Computer Memory

Selecting Memory

The memory you select will be dependant upon the motherboard you choose. Most current motherboards will use DDR, DDR2, or DDR3 SDRAM modules. The motherboard you select will also determine the maximum speed of the memory that you can use. These types of modules are not interchangeable, so it's important to buy the right type.

Since most memory is so cheap now, I recommend using the fastest, highest capacity memory that you can afford.

Notes for Microsoft Windows users. Keep in mind that some motherboards can support 8GB (or more) of memory, but unless you use a 64 bit version of Windows, you won't be able to use more than 4GB of memory when you build your computer. Because of the way that Windows uses memory, if you install 3GB of memory, Windows will only show that it has about 2.5GB of memory, and if you use 4GB of memory, it will only show that it has about 3GB of memory. Don't worry about that, it's just a Windows' thing.