Best 8GB RAM Sticks in 2020 [Fast, affordable memory]

Today, we’ll be choosing the best 8GB RAM sticks you can buy.

If you want to speed up and improve your computer’s performance, you must upgrade your RAM.

RAM upgrades could range between 4GB and 32GB. However, we know you landed here because you’re looking for the best 8GB RAM stick for your motherboard.

We’ve done the hard work for you and found the best 8GB RAM sticks for you. Importantly, we’ve chosen DDR4 sticks for you because they’re in vogue, faster and more efficient than others.

Go through this piece and make an informed choice.

Best 8GB RAM Sticks in 2020

Name	Size	Dimension	Price
V-Color Prism RGB	8GB (1 x 8GB)	0.2 x 1.5 x 5.3 inches	Check Prices
Ballistix Sport Gray	8GB (2x4GB)	1.3 x 0.2 x 5.2 inches	Check Prices
Patriot Viper Elite	8GB (1 x 8GB)	0.11 x 5.24 x 1.22 inches	Check Prices
G.Skill Trident Z  RGB Series	8GB (1 x 8GB)	1.7 x 0.3 x 5.3 inches	Check Prices
HyperX Fury	8GB (2x4GB)	0.1 x 1.2 x 5.2 inches	Check Prices
Ripjaws V series	8GB (2x4GB)	0.2 x 0.6 x 5.4 inches	Check Prices
Corsair Vengeance SODIMM	8GB (1 x 8GB)	1.2 x 0.2 x 2.7 inches	Check Prices
Corsair ValueSelect	8GB (1 x 8GB)	0.5 x 3 x 6.1 inches	Check Prices

Let’s get into the details

V-Color Prism RGB RAM

The V-Color Prism RGB 8GB RAM is a sleek looking memory stick that would scarcely be passed up by PC enthusiasts. Firstly due to the fact it features RGB lighting and the performance.

The thing with V-Color is their products aren’t as popular as that of most big brands out there. But they sure do deliver some good products.

The V-Color Prism RGB is one of the best-designed RAM sticks you’ll find. You can choose to go with either the red accent or the brilliant silver color when buying.

The package you get is one stick of 8GB RAM with brilliant RGB lighting. This DDR4 memory runs at 3600MHz which is enough to get your computer running like a gazelle. This RAM stick is compatible with Intel and AMD computers.

It lights up your board as soon as you kick it in. you’ll scarcely experience any performance challenges unless you’re a high-end gamer.

Pros:

• Impressive design
• Lightweight
• RGB lights
• Good performance
• Easy to install

Cons:

• Pricey

Ballistix Sport LT Gray

The Crucial Ballistix Sport LT is another beautiful RAM stick you’ll find in the market. You must know, this isn’t a single 8GB RAM stick – it’s rather an 8GB RAM kit of two 4GB sticks.

If you’re using an Intel PC, you will need to enable XMP in your system’s UEFI/BIOS to get your RAM running at the optimum speeds. The maximum speed of this DDR4 memory is 2400MT/s.

With this 8GM RAM you can play most games at a low or medium setting and your PC won’t lag or freeze during gameplay.

Pros:

• Easy to install
• Budget price
• Intel and AMD compatible

Cons:

• Not the best for overclocking
• Limited lifetime warranty of 10 years

Patriot Viper Elite Series

Patriot is a brand that’s been around for quite some time. In 2007, Viper Gaming, a Patriot subsidiary began producing, among other tech gadgets: keyboards, mice and headsets. They even specialized in producing some high-quality memory modules. We’ll look at the Patriot Viper Gaming DDR4 memory – the Viper Elite.

What we have here is the 8GB RAM kit. This is a single 8GB RAM kit. What’s evident in the package is that this is a Patriot Gamer Certified memory module. The RAM sticks come in a gray color, and there’s sliver-colored heat shield on it.

The base frequency of his module stands at 2400MHz. This is a Non-ECC, Unbuffered DIMM with a 288-pin layout. This kit is compatible with Intel XMP 2.0.

The Viper Elite is generally a good looking memory module, although it’s less flamboyant because it doesn’t sport any RGB lighting.

Pros:

• Good overall performance
• Interesting design
• Comes at a good price
• Allows for overclocking

Cons:

• Limited lifetime warranty

G.Skill Trident Z RGB Series

This is a stunning memory module from G.Skill. And this one has RGB lighting.

You may not have heard of G.Skill before… They’re a Taiwanese tech company that specializes in producing a variety of PC components. However, their success at producing RAM modules is what stands them out.

The Trident Z RGB Series comes in a variety of 8GB and 16GB sticks. The 8GB stick features DDR4 technology and boasts a memory speed of 2400MHz. It uses 288 pins and has a timing of 16-18-18-38.

It’s all about what you want. This module is only compatible with Intel systems. With regards to its performance, this unit can handle overclocking.

The heatsink of this module is quite flashy too; largely due to that RGB LEDs.

Pros:

• Superb performance with Intel processors
• Lovely design [with RGB]

Cons:

• Expensive

HyperX Fury

Kingston Technology has developed another efficient DDR4 memory – we have the HyperX Fury 8GB RAM kit.

Kingston Technology has become a popular brand for making Solid State Drives and computer memory. The HyperX Fury is a plug-n-play DDR4 8GB memory which has 16GB capacity and boasts speeds of up to 2933MHz.

With its superb memory speeds, the HyperX Fury is a perfect option for overclocking to give you faster speeds and better capacity.

Kindly be informed this kit isn’t a single 8GB nodule but comes as two 4GB sticks.

