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What Type of RAM is Compatible with Intel Core i7-7700k / 8700k?

While the Motherboard and Processor are pretty important components of the computer in and off themselves. It’s also important to consider the Random Access Memory chips that can be used in the motherboards themselves. Most of which have the compatibility with DDR4 sticks. While there are Motherboards that support DDR3 sticks, they are quite rare as well.

Same Topic Reads: Motherboard Compatibility for Both i7-7700k and 8700k 

What RAM does for your computer is to not allow it to slow down. As computers become more and more demanding of resources, the chances for it to slow down increase. This holds true especially if the user is running highly demanding Operative Systems like Windows 10 or MacOS High Sierra.

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DDR4 RAM pn a Motherboard

A DDR4 Gaming RAM Stick can go a long way in terms of helping your PC build stand out. However, some people still find some trouble picking the right thing for the sticks and don’t know what needs to be considered in order to buy the right stick.

There is another perk with the fact that DDR4 memory sticks don’t have to use as much voltage power as DDR3 memory sticks. As such, a good DDR4 memory stick will help laptops and other portable devices to last a lot longer in the field while having a Memory advantage. Check Best Motherboards For 7700k Here.

What Kind of Games Benefit from RAM?

A lot of games in the Steam Marketplace aren’t that demanding in terms of the amount of RAM they require in order to run. It is generally thought that 4GB of RAM is the minimum requirement for most games in the current market like Rocket League, Garry’s Mod, No Man’s Sky, Burnout: Paradise and GameDev Tycoon.

However, it has become a rule of thumb that 8GB of RAM is needed to run most games without any worrying about slow down or something of the sort. In fact, a lot of games like Dragon Ball FighterZ, Mirror’s Edge, Hitman: Absolution, Batman: Arkham City and Overwatch require 8GB of RAM to run properly without issues.

Players who want to go for overkill or want to play games seamlessly while also doing things such as streaming or live chatting would find themselves better going for 16GB or 32GB of RAM. Although going above 16 is absolutely unnecessary and if you experience any sort of slow down then it is the fault of the Video Card, not the amount of RAM needed.

Providers such as Black Diamond, Corsair, Crucial, Kingston and Samsung will provide with incredible Memory Advantages for the users themselves. Intel Core i7 Processors benefit from having the highest ranked memory chips and as such, DDR4 Memory is important to have.

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DDR3 RAM on a Motherboard

What Happens when I want to go with Cheaper DDR3 Memory Sticks?

On the case that users want to go for less-powerful more budget-friendly builds. They can seek out the rarer (but cheaper) Motherboards that have an LGA 1151 Socket, working with 8700k Motherboards – support and also provide with DDR3 Chip Slots. These Motherboards can also offer a similar (although a bit slower) experience to the DDR4 RAM memory cards.

It’s usually recommended to keep the amount of memory used on the computer to 16GB to ensure that the computer doesn’t get any sort of slow down whatsoever when it comes to DDR3 chips. All the while the Overkill standard is 32GB.

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This augment on the standard comes from the lower transfer rates DDR3 memories have to offer compared to the DDR4 counterparts. Not to mention an increase on the voltage needed to run them, making them costlier in terms of the electricity bill. As such it’s important to make note about what benefits the user is seeking for.

To summarize, Intel Core i7 chips are compatible with both DDR3 and DDR4 chips. However, the Motherboard itself will always prefer one over the other. It’s important to read the product’s specifications to learn what type of memory is supported by the motherboard you’ll buy so you don’t end up buying a chip that doesn’t work for the computer itself.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bill Wilson


Bill is a certified Microsoft Professional providing assistance to over 500 remotely connected employees and managing Windows 2008 to 2016 servers.