RAM Buying Help Please - Unbranded vs. Branded

loginid on 28/08/2019 - 11:47

Heya computer experts here!

So I see a lot of posts for RAM bargains here and I think me 'ol trusty 8 year old PC needs some more ram.

Currently it's got 8GB and was running fine for years, but since upgrading to Windows 10 and upgrading some other apps I see that it uses 100% of memory often. So need more RAM.

My motherboard supports DDR3 1600
The CPU is Intel Core i7 3770
Windows 10 64bit
2 x SSDs

I use my PC every day for the whole day.
I don't do any really intensive stuff, no video, no editing, just word processing, outlook, Internet, business stuff only really.

My question is, does it really matter if I buy just generic brand RAM on ebay (for example I can buy these 2 x 8gb RAM for just $60 - https://tinyurl.com/y4l239bj).

Or I could buy this G Skill Ram (https://umart.com.au/G-Skill-8G-1x8G--F3-1600C11S-8GIS-Aegis…) for twice the price (if I wanted to get 2x) (I only chose this as an example because I see G Skill Ram on here a lot, not because I know anything about the quality of G Skill RAM btw!)

So I just wanted to know - should I spend twice the price or just go the generic?

Thanks in advance for your learned advice 🙏 😁

Computing

Comments

  • trinkasharma on 28/08/2019 - 11:57
    +3

    Generic with warranty is fine. Premium RAM is better when you want to do overclocking etc.

    I used Kingston Valueram in my last PC. It worked well but could not be overclocked.

  • dcep on 28/08/2019 - 11:58
    +3

    just word processing, outlook, Internet, business stuff only really.

    8gb is fine

    High ram usage on Win10 doesn't necessary mean insufficient capacity, it's just the way Win10 maximize the ram usage.

  • spackbace on 28/08/2019 - 12:21
    +1

    for example I can buy these 2 x 8gb RAM for just $60

    Well no you can't because:

    ONLY Work On AMD CPU Socket Chipset Motherboards.

    I'd stick to budget ram, but named brand. And new, not used

    https://www.mwave.com.au/product/gskill-16gb-2x-8gb-ddr3-160…

    $110 delivered for you

    • loginid on 28/08/2019 - 13:14

      Thanks for your answer spackbace and thanks for the link.

      What brands should I be looking for?

  • Bargain80 on 28/08/2019 - 12:52
    +2

    don't really trust something from ebay.
    whatever it is, make sure it has warranty and you run diagnostic test as soon as you get it.

  • futureminime on 28/08/2019 - 14:07
    +1

    Like any product - you buy a brand because you can search that brand name and see other peoples experiences with it. Bigger, older brands have survived - which normally means their product price vs quality matches the areas of the market they are targeting.

    The main questions are always:

    What will you do if it doesn't work? Be conscious of costs and hassle to return, and balance with the chance that this might happen
    How long do you need it to work for? If the PC is 8 years old I assume you don't plan to run it for another 8 years. As you probably have seen looking for ram everything is moving to DDR4 so you won't get any reuse when you do need to upgrade other parts. That said the 3770 is a solid chip for what you're doing, so you should still get a couple years out of it.

    I was running 8GB with my 3570K but picked up 16GB from a friend when he upgraded. At this stage I feel a little less need to manage internet tabs but if you're hitting 100% usage I'd check in task manager to see whats being used. In business environment it will be a tax write off and the cost vs quality of life is probably worth it if you work on it every day.

    TLDR: I'd grab a brand for the reduced failure risk for the $60 vs $120, but you make your own value call on it.

  • Richardc on 28/08/2019 - 19:30

    ITEM DESCRIPTION
    MEMORY Capacity — 8GB
    Memory Speed— 1600 MHz
    Memory Specification Compliance — PC3-12800
    Form Factor — DIMM 240-pin
    Technology — DDR3 SDRAM
    Data Integrity Check — Non-ECC
    RAM Features — Unbuffered, Non-Registered
    CAS Latency Timings — CL11
    Supply Voltage — 1.5 V
    Fit — AMD CPU Desktop Computers

    Note
    The picture is for reference only, please refer to the description of the specifications.

    Package Included

    2 pcs x 8GB DDR3-1600MHz 240pin DIMM AMD Desktop Memory RAM

    MUST READ COMPATIBILITY CAREFULLY BEFORE ORDERED

    1>.This is High Density Memory and ONLY Work On AMD CPU Socket Chipset Motherboards.
    2>.DO Not support on any Intel CPU Socket Chipset Motherboards.
    3>.Not compatible with Apple, IBM, DELL, HP, COMPAQ, Acer, Gateway, E-machine, Packard Bell, Lenovo Branded New Computers Even With AMD CPU.

  • knightslay2 on 28/08/2019 - 22:11
    +1

    I was in the OP's position, I upgraded my PC with a 2500K to 16GB since I mainly use my computer for web browsing, Microsoft Office and watching videos. I'd keep in mind that you may need to RMA the ram if they fail, I'd stick with a reputable brand for easy support. This is up to you, if decide to keep your computer in use for more years to come.

  • inherentchoice on 29/08/2019 - 08:58
    +1

    Branding rams might be frowned on by the animal activists.

  • the Unforgiven on 29/08/2019 - 12:13
    +1

    Use this to find the RAM to suit your mobo
    then check eBay for second hand RAM

    https://www.corsair.com/ww/en/memoryfinder

    you don't have to get RAM with the fastest frequency, get RAM with low latency (the C number at the end)
    read this:- https://i.imgur.com/dh6efVs.jpg

  • loginid on 29/08/2019 - 14:05

    Thanks everyone for the info.
    Lots of good advice to help me make the best choice!

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