Best RAM For Laptops in India (2021)

Increasing the amount of RAM can help you with an increase in speed in certain cases. So here's a curation of the best RAM for laptops available in the market so that you can increase the capacity of your RAM and in turn make your laptop faster.

RAM is essential for laptops to keep data for faster access by the CPU. CPU is a really fast device and storage devices such as hard disk, SSD and in truth even RAM cannot handle the speed at which the CPU requires data. So each level of data storage nearer to RAM is faster than the previous level. RAM is faster than the storage device (SSD or HDD) and L1 and L2 caches which are on the CPU are faster than RAM.

Should I upgrade my RAM?

This is an age-old question that requires serious consideration. If you have 8GB of RAM and don't do much gaming or video editing or hardcore stuff, you most probably won't need to upgrade your RAM. But even then, if you are opening 100 Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox tabs, you might need to upgrade the RAM.

If you are using Windows you can check the RAM usage while using your laptop using task manager. Press Ctrl-Shift-Esc key combination to bring up the task manager or you can Right-click on the Windows taskbar and select Task Manager.

In the Performance tab, you can see Memory. Click on Memory and you can see how much RAM is being used.

RAM usage in a Windows system
RAM usage in a Windows system

If the amount of memory available is 1GB or under, then you most probably need to upgrade your RAM.

Types of RAM

RAM is basically of two types DRAM (dynamic RAM) and SRAM (static RAM). SRAMs are faster than DRAMs but traditionally we use DRAMs on laptops.

SRAMs are expensive because they use MOSFETs (metal oxide semiconductors field-effect transistors). SRAMs are mostly used as a cache for processors. L1 and L2 caches are usually SRAMs.

SDRAM

RAMs are usually SDRAMs. They are sort of like DRAMs with additional technology.  SDRAM stands for synchronous dynamic RAM. The operation of its external pin interface is coordinated by an externally supplied clock signal.

SDRAMs are in multiple generations and the most commonly used and the current ones are DDR4 RAM. Most of the laptops of today are equipped with DDR4 RAMs and they are relatively cheap.

Factors affecting RAM performance

There are mainly two things that affect RAM performance and they are RAM clock speed and CAS latency.

RAM clock speed

RAM speed is measured in MHz and is the frequency at which the RAM is refreshed. Read and write is done in one cycle and the more the number of cycles, the more is the number of times the data can be written or deleted or read. So if the RAM speed is 3000MHz, that means that in a second it performs 3 billion cycles (read/write) per second. This is a really huge number but by today's PC performance standards somewhat normal.

CAS latency

Column Access Strobe (CAS) latency, or CL, is the time delay between the RAM receiving a command (read or write) and then being able to execute it.

So if your RAM is able to run more operations with the least delay then we can say that the RAM performs better.

RAM is one of the components in a laptop which most people upgrade. When someone says their laptop is slow, one of the first suggestions they most probably hear is to upgrade the RAM and rightfully so.

One of the major things which you have to look into while buying a RAM is the dimensions of the RAM. RAM modules for laptops are smaller than the modules for computers. Laptop RAM size is around 3 inches compared to 4.7 inches in a computer.

Best RAM sticks for Laptops

Let's look into the best RAM modules that are available in India today.

Corsair Vengeance

Corsair Vengeance

Brand: Corsair
Form Factor: SO-DIMM
RAM Memory Technology: DDR4
Memory Size: 16GB
Memory Speed: 2666 MHz
Latency: 18-19-19-39

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I am a big fan of Corsair and they never fail to perform well. This is one of the fastest RAMs available and is excellent for gaming.

The RAM is a 16GB module and is great for all tasks. The latency of the RAM is low to allow it to do great gaming. The RAM module is a great balance between power and performance. Though this RAM might seem a bit on the costlier side in comparison to other RAM sticks in this list, this is definitely great value for money, thanks to its performance.

It can work great under all conditions and can work for long hours without having any issues.

The RAM stick is also overclockable. This means you can increase the performance of the RAM with software. You can do this only to a minor extent, but every bit counts. So you might ask why doesn't RAM come at high performance? This is because of heating issues.

At the specific speed, the RAM is able to work cooler, but if you increase the speeds, the temperature also rises and this results in the RAM overheating and not working as intended. However, if you cool the RAM enough you can increase the speed of the RAM without it taking a toll on the performance giving you a better experience.

