKILL’s Ripsaws S5 which is listed below as our top low-profile DDR5 choice. (And, with a slightly lower pricetag, it might even be the better option for you.)

Of course, there are other excellent DDR5 memory options out there depending on what you want to do. Corsair has kits that have a faster clock rate, but higher latency, as does TEAMGROUP (T-Force Delta), Patriot (Viper Venom), and G.SKILL (Trident Z5), and there are other kits out there that have lower clock rates and lower latency.

But, ultimately, this Vengeance kit will provide you with excellent performance and it comes with a very reasonable pricetag considering the competition.

2. G.Skill Ripjaws V

The top value DDR4 RAM option

Best DDR4 - G.Skill Ripjaws V

CAPACITY 32GB (2x16GB)
SPEED 3600MHz
TIMING 16-19-19-39
VOLTAGE 1.35V
PRICE Amazon | Newegg

If you’re looking to build a DDR4-based PC, or you need to upgrade your PC and you are looking for some solid overall memory, this G.SKILL Ripjaws kit (or another in the Ripjaws series) would be worth checking out.

This Ripjaws V kit comes with 32GB total (2x16GB) of memory, with a clock rate of 3600MHz, a latency of CL16, and timings of 16-19-19-39.

Again, like with the Vengeance kit listed above, this set of Ripjaws memory is not the absolute fastest DDR4 kit on the market. Options like Patriot’s Viper Steel offer 4000MHz at a latency of CL16, and TEAMPGROUP’s T-Create Expert series offers 3600MHz at a latency of CL14. However, those two kits cost significantly more (~$150 for the Patriot kit and ~$180 for the TEAMGROUP kit.)

And, really, unless you’re doing extreme system tuning, the real-world difference between those kits and this G.SKILL kit will be difficult to see. So, we chose the Ripjaws V as our top option for DDR4 memory.

3. Corsair Vengeance RGB

High-end DDR5 RGB RAM

Best DDR5 RGB - Corsair Vengeance RGB

CAPACITY 32GB (2x16GB)
SPEED 6400MHz
TIMING 32-40-40-84
VOLTAGE 1.40V
PRICE Amazon | Newegg

Seeing as how we chose Corsair’s Vengeance for our top DDR5 RAM option overall, it’s no surprise that we also like their Vengeance RGB kits. Again, like with the non-RGB variant, where Corsair’s RGB memory kits stand out is not so much in pure speed, but in their overall price-to-performance ratio.

This specific kit is essentially the same stick of RAM as the Corsair Vengeance kit listed above. It’s a 32GB (2x16GB) kit, that comes with a base clock rate of 6400MHz, a latency of CL32, and a timing rating of 32-40-40-84. The only difference is that this kit has a RGB module on top.

Each stick of RAM comes with ten-zones of RGB lighting which can be configured and modified through Corsair’s iCUE software.

There are other excellent DDR5 RGB kits out there, though. G.SKILL’s Trident Z5, Patriot’s Viper Venom, and TEAMGROUP’s T-Force Xtreem are also worthy options. However, most of the cost a bit more than Corsair’s RGB options at similar specs. And, while we like the Vengeance RGB lineup at its current price, it would be worth checking out the other options as well, as price changes could make another option the better value choice.

4. OLOy Blade RGB

The best DDR4 RGB memory kit

Best DDR4 RGB - OLOy Blade RGB

CAPACITY 16GB (2x8GB)
SPEED 3600MHz
TIMING 16-20-20-40
VOLTAGE 1.45V
PRICE Amazon | Newegg

OLOy hasn’t been around as long as Corsair or G.SKILL, but in their short time in the consumer memory market, they have built a solid reputation. We like their Blade RGB series as the best option for DDR4 RGB memory.

This 16GB (2x8GB) OLOy Blade kit in particular comes with a clock speed of 3600MHz, a latency of CL16, and a timing rating of 16-20-20-40. That’s pretty decent specs for a DDR4 memory kit. But, like most of our choices on this list, the OLOy Blade lineup stands out not only because of the performance it offers, but also because of the price it comes in at.

At just under $60, you likely won’t find a 16GB kit of RGB memory that offers the same specs as the Blade series. There are a lot of other DDR4 memory kits that are worth checking out, including Corsair’s Vengeance RGB Pro, G.SKILL’s Trizen Z RGB, TEAMGROUP’s T-Froce Xtreem ARGB, and XPG’s SPECTRIX (to name a few), but, at the moment, none offer better price-to-performance than OLOy’s RGB kit.

5. G.SKILL Ripjaws S5

The best low-profile DDR5 RAM

Best DDR5 LP - G.SKILL RipjawsFlare

CAPACITY 32GB (2x16GB)
SPEED 6400MHz
TIMING 32-39-39-102
VOLTAGE 1.40V
PRICE Amazon | Newegg

While we chose Corsair’s Vengeance as our pick for the best DDR5 RAM, the reality is that G.SKILL’s Ripsaws S5 is just as good. It has nearly identical specifications, with a rated clock speed of 6400Mhz, CL32 latency, and 32-39-39-102 timing.

