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There is a number of reasons to choose low-profile RAM over some of the larger, taller RAM modules available today.
Maybe you think RAM is such a basic component that you don’t want to show it off. Maybe you’re building a mini-tower and are really tight on space. Maybe you plan on overclocking every part of your PC and you need to be able to mount a large cooler over your RAM.
Whatever the case may be, we’re here to help, with the 10 best low-profile RAM modules in 2022, no matter your budget.
Best Low-Profile RAM Modules in 2022 Round-Up
The table below will give you a quick look at our selections for the best low-profile RAM modules currently available on the market. To read a full review, simply click on ‘review>>’ in the respective row.
Product | Image | Rating | |
1. TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z 32mm ''Best low-profile RAM kit for the money'' |  | 9.8 | |
2. Corsair Vengeance LPX 34mm ''Most popular low-profile RAM'' |  | 9.7 | |
3. HyperX Fury 34mm ''Best performing low-profile RAM'' |  | 9.7 | |
4. Corsair Vengeance LP 26mm ''Best low-profile DDR3 RAM'' |  | 9.6 | |
5. Crucial Ballistix RGB 39mm ''Best low-profile RGB RAM'' |  | 9.6 | |
6. OLOy B-21 Raider 31mm ''Lowest-profile RAM available'' |  | 9.5 | |
7. ADATA XPG GAMMIX D10 36mm ''Best budget low-profile RAM'' |  | 9.4 | |
8. HyperX Predator RGB 42mm ''Best performing low-profile RGB RAM'' |  | 9.3 | |
9. TEAMGROUP T-Force Zeus 32mm ''Honorable mention'' |  | 9.2 | |
10. PNY 16GB Performance 31mm ''Honorable mention #2'' |  | 8.9 |
1. TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z
Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 16 GB kit (2 x 8 GB) | Speed: 3000 MHz | Extended Timings: 16-18-18-38 | Voltage: 1.35 V | Lighting: N/A | Warranty: Limited Lifetime Warranty
REASONS TO BUY
- One of the lowest profile DDR4 RAM modules
- 1.26 inch (32mm) profile
- Very affordable price
- Under $4 per GB
- Excellent performance metrics for the price
- Covered by a limited lifetime warranty
- Available in various speeds and sizes
REASONS TO AVOID
- Limited options for clock rates
- The color of the sticks is tied to size/speed
- No RGB lighting
Our Rating: 9.8/10
Teamgroup’s T-Force Vulcan Z looks like low-profile RAM is supposed to. It’s got simple heat spreaders and some minor embellishments, but nothing that’s going to get in the way of fitting neatly into place and nothing that will put it in the way of whatever you need the space for. Their kits are simple, straightforward, and most importantly, very affordable.
Because of how and where RAM modules are installed, they’re going to be pretty much uniform in length and width so the only measurement you really need to look at is going to be the height. Most DDR4 RAM is going to be between 1.5 and 2 inches (38mm to 51mm) tall, with some RGB and highly stylized options being even taller.
Low profile RAM doesn’t have a formal definition per se, but the term is usually applied to RAM that’s between 1 inch and 1.4 inches (25mm to 36mm) tall.
The T-Force Vulcan Z is 1.26 inches (32mm tall) which makes it some of the lowest profile RAM you can get in 2022. Whether this will work for your exact purposes depends on you, but if something this short is out of reach, you may need to consider other options or move down to DDR3.
For the purpose of this review, we’re looking at the 16 GB kit, which contains two 8GB sticks of 3000MHz RAM. The RAM’s clock rate, measured in MHz, refers to how many actions your RAM can carry out per second.
This is one of the most important factors in determining your RAM’s performance, but there are a few others. One of the main ones is transfer speed, measured in Mbps (megabits per second) and refers to how quickly your RAM can move data either into its storage or out of its storage.
The last is a collection of figures referred to as timing or latency. These are four figures, expressed like so: 16-18-18-38. Those numbers refer to the number of cycles (which can happen thousands of times per second, based on your RAM’s clock rate) it takes to perform certain operations that are central to your RAM’s performance.
In the order, they appear they refer to the amount of time it takes for your RAM to start responding to a command from your CPU, the amount of time it takes to locate the data it’s supposed to access, the amount of time it takes to start writing a new line of data, and the amount of time it needs to be working on an individual line of data to complete it.
In each case, a smaller number is better, and the numbers will typically increase in size through the sequence.
So, in the case of the T-Force Vulcan kit, we’re looking at, its latency numbers are 16-18-18-38. This means it will take 16 cycles to “hear” a command from your CPU, 18 cycles to find where the data is, 18 cycles to open the data it is writing, and 38 cycles to write or rewrite that data.
