It’s finally here, the 10th generation of Intel processors.
These blazing fast new processors come in the general formats you expect from Intel, i3, i5, i7, and i9. If you love to game and are building a new battle station, the i7 10700K is the processor you need. Intel has killed it with the 10-series and if you are brave enough to spend the cash on a new i7 you will find your CPU to be screaming fast.
But like all top-tier hardware, the new i7 needs some good parts to accompany it. We have already written dedicated posts for 10700K suitable coolers and motherboards. So we thought it’s a good time to publish one about the RAM sticks as well.
A CPU is one of the most important parts of the trifecta of a basic computer set-up. The other being the motherboard and RAM. While Motherboards won’t directly affect the speed and FPS of your gameplay, RAM has a MASSIVE effect on performance.
Best RAM For Intel i7 10700K Buying Guide
Corsair CMW16GX4M2C3200C14 Vengeance RGB PRO 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 3200 (PC4-25600) C14 Desktop Memory – Black PC Memory
G.Skill 16GB DDR4 Trident Z 3600Mhz PC4-28800 CL17 (17-18-18-38) 1.35V Dual Channel Kit (2x8GB)
HyperX Predator DDR4 RGB 16GB 2933MHz CL15 DIMM(Kit of 2) XMP RAM Memory with Infrared Sync Technology Memory – Black (HX429C15PB3AK2/16)
(Best RAM For Intel i7-10700K)
(Best non-RGB RAM For Intel i7-10700K)
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Corsair CMW16GX4M2C3200C14 Vengeance RGB PRO 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 3200 (PC4-25600) C14 Desktop Memory – Black PC Memory
(Best RAM For Intel i7-10700K)
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G.Skill 16GB DDR4 Trident Z 3600Mhz PC4-28800 CL17 (17-18-18-38) 1.35V Dual Channel Kit (2x8GB)
(Best non-RGB RAM For Intel i7-10700K)
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HyperX Predator DDR4 RGB 16GB 2933MHz CL15 DIMM(Kit of 2) XMP RAM Memory with Infrared Sync Technology Memory – Black (HX429C15PB3AK2/16)
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I would hate to see you invest all that cash into an i7 10700K only to be utilizing old DDR3 or so little RAM that content slogs. After all, your gaming machine is your hobby. I would hate to spend hour after hour on a machine that is bottlenecked by something as affordable and fixable as the RAM!
What does RAM do?
RAM stands for Random Access Memory and helps your computer pull up data quickly, then your CPU process this data like an Olympic athlete. If you don’t have enough RAM or are running a single Channel RAM setup, you’ll inevitably be creating a bottleneck.
The i7 10700K is so fast that you need to identify key bottlenecks such as Storage Drive Speed, GPU limitations, or RAM in order to actually get the most out of it. I once made the mistake of running a system with 16GB of RAM (One Stick) in single-channel mode. I might as well have just been using 8GB because single-channel peaks out on speed.
When I switched to 2x8GB, I saw stability improvements and some games bumped up by 20FPS! 16GB in Single-Channel is like driving a Porsche in a traffic jam. The car is super fast but the road is clogged. Opening up those channels allows information to flow so much faster. RAM matters. It’s such an easy fix to push your system as much as 15-17% faster.
This hardware roundup will introduce you to my top picks for RAM right now for use with your frame-crushing i7 10700K!
Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro
Best RAM For Intel i7-10700K
Corsair is known for amazing long-term storage SSD, headphones, and of all things RAM. While RAM doesn’t vary much in quality, we do recommend you always stick with DDR4 and for gaming, at least 16GB. It’s just the sweet spot for today’s 4K AAA masterpieces that draw in insane amounts of information.
The Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro is a great companion for those who love to overclock. Corsair has carefully screened the IC for each RAM kit which means premium quality that won’t break easy. After all, overclocking is murder on most systems.
That being said, I would keep in mind how RAM generally does well above 2666Mhz, in Dual-Channel mode, with at least 16GB. Overclocking is fantastic but usually the bottleneck shifts from RAM to other parts.
That isn’t to say you shouldn’t though, with an i7 10700K, you’re in the rare camp that actually can push a system to the limit and use all that power. I love this RAM kit but it is bulkier than other kits. That means you need to be aware of how much room is in your desktop before running out to buy this. The heft is nice though.
It allows a bit more room for the RGB lighting to really push the envelope. Overall fantastic RAM.
Sale
Corsair CMW16GX4M2C3200C14 Vengeance RGB PRO 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 3200 (PC4-25600) C14 Desktop Memory – Black PC Memory
- High performance DDR4 memory illuminates your system with vivid, animated lighting from ten ultra-bright, individually addressable RGB LEDs per module.
- Take control with CORSAIR iCUE software and synchronize lighting across all your CORSAIR iCUE compatible products, including memory, fans, coolers, keyboards and more.
