4GB HyperX or 8GB Team Elite?

[yonyz]

Hello,

I am looking to upgrade my memory configuration. I currently have 2GB DDR 2 667Mhz (Kingston) which I'd like to replace with DDR3 memory. My mobo is of the combo type, so I don't need a new one.

The following 2 cost almost the same ($3 difference), so I wonder which would be the better choice, considering it's for gaming (the only game that requires the upgrade is BF3):

4GB Kingston HyperX DDR3 1600Mhz CL9 (this)

8GB (2x4GB) Team Elite DDR3 1333Mhz (this)

The frequencies differ, though my Q6600 runs at 1066 so anything above that would just downclock to that speed.

Thanks in advance.

 

[alrobichaud]

BF3 recommends 4GB(or more) of RAM. I had no idea what (or more) meant until I started playing. I am hitting 5.4GB of RAM usage while playing BF3 on win 7 with a couple of minor hardware monitoring programs running in the background.

 

[blazorthon]

I would assume you can increase the clock of the RAM manually, but if you can't or don't want to then the frequencies of the kits don't really matter for you. Even if you could run at higher speeds more capcity is virtually always better than slightly (or even greatly) higher speeds because RAM performance tends to have little to no effect on real-life performance. Compression takes advantage of it but that is all I can remember off the top of my head that does. I can say that gaming takes no direct benefit from higher performance RAM. Ignoring that fact, I don't recognize Team Elite and would be weary of any RAM brand that doesn't seem familiar.

 

[yonyz]

What about generic OEM RAM? Should I stay away from those?

 

[blazorthon]

If possible, yes stay away from any generic RAM. If it's in a prebuilt machine that is sold then it will work for that machine (or you use the warranty) but there is no way of knowing if it will work in another computer or if it will hurt performance should it work. I've heard horror stories of generic RAM killing motherboards so be weary of it.

 

[yonyz]

Very well then. Thanks for the help.

 

[blazorthon]

Any time.

 

[yonyz]

Best answer selected by yonyz.