Understanding the difference between DDR3 and DDR4 Rams

[TinyTool]

Recently I am looking to buy a new desktop/tower PC. The person I am buying from have forwarded me a list of motherboard and other pc stuff that I will need on my computer. I do understand the basics but I am a little confused between DDR3 and DDR4. Does the different DDRs have huge difference in performance? Is it better to buy DDR3 16 GB or DDR4 8 GB ram?

Also does different motherboards support different types of DDR Rams? If I buy DDR4 ram, will I have to buyer a newer motherboard?

Any help in this regard would be very helpful. Please note that I require this PC for mostly work purposes. Multitasking, spreadsheets, browsing, etc..

Thank you!

[machinist]

Hi TT! Let me explain this in a simple way.

DDR4 vs DDR3 key differences:

1. Speed: DDR4 is significantly faster than DDR3
   • DDR3 typically runs at 1333-2133 MHz
   • DDR4 typically runs at 2133-4800 MHz
2. Power efficiency:
   • DDR3 runs at 1.5V
   • DDR4 runs at 1.2V (more energy efficient)

Regarding your specific questions:

1. Motherboard compatibility:

• Yes, motherboards only support specific RAM types
• You cannot mix DDR3 and DDR4
• If you buy DDR4 RAM, you MUST have a DDR4-compatible motherboard

1. DDR4 8GB vs DDR3 16GB: For your use case (multitasking, spreadsheets, browsing), I would recommend going with DDR4 8GB for these reasons:

• Better future-proofing
• Faster performance
• You can always add more RAM later
• Modern applications are optimized for DDR4

My recommendation:

• Go with DDR4 RAM and a compatible motherboard
• Start with 8GB if budget is tight
• Consider getting 2x4GB sticks for dual-channel performance
• Make sure your chosen motherboard has additional RAM slots for future upgrades

[TinyTool]

Thank you. When you say dual-channel performance, how exactly does that work with the 2x4GB setup? Will it make a noticeable difference in my everyday tasks?

[machinist]

Think of RAM access like reading data from storage. With a single stick of RAM (single-channel), your computer has one "lane" to read/write data. When you use two sticks (dual-channel), like 2x4GB, your computer can read/write data using two "lanes" simultaneously.

For your everyday tasks, you would notice the difference mostly when:
- Opening multiple browser tabs
- Working with large spreadsheets
- Switching between different programs
- Loading documents or applications

The performance boost is usually around 15-20% compared to single-channel setup. It's not huge, but it's noticeable enough to make your computer feel more responsive during multitasking.

However, there are two important things to keep in mind:
1. The RAM sticks should be identical (same speed, brand, and size) for best performance
2. Your motherboard needs to support dual-channel (most modern ones do)

What's nice about starting with 2x4GB is that you can always add another pair later if you need more memory, while still keeping the dual-channel benefits.

Hope this helps!