Mushkin Essentials 16 GB (2x8GB DDR3-1600)

The Mushkin Essentials 16 GB comes as 2 modules of 8GB each with 16GB of DDR3 on board. Operating voltage sits at 1.35V. It is specced for 1600 MT/s with a CAS latency of 9, working out to a true latency of about 11.3ns. Builders shopping for older AM4 and LGA1700 boards that top out at DDR4 will find this budget DDR3 option easy to justify.

16GB gives you enough headroom for modern AAA titles; past 3600 MT/s, extra frequency brings diminishing returns. Its $38.99 price tag places it squarely in budget territory. Use the PlanMyPC system builder to verify it works alongside your other components and to watch live retailer pricing.