Upgrading Ram

[cropduster 0]

I have a gigabyte Z97X-SLI with an I7 4790K chip.  Currently have 8GB of ram, want to upgrade ram for possible P3D 64 bit and XPlane 11.  Anyone with suggestions and speed?  Should I go with 16 or 32 and then what speed.  Thanks and I am a total rookie with computeres as well.

[TurboKen 221]

What speed ram do you have currently?

[cropduster 0]

2133

[Charlatan 68]

Wouldn't bother as you'll be buying DDR4 next time you upgrade anyway

[TurboKen 221]

Then I wouldn't bother upgrading if you already have 2133 ram. Its fast enough. If you had 1600 ram then I would. If you plan on keeping your system for several more years and want to go with 16gigs of ram then sure get some faster ram while you are at it. But if you are upgrading within a year, save your money for the full upgrade.

[richie894 45]

I recommend 32gb. With XP11 and ortho scenery I am constantly around 15gb in heavily populated areas.

[cropduster 0]

Well I don't see a need to upgrade.  I have an I7 4790K, just upgraded to a GTX 1070.  So if I am upgrading the ram for the 64bit systems I want to be prepared.  

 

Should I go with 16 or 32, price is not that much difference.   Seems for 32 its around $200, 16gb would be about $50 less so might be worth the 32.  Is 2133 good speed?  Or should I go higher?

[TurboKen 221]

Well I don't see a need to upgrade.  I have an I7 4790K, just upgraded to a GTX 1070.  So if I am upgrading the ram for the 64bit systems I want to be prepared.  

 

Should I go with 16 or 32, price is not that much difference.   Seems for 32 its around $200, 16gb would be about $50 less so might be worth the 32.  Is 2133 good speed?  Or should I go higher?

If its not much more to go 2400 then do that, but beyond that it doesn't scale very well.

[Bob Scott 7,720]

Any discussion of RAM speed that only addresses the clock freq is missing half the equation.  In addition to the clock freq, you also have to consider CAS latency, as the two together are needed to tell the story of how fast your RAM really is.  As an example, 2400 MHz CAS 11 RAM is actually *slower* than 2133MHz CAS 9 RAM.

 

Personally, I'd wait until the actual requirement materializes (or doesn't) before upgrading a system using older memory technology.  You might be ready to upgrade the entire system before a real need for more RAM actually presents itself.

 

Regards