It’s also a 32GB (2x16GB) kit and it costs ~$110, which is slightly cheaper than the Vengeance kit listed above.

The only real difference between the two sticks of RAM is the heatsinks. Where Corsair’s Vengeance comes with a slightly bigger and flashier design, G.SKILL’s Ripsaws S5 come with a smaller and simpler design. And, while memory heatsinks are put on to help keep temperatures lower, the reality is they don’t make a significant difference in the majority of cases—and, that’s especially true when comparing one brand’s heatsink to another’s.

So, if it were up to us, we’d choose whichever kit was less expensive at the time of purchase. However, from an aesthetics standpoint, the red lettering on the Ripsaws S5 might give it slightly less appeal than Corsair’s more neutral color design. But, looks won’t matter to most builders and, in if that’s the case for you, we suggest buying the cheaper kit—which, at the moment, is this G.SKILL kit.

6. Corsair Vengeance LPX

Solid low-profile DDR4 memory

Best DDR4 LP - Corsair Vengeance LPX

CAPACITY 32GB (2x16GB)
SPEED 3600MHz
TIMING 16-19-19-36
VOLTAGE 1.35V
PRICE Amazon | Newegg

Yet another memory category and yet another recommendation for a Corsair Vengeance kit. When you think of low-profile memory options available over the past decade, perhaps none are so easy recognizable as Corsair’s LPX series.

In reality, Corsair’s LPX lineup isn’t even the shortest memory option on the market. However, they are the most widely available and they generally offer good performance for the price they come in at.

This 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4 LPX kit is no different.  This kit is tested at 3600MHz and has a latency of CL16 and a timing rating of 16-19-19-36. It’s not the fastest memory option out there, but at just under ~$90 it offers good speed and a lot of memory capacity for a pretty reasonable price.

Ultimately, if you’re looking for a good low-profile DDR4 memory kit you should consider Corsair’s Vengeance LPX lineup.

 

7. TEAMGROUP T-Create Classic

Affordable DDR5 RAM

Best Budget DDR5 - TEAMGROUP T-Create

CAPACITY 32GB (2x16GB)
SPEED 5600MHz
TIMING 46-46-46-90
VOLTAGE 1.10V
PRICE Amazon | Newegg

If what you’re looking for is a cheap DDR5 kit that will give you plenty of memory capacity, then TEAMGROUP’s T-Create Classic is probably the best option for you.

This TEAMGROUP kit offers 32GB (2x16GB) of DDR5 memory for just a little over ~$75. That’s pretty incredible consider that that would have been the cost of 16GB of DDR4 memory just a few years ago.

The low price does come with lower performance, though. This T-Create Classic kit is tested at 5600MHz, has a latency of CL46, and comes with a timing rating of 46-46-46-90. That means it’s one of the slower DDR5 kits on the market.

But, in the grand scheme of things, not everyone needs the fastest memory configuration possible. And, for gaming specifically, having slightly slower RAM that has a lower latency won’t drastically impact your in-game experience in the majority of scenarios.

There are some situations where slower RAM can lead to a noticeable decrease in performance, but it really depends on the games you are playing and the CPU in your system. As a general rule of thumb, Intel’s newer CPUs and AMD’s 3D V-Cache don’t benefit very much from having faster memory, whereas AMD’s non-3D V-Cache processors do get a performance bump.

In any case, this TEAMGROUP T-Create Classic will suit the needs of the majority of users without costing an arm and a leg.

8. TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z

Best budget DDR4 memory option

Best Budget DDR4 - TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z

CAPACITY 16GB (2x8GB)
SPEED 3600MHz
TIMING 18-22-22-42
VOLTAGE 1.35V
PRICE AmazonNewegg

While next-generation CPUs are switching to DDR5 memory technology, DDR4 RAM is still a viable option for budget-oriented builders who want to save money. And, of course, if you’re upgrading an older system, it’s probably your only option.

Of the DDR4 kits out there, TEAMFORCE’s T-Force Vulcan Z lineup has a number affordable kit options. We like this 16GB (2x8GB) kit, as it has a slightly faster clock rate than most budget DDR4 kits out there. It doesn’t have the greatest latency (CL18) or timings (18-22-22-42), but for just under ~$36, it is incredibly affordable.

Another option is the Vulcan Z 3200MHz kit, which has a CL16 latency and 16-18-18-38 timings. That kit is even cheaper, coming in at just under ~$31.

In the end, if what you’re looking for is an affordable DDR4 kit of memory that will offer decent performance, you can’t do much better than TEAMFORCE’s T-Force Vulcan Z series of RAM.

Need Help Choosing Memory?

If you’re looking to upgrade the RAM in your current system, or you’re having trouble choosing memory for a new build, ask for help in the comment section below.

Brent Hale TechGuided.com

Hey, I’m Brent. I’ve been building PCs and writing about building PCs for a long time. Through TechGuided.com, I've helped thousands of people learn how to build their own computers. I’m an avid gamer and tech enthusiast, too. On YouTube, I build PCs, review laptops, components, and peripherals, and hold giveaways.