Crucial RAM 16GB DDR4

Crucial RAM

Brand: Crucial
Form Factor: SO-DIMM
RAM Memory Technology: DDR4
Memory Size: 16GB
Memory Speed: 2666 MHz
Latency: CAS 19

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Another great RAM stick and this time from Crucial. If you haven't heard of Crucial, they are a company that deals with RAMs and SSDs.

This 4GB RAM is a 2666MHz  SDRAM and has a latency of CAS 19. One of the cooler features of this RAM is it can work at a frequency of 2400MHz with a latency of CAS17. This is important for laptops with AMD processors as they support only up to 2400MHz.

One must take care that the RAM is not soldered because otherwise, it will not be able to upgrade.

The RAM comes with a 3-year warranty as opposed to most companies like Samsung which are open to giving a warranty of up to 10 years. This can be thought of as a downside, but it is rare for RAM modules to get damaged.

The RAM is excellent as evident from the number of reviews in Amazon (both Indian and international) about the performance of the RAM.

The low latency and high speed make it easier to open a multitude of Chrome tabs without having to suffer any sort of lag.

ADATA Memory SO-DIMM

Brand: ADATA
Form Factor: SO-DIMM
RAM Memory Technology: DDR4
Memory Size: 16GB
Memory Speed: 3200 MHz
Latency: CAS 19

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ADATA is an age-old manufacturer of premium memory sticks. They make memory devices that are perfect for the average consumer.

The RAM stick has a mind-blowing speed of 3200 MHz. This is mostly seen in gaming laptops and other laptops which require high-speed processing. This high refresh rate works miracles in the processing part of the laptop. The laptop can become faster and provide greater speed when working with heavy tasks such as games or video editing.

This RAM stick is one of the best to invest your money in. I can guarantee you that the performance gains with this RAM will blow your mind.

The RAM is well equipped to handle both Intel and AMD processors.

Samsung RAM 4GB

Samsung RAM

Brand: Samsung
Form Factor: SO-DIMM
RAM Memory Technology: DDR3
Memory Size: 8GB
Memory Speed: 1600 MHz
CAS Latency: CAS 11

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Samsung is one of the leading manufacturers of mobile phones and that is not the only field where it leads. Another field is in storage. They make storage devices such as SSDs, RAMs and pen drives which are of great quality.

The RAM is suitable for laptops and has a 204 pin configuration. The latency of the RAM is extremely low at just 11. The RAM is great for performance. The IC configuration of the RAM is 256 x 8, 512 x 8.

The RAM has a DDR3 configuration so take care while buying. Most of the laptops today has a DDR4 configuration.

The RAM is great for all uses and will help you with great performance gains. It is a great addition if you want to upgrade your laptop.

HyperX Impact 8GB

Brand: HyperX
Form Factor: SO-DIMM
RAM Memory Technology: DDR4
Memory Size: 8GB
Memory Speed: 2666 MHz

Buy 8 GB from Amazon
Buy 16 GB from Amazon
Buy 32 GB from Amazon

Kingston is one of the greatest manufacturers of computer memory components such as pen drives, RAM modules and memory cards. The RAM they offer is one of the best quality memory modules available.

The HyperX series is the high-performance lineup offered by Kingston. They provide great value for money and greater performance. The RAM module is energy efficient and it also translates into the RAM module remaining cool even after pushing it beyond its limits.

The RAM module is XMP ready so you can adjust the settings for this RAM without having to check the BIOS. These RAM modules are available in sizes of 4GB - 16GB. The laptop has a frequency of 2666MHz to refresh the content faster.

This is one of the greatest laptops and we would pick this in a blink.

Corsair 8GB DDR3L Low Voltage 1.35V 1600Mhz Laptop Memory SODIMM (CMSO8GX3M1C1600C11)

Brand: Corsair
Form Factor: SO-DIMM
RAM Memory Technology: DDR3L
Memory Size: 8GB
Memory Speed: 1600 MHz

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Corsair is another one of the great RAM makers from time immemorial. This RAM module performs optimally and requires a very low voltage.

The refresh rate of the RAM module is 1600 MHz making it performant. It offers great value for money and helps increase the smoothness of your laptop. Having more RAM means the laptop will have more space to store data for high-speed access.

