Best DDR3 RAM in 2021
Five RAM Modules that Prove DDR3 Is Alive and Well
- Last Updated May 29, 2021
The age of DDR5 may be dawning, but most of us are happy enough with our DDR3 setups. Even so, just to ensure our builds are primed for the future of gaming, there’s no reason we can’t upgrade our RAM within the context of the DDR3 format.
The only problem you face is deciphering which DDR3 Ram sticks do actually offer higher system performance. You’d be forgiven for thinking they’re all alike because in many ways, they are. The only way you can really find your answers is to engage in hours of monotonous testing or reading through pages of other people’s test results.
Not to worry though, DDR3 fam! We’ve done all the tedious stuff for you and rounded up five of the best DDR3 designs in the business. Load up your motherboard with some of these bad boys and you’ll see an instant refinement in system efficiency.
Products at a Glance
Best DDR3 RAM in 2021
RAM like the Vengeance Pro is the very reason why DDR4 simply isn’t necessary for many of us. Coming in pairs of 8GB sticks, stock clock speeds reach as high as 1600Mhz, which is impressive in its own right for DDR3, but what really hits the spot about the Vengeance Pro is the potential for overclocking.
Fitted with brawny anodized aluminum heat spreaders, these things keep their cool under a full load, providing plenty of thermal headroom for some tactical voltage increases.
DDR3 is already known to have lower latency than DDR4, but another fantastic thing about the Pro is just how much lower it is. The CAS 9 rating increases system efficiency, amounting to faster load times and slightly boosted frame rates.
Now let’s consider the cosmetic side of things, shall we? Personally, we absolutely love the Vengeance aesthetics. They’re not overly ‘gamery’, yet these sticks appear quite tough. We’d go as far as saying they make a rather stylish addition to a build.
To put the icing on the DDR3 cake, Corsair is so confident in the quality of the Vengeance Pro that they offer a full lifetime warranty with purchase.
The Kingston HyperX Fury is something of an oxymoron. On the one hand, it’s capable of juiced, 1866Mhz clock speeds – an incredibly impressive DDR3 feat. And on the other hand, it has CAS 10 latency. That’s still way lower than DDR4 modules, but it’s not as swift as the Vengeance.
The question is, does the Fury’s boosted clock speed make up for the slight increase in latency? Well, we’re happy to report that, yes, it definitely does. This is one of the most efficient DDR3 RAM designs on the market.
What’s more, the Fury’s heat spreader game is on point! As it’s designed to auto-overclock to the limit set by the BIOS, it’s designed to eat up heat for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Available in an array of beautiful colors, these sticks can really breathe new life into a build. There’s something about their sleek asymmetry that really pleases the eye. Looking like the barrel of some sort of futuristic pistol, they’re sure to inspire the envy of all your friends.
Named for the Greek god of courage and war, you instantly know the G.Skill Ares means business. Running at 1600Mhz, with a CAS latency score of 9, it’s a fantastic budget option for optimizing a DDR3 build.
They arrive in a set of two, each with a 4GB capacity, which is perfectly fine for 99% of modern AAA titles, but for RAM-heavy games or intensive computational multitasking, they might slow you down a little.
The heat spreader is fairly well-designed, ensuring things don’t get too spicy under load, and the straight cut shaping is a refreshing touch, but we could take or leave the orange-gold finish. It’ll look great in a mostly black build, but if you already have a multitude of technicolor components and a wealth of RGBs, it might be a bit jarring.
Finishing on a positive note, measuring only 3.2cm tall, these are relatively low profile sticks and should fit in behind a beefy CPU cooler, no problem.
We’re back with a vengeance for our penultimate pick, the Corsair Vengeance LP. If our chunky Corsair champion was physically too much RAM for your build, you’ll want to pay close attention to this one.
With similar specs to the Pro, the LP arrives out the box ready to push your system to the limits without dominating the landscape of your build. Each measuring just over 2 ½ cm, they’ll tuck in neatly behind a large CPU cooler or simply afford you some wiggle room in an SFF case, making alterations way easier.
Running at 1600MHz, with a CAS latency score of 9, they’re about as swift as DDR3 gets. Furthermore, they have a nice neutral design, ensuring they fit in no matter how tame or wild your already established build themes are.
Of course, there is one downside to a low profile design, namely, the smaller heat spreader. With less surface area to work with, it has a harder time of dispersing thermal buildups. Besides that, it’s fast, compact, looks great…we really can’t fault it.
If you’re not particularly bothered about overclocking, and you simply want something you can plug in, then sit back and enjoy some honest-to-goodness gaming, the Patriot Signature is definitely the RAM for you.
Running a 1600Mhz, it brings snappy system performance at an incredibly budget price point. Seriously, if you haven’t had a peek at the price yet, check the link above, and try to stop your jaw from dropping.
Unfortunately, you don’t have to look too hard at the Signature to deduce where costs have been cut. Instantly, you’ll notice it doesn’t have a heat spreader or any protective casing at all for that matter, so it’s not particularly suitable for overclocking.
It also features CAS 11 latency, which is very high for a DDR3 module, but take another look at that price tag. Even with these diminished capacities, you won’t find a better bang for buck 8GB stick of Ram anywhere. It doesn’t exist.
Things To Consider
FAQs
Our Verdict
So, what did you think of our list, folks? There’s a little of something in there for everyone, no matter what sort of system you’re dreaming up.
If you’ve got the cash, we highly recommend choosing the Corsair Vengeance Pro. Even though DDR5 is rearing its beautiful head, the DDR3 Pro offers a certain degree of future proofing. It may be expensive, but it will stave off a pricey system overhaul the longest.
The Kingston Fury is relatively similar to the Pro, so if you prefer the way it looks, there’s no reason not to choose it instead, or alternatively, the Vengeance LP is a shoo-in for an SFF build.
The Ares is a decidedly mid-range option; however, it will support a gaming build without breaking a sweat, but if pure value for money is your priority, the Patriot Signature is undoubtedly the way forward.