This module is compatible with Intel and AMD motherboards. It uses 240 pins, has a Cas latency of 10 and a 10-10-10-30 timing.

Pros:

• Easy to install
• Affordable
• Impressive memory speeds
• Compatibility with Intel boards
• Easy to overclock
• Lifetime warranty

Cons:

• Design could be better

Ripjaws V Series

We’ve introduced you to the G.Skills and how reputable a brand they are. The Ripjaws V Series is another nice memory module from G.Skills.

Coming from one of the first brands to produce memory sticks, we didn’t expect anything but high quality from the Ripjaws 4 DDR4 8G. That was exactly what we got.

The Ripjaws V Series is a high-performance RAM stick. It uses a 288-pin and has a Cas latency of 15. The timing is 15-15-15-35.

This RAM kit comes as two 4GB sticks to give you an 8GB RAM set. This module is compatible with Intel X99 Platforms. It’s also compatible with any board that supports DDR4. It even features a Heat Spreader.

The bright red accent and sleek shape of the Ripjaws 4 DDR4 8G give it a flamboyant look. Unlike the G.Skills TridentZ, it doesn’t feature RGB lighting. But it still looks flashy.

Pros:

• Impressive design
• Fair price
• Easy to install

Cons:

• Not ideal for overclocking

Corsair Vengeance SODIMM

Corsair is among the first brands to begin producing memory sticks – alongside companies like Kingston and G.Skills. The Corsair Vengeance SODIMM 8GB is among the best RAM kits in the market today.

This Corsair kit comes as a single 8GB kit – the stick is a 288-pin DDR4 memory. As the name implies this module uses the SODIMM form factor and clocks impressive memory speeds of 2666MHz.

In terms of latency and timings, it is configured at 16-16-16-39. This RAM was built to be compatible with Intel processors – particularly 6^th and 7^th Gen processors.

Unlike some other RAM sticks out there, you don’t need any special BIOS configuration to use this RAM.

The only drawback is, Corsair doesn’t offer a lifetime warranty with this RAM, which is something they offer with most of their products.

Pros:

• Plug-and-play
• Good performance and memory speeds
• Good price

Cons:

• Limited lifetime warranty

Corsair ValueSelect

We’ll finish our reviews with another product from Corsair Microsystem Inc. The Corsair ValueSelect will give you good value for money.

This 8GB RAM stick has what it takes to improve your computing performance. The Corsair ValueSelect is a single 8GB memory module. The design of this module is ordinary – it doesn’t feature RGB or anything flamboyant. But it still does its job effectively.

The latency timing of this RAM is 15-15-15-36. It boasts memory speeds of 2133MHz and uses a supply voltage 1.2V. Also, this RAM uses a DIMM 288-pin form factor.

Pros:

• Impressive features
• Good value for money
• Great design and build

Cons:

• Limited lifetime warranty
• Not the best for a gaming PC

Buyer’s Guide for Best 8GB RAM Sticks

Random Access Memory (RAM) is the volatile memory that allows you to perform a hi-end computing task. It helps you to multitask with ease and your computer won’t lag.

That’s why buying a RAM stick to improve your system performance is always a sensible step to take in order to boost your system’s performance. If you’re building a PC, the RAM you choose is just as important as the graphics card or processor you decide to buy.

Having laid down the marker on the importance of upgrading your RAM, there are a few things you must know before going shopping for a RAM stick.

How much RAM do I need?

People are often confused about how much RAM they need for their PC. Going overboard on your budget doesn’t automatically guarantee you’ll have a better experience. Other factors connected to CPU and GPU also come to play.

The RAM upgrade needed for a gaming PC isn’t the same as what you need for an office or home computer.

If you’re a gamer, it’s advised you check the minimum RAM specified for the games you want to play and upgrade your RAM accordingly. Most games will accept a minimum RAM spec of 8GB. However, some high-end games require a minimum of 12-16GB of RAM to run smoothly.

For a gamer, the thing with having enough RAM is you can really multitask without having to terminate background processes or programs to have your game run smoothly.

How to Buy A RAM

Overall, 4-8GB RAMs are usually the most affordable you can lay your hands on. With the mention of the word affordable, it tells you the first thing you should check is your budget. Like we said earlier, there’s really no point spending so much on a RAM stick when RAM doesn’t absolutely determine system performance.

It’s always better you go for the minimum RAM required for whatever purpose you want. That way you can save a few bucks for costlier components.

Another thing you must seriously consider is the compatibility of the RAM you’re buying to your motherboard. We discuss this in detail in the next subheading.

What type of RAM should I buy?

Beyond the size of the RAM to buy for gaming and other stuff. You must know there are three different types of RAM modules – they’re classified in different DDR (Double Data Rate) types. There are DDR2, DDR3 and DDR4 RAMs.

You must check the compatibility of the RAM you’re buying before making your order. DDR3 RAM is not compatible with DDR2 RAM.

Most new systems use DDR4 because it’s faster and more efficient and we’ll recommend you check if your board is DDR4 compatible. But if your board still uses the old DDR3 you must buy a DDR3 RAM. Because DDR3 and DDR4 are not backwards compatible.

Conclusion

As you read this, someone somewhere is sweating over the poor performance of their PC. Could that be you?

We must, however, clarify that poor PC performance cannot solely be attributed to low RAM speed. But it certainly can be a bane. So you must check that your problem isn’t slow and inadequate RAM.

The bottom line is, you need to upgrade your RAM if you’re struggling to get your PC up to speed and play all the games you love.

That’s about it for the best 8GB RAM sticks to buy this year. Which are you going for? And what are your experiences with RAM modules? We’ll like to know in the comments section.