You'll find the most value in adding extra RAM if you do video and image editing. This particular model is the budget model and is reliable and works with all laptops. Note that this RAM is DDR3L and not DDR4 which is a somewhat older technology. But that doesn't stop the RAM from offering utmost performance.

XPG ADATA Hunter 8GB

Brand: ADATA
Form Factor: SO-DIMM
RAM Memory Technology: DDR4
Memory Size: 8GB
Memory Speed: 2666 MHz

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XPG also is a maker of memory devices. The SSDs and HDDs offered by ADATA is military standard. They put ultimate care into creating the best products featuring ultimate technology.

The XPG ADATA Hunter is the premium series of ADATA offering great performance. With a refresh rate of 2666MHz, the read-write speeds of the RAM module is very high. It features XMP 2.0 for more accessible overclocking. It has been optimised to give the best performance with both Intel and AMD processors.

The RAM module is relatively at a higher price but the price is justified by the refresh rate and performance offered. This is a great purchase.

Crucial Basics

Brand: Crucial
Form Factor: SO-DIMM
RAM Memory Technology: DDR4
Memory Size: 4GB
Memory Speed: 2666 MHz

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Crucial makes their RAMs in multiple sizes and this RAM comes in 4GB, 8GB and 16GB models. The RAM can operate at a maximum frequency of 2666MHz.

This RAM upgrade will help you lower loading times for programs and would help improve the responsiveness of the laptop. More RAM means you can run data-intensive tasks and open large files with relative ease. Multitasking also becomes easier because there is more RAM, you can load all of them in the RAM.

The RAM comes with a 10-year limited lifetime warranty, so you can be assured that you are in good hands.

Kingston 4GB

Brand: Kingston
Form Factor: SO-DIMM
RAM Memory Technology: DDR4
Memory Size: 8GB
Memory Speed: 1600 MHz

Buy from Amazon

This is the budget model of RAM from Kingston and is extremely cheap. This also is a DDR3L RAM and offers a maximum speed of 1600MHz.

Upgrading with this RAM will definitely show you a marginal performance gain with the laptop starting faster and the applications you use is more responsive and faster. You can open more browser tabs before the laptop starts sweating and asking for more RAM.

With a refresh rate of 1600 MHz, the RAM module offers decent performance and you can go for this without second thoughts if your primary aim is not gaming.

FAQ

How much RAM do I need?

This is a big question that you have seen time and again. This is for those who have RAM but is not sure if that is the reason why their system is slow.

The first and foremost upgrade I would recommend for slow systems is to upgrade their storage. If you are running on an HDD, upgrading to an SSD will give you significant performance gains. The performance gains will be enough to make you not want to upgrade the RAM anymore.

But then, that's not the question. For the age-old question of how much RAM you need, the honest answer is it depends. For bare minimum usage, you need at least 8GB of DDR4 RAM. Even budget laptops ship with at least 8GB of RAM today. For light gaming and multitasking 8GB should be more than enough for most.

If you are a pro user of the laptop such as gaming or video editing, we wouldn't recommend anything less than 16GB. 16GB has become the new norm.

Do I Need The Fastest RAM Speed?

Most probably you don't need the fastest RAM to have the fastest computer. RAM does bring in performance gains during gaming but the gains are marginal. For example, Far Cry 5 will give you a higher frame rate if you work with a faster RAM, but there will be an increase of only 2 or 3 frames per second. But if you are on the border with just 28FPS, those minute amount of frames will be enough to give you a big difference.  

More RAM Or Faster RAM?

Depends on your use. If you are gaming and has 32GB RAM, definitely go for faster RAM. But on the other hand, if you have just 8GB RAM go for upgrading to more memory.

Can I Mix RAM Speeds?

Yes, you can mix RAM speeds. But the issue is if you mix speeds, then the processor will have to do extra mathematics to do the right storage and stuff. This would put an unnecessary toll on the laptop.

We would strongly urge you to pair RAM with the same speeds.

Can I Mix RAM Capacities?

You can mix RAM capacities, but I wouldn't recommend doing it. This is because of the same reason as mixing RAM speeds.

Conclusion

These are the best RAM modules available in the market now and we will be updating them as soon as new ones come up. One of the things to keep in mind is a higher refresh rate RAM module is not required if your primary aim is not gaming. If you want to game get a RAM with more than 2000MHz refresh rate otherwise go for one above 16o0 MHz.

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