I've been out for so long... I need help

[Dolk]

So I want to get 8gbs of RAM. Been running 4 for so long, I need the boost. The ones I have now are the OCZ AMD Black Editon, yeah those cruddy things. Horrible buy. Anyway, I am wondering what would be better. Get a pair of really good OC 4gig pair and just run easy while on main rig, or get a pretty good pair of 8gigs and get rid of the OCZ pair?

I do tend to get back into LN2 clocking, so these sticks would have to work with both AMD and Intel.

 

[Automata]

What hardware do you have? If you have DDR3 equipment, you might as well make the jump to 16g, depending on what you are doing. I don't think the price is that much different.

If you aren't benching, just get a set that has a good warranty, is from a company you trust, and is the cheapest. You aren't going to notice a difference in RAM speed outside of synthetic tests.

 

[Dolk]

I would be planning on benching in the future. 16 would also be to much for me. Main rig is just a gaming computer.

 

[Automata]

Sorry, I misread the last comment in your first post. My answer is incorrect. I don't know enough about benching RAM to give an answer.

 

[Woomack]

For benching on Intel get 2133+ PSC based 2x2GB or BBSE but will need better cooling ( mainly G.Skill RipjawsX or Dominators GT , info in my threads in benching section ).
For benching on AMD good is also Crucial Ballistix 2x4GB as they can run @1600 CL7-7-7, @1866 7-7-7 or 8-8-8 , @2000 8-8-8 or 9-9-9 ... depends what voltage but are scalling up to 2V+ ( info in my sig or threads in benching section ). Just don't expect much higher than 2133 9-9-9.

8GB won't help you in almost anything unless you need sticks also for daily use and then look for RipjawsZ 2400 CL9/ Hynix IC ( black heatspreader ). I would buy one kit myself but I can't find 2x4GB.
Best will be to get 2nd hand PSC kit for like 30-50$ and something 2x4GB for 24/7 up to $100 ( TridentX or anything else ).
I could probably also risk and get 2133 CL9 Mushkin Redline ( I'm almost sure that Hynix but I wouldn't bet ).
G.Skills 2400 can be a bit tricky as most new series are moving to Samsung IC and even RipjawsZ are now in 10-12-12-31 timings so at least SPD won't say much what is inside.

 

[hokiealumnus]

Yep, +1 to Woomack, he knows what he's talking about.

As he said, pretty much the best benching sticks you can get will be used. If you can't find anything used, then you can move on to new stuff.

Here is a 2x4G 2400 RipjawsZ kit. I don't know if their ICs are the same as the TridentX 2x4G 2400 kit or not. TridentX is $12 more expensive though. The DDR3-2666 TridentX kit is back in stock, but that's $100 more than the 2400 kit and it's up to you whether that's worth it to you. As a bencher or if you just want the 'best' you can get, then it probably is....but for any normal person, it's really not worth the difference.

 

[zeropluszero]

look into the Trident X 2600 C10 kit, or the Team Extreme 2600C10 / 2400C9 kits. double sided samsung ics and great performance.
the 2400C10 trident X and ripjaw kits are often single sided samsung, and are not good overclocking ram.

 

[Woomack]

look into the Trident X 2600 C10 kit, or the Team Extreme 2600C10 / 2400C9 kits. double sided samsung ics and great performance.
the 2400C10 trident X and ripjaw kits are often single sided samsung, and are not good overclocking ram.

Most Samsungs are overclocking the same and are rarely passing 2600 no matter if it's single or double side. Only better selected chips are in 2600+ kits but not so many thats why price for them is so high.
About performance ... if you won't tweak manually sub timings then all new 2400+ kits are "slow" and in my tests any PSC, BBSE or other older IC @2400 is beating any new 2600+.
Difference is mainly that older sticks are generally 2GB and new are 4/8GB but who cares about it for benching ...

I can agree in one thing. Team Xtreem have best Samsung selection and are overclocking better than TridentX from what I saw.
Now I'm waiting for Geil Veloce and I'm curious what is inside and how it's clocking.