There are a number of factors to consider before deciding which type of RAM is right for you. Below are the three main aspects of RAM to consider in order of importance:
Amount of RAM - Usually the more RAM used the better, we would recommend 2GB for a basic system and 4GB for a high-end multimedia gaming system. Any more than 4GB would not make much of a difference at the moment, but will make sure your system is more future-proof and can handle next-generation software.
Clock speed - The higher the clock speed of the RAM the faster the system will run. Ideally you want the RAM speed to be on par with the FSB (front side bus) of the CPU. Current Intel CPUs have an FSB of 1333Mhz, therefore it would make a big difference if 1066Mhz RAM is running in the system over 800Mhz modules.
3. Latency - This refers to the delays incurred when a computer tries to access data in the RAM module. Because a modern CPU is much faster than RAM, the CPU has to wait for a relatively long time for a memory access to complete before it can process the data. Hence the lower the latency figures the faster the system will run.
DDR2 RAM
Is currently the most popular type of RAM, it offers low latency, low value and is compatible with most motherboards.
DDR3 RAM
Is a new-generation type of RAM that offers higher clock speeds, but is currently more expensive and is not supported by most motherboards at the moment.