- Customize lighting profiles with millions of different patterns and colors, or create your own in CORSAIR iCUE software.
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G.Skill Trident Z
Best non-RGB RAM For Intel i7 10700K
I think one of the best manufacturers in recent years of RAM has been G.Skill with it’s affordable and innovative product lines. Usually known for flashy RGB oriented RAM, G.Skill gets to the point with the Trident Z line of DDR4 RAM.
This data smashing RAM has a unique modern look incorporating heatsinks with alternating color schemes. There is a jet black option and a bolt-gun metal option. That’s perfect in an office setting or building a rig that isn’t flashy for something like Media Production.
The Trident Z is high-performance RAM overclocked to 3600Mhz meaning you’ll need a very simple bios tweak to take advantage of all that speed. At these speeds your new i7 10700K is going to be taking center stage.
The heatsinks help too keeping this RAM kit running cool and comfortable. As we said earlier, the more important factor in a gaming rig is whether or not you have 16GB and are running Dual-Channel but some may love the extra Mhz that is on offer.
Consider picking up the 32GB kit if you are into media and content production as the recent move to 4K demands that. The Trident Z also has a good feel in your hands (All of my picks do, nothing is worse than cheap RAM!), but that heft and weight is important.
RAM is often moved around at some point in a computer build and being able to exchange it without fear of breaking the system is exceedingly useful.
The only bad thing I can say is that there is no RGB on this RAM kit, but sometimes that’s what you want. After all your high-performance performance machine doesn’t always have to advertise that with big flashy lights.
G.Skill 16GB DDR4 Trident Z 3600Mhz PC4-28800 CL17 (17-18-18-38) 1.35V Dual Channel Kit (2x8GB)
- Trident Z is the latest high-performance DDR4 range from G.Skill, designed for gaming and overclocking
- Optimized for the latest 6th Generation Intel Core Processors and Z170 chipsets
- Two matched 8GB modules, designed for use in dual channel setup, PC4-28800 standard
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HyperX Predator RGB
I was shocked by how amazing Hyper X was after purchasing some sweet 5.1 surround sound gaming headphones a couple of years back. The same time period I needed a RAM upgrade and gave them a shot and they’ve been my go-to RAM manufacturer ever since.
Hyper X does everything with excellence and RAM is no exception. While admittedly 2933MHz is a bizarre speed to run at (Rounding up to 3000MHz is the norm for a lot of RAM kits), the Hyper X Predator is an awesome product. With dynamic RGB that’s not too flashy but just perfect, and a slick black metal frame, the Hyper X Predator has that stunning feel and look of a well-made product.
They’re light RAM sticks but they are durable and that is always refreshing as I know the fear instilled by jamming any new piece of gear into a slot on the motherboard. As usual, RAM normally comes in a line so there are a variety of options. While you should never mix different manufacturers and speeds, there is quite a variety offered in the Predator line.
From 2400MHz to 4600MHZ, with RGB and without, Hyper X has cornered the market well. While this RAM kit comes in sizes from 8GB all the way to 128GB, absolutely make sure to get a RAM kit consisting of 2 different sticks (Such as 2x8GB) because it’ll unlock Dual-Channel mode. I know how much it sucks to buy RAM that can’t do Dual-Channel!
In fact, this specific line has enough options to run in Quad-Channel mode meaning content creators can get truly top of the line RAM configurations (Four channels up to 128GB!). Setups like that were unheard of all but a couple years ago.
If I had to choose between our top three picks based on RGB options, Hyper X would be the clear winner because the RGB lights are recessed into the RAM keeping a very thin profile. I prefer that look as I have a lot of parts with lighting.
HyperX Predator DDR4 RGB 16GB 2933MHz CL15 DIMM(Kit of 2) XMP RAM Memory with Infrared Sync Technology Memory – Black (HX429C15PB3AK2/16)
- Dynamic RGB effects – Give your system a boost of power and stunning RGB style
- HyperX Infrared Sync technology – Easily set up lighting or pattern effects on your memory modules without cables
- Aggressive aluminum heat spreader – Fierce black heat spreader designed to complement the smooth RGB lighting
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Conclusion
Remember that RAM is one of the most important parts of your computer build. It’s cheap as well and easy to install. 32GB might be overkill for those who don’t edit video but every system can use 16GB of RAM to play those massive open-world titles.
There’s no reason to let that beautiful i7 10700K get bottlenecked by something as changeable as RAM. I’ll say it again even if I have to yell it! You need to be running something other than a Single-Channel setup.
Make sure you stop everything and pick up new RAM if you are. And If you need to pick some up, grab some on our list! All these choices will leave you grinning when you see the framerates and get out there. I hope you enjoyed this hardware round-up, keep checking back for more content on all things PC Hardware.