All this takes the tiniest fraction of a second, but with your computer performing thousands of actions to carry out what seems like even the simplest of tasks, small differences in these numbers can add up quickly.
The T-Force Vulcan Z modules come in a variety of speeds and sizes if you have a specific requirement you have in mind. It’s available in speeds of 3200Mhz or 3600MHz and kits of 2x16GB or 2x32GB in addition to the 2x8GB we reviewed here. It’s also available in red and black/yellow camo, though the latter is much taller than the red or grey.
In terms of warranty, TEAMGROUP offers a limited lifetime warranty on its RAM modules, which would cover failures that occur as a result of faulty parts of manufacturing.
Teamgroup’s T-Force Vulcan Z modules score some of the highest praise you can award RAM: it does what we need it to at a good price. Its price per GB is under 4 dollars, which is excellent even for 3000MHz RAM. It’s a really low-profile RAM that won’t get in your way and that you won’t have to think about again after installing it.
2. Corsair Vengeance LPX
Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 32GB kit (2 x 16 GB) | Speed: 3600 MHz | Extended Timings: 18-22-22-42 | Voltage: 1.35 V | Lighting: No | Warranty: Limited Lifetime Warranty
REASONS TO BUY
- A wide variety of speeds, including very high speeds, are available
- Suitable for both personal and commercial use
- Overclocks well
- Anodized aluminum heat spreaders
- One of the lowest profile RAM modules (34mm)
- Covered by a limited lifetime warranty
- Reasonable pricing (around $6 per GB) for a 3600MHz kit
REASONS TO AVOID
- A little pricier because of the brand name
- Extremely simple exterior design
Our Rating: 9.7/10
If you’re a fan of Corsair it might take you a second to wrap your head around the fact that these decidedly not ice-white, decidedly non-LED RAM sticks are made by the same people. They’re purely utilitarian.
There’s nothing to be said about the design of the heat spreaders, except maybe a passing resemblance to preschool building blocks. They’re meant to slot in quickly and not take up any room in your PC, whether it’s a gaming rig or a professional workstation.
For this review, we’re looking at one of their larger, faster kits (though it’s not the largest or fastest they offer). The 2x16GB kit has a clock rate of 3600MHz. The Vengeance LPX series is also designed for overclocking, which is a big part of why Corsair made these unassuming low profile modules in the first place, so that can be increased with the right tools.
The transfer rate on this particular kit is 28800Mbps, which is largely a product of the increased clock rate. The latency numbers are 18-22-22-42, which are slightly higher, but because the clock rate is also higher on this RAM, it’s actually taking a smaller portion of a second to respond, locate, initiate, and carry out the commands from your CPU.
Because of the Vengeance LPX’s focus on overclocking and workstation application, there is a substantial range of speeds and kits available, starting with single sticks of 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB, and increasing to packs of 2 or 4, or in the case the 16GB and 32GB sticks, packs of 8.
The speeds that they’re available to run the gamut from the minimum 2133MHz all the way to the peak 5133MHz, with each of these modules is additionally designed for overclocking. And in terms of color options, the sticks are available in either black or white.
Like most manufacturers of RAM, Corsair covers their RAM with a limited lifetime warranty.
Overall, the Corsair Vengeance LPX is one of the best low-profile RAM modules available on the market in 2022. Compared to the Vulcan Z, it is a little more expensive, at almost $6 per GB. However, it has better overclocking potential and offers a bigger variety of sizes and speeds.
Even if you don’t do a lot of overclocking, the level of performance offered by this brand of RAM compared to the price offered by some less well-known brands is still excellent.
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3. HyperX Fury
Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 64 GB kit (2 x 32 GB) | Speed: 3200 MHz | Extended Timings: 16-18-18-32 | Voltage: 1.2 V | Lighting: No | Warranty: Limited Lifetime Warranty
REASONS TO BUY
- Excellent performance across the board
- Minimal, low-profile design (34mm)
- Reliable and quality manufacturer
- Low latency
- Great gaming performance
- Covered by a limited lifetime warranty
REASONS TO AVOID
- Limited range of speeds available
- No RGB lighting
- A bit more expensive
Our Rating: 9.7/10
The HyperX Fury is a wonderfully simple DDR4 module. There are a few embellishments, most notably a tiny “fin” on one end of the module which is barely an mm higher than the rest of the body, but apart from that, this is an extremely low-profile and lightweight stick of RAM. HyperX is definitely putting the performance end of their gaming PC expertise into play with this one.
With the heat spreaders, the HyperX Fury stands at 1.33 (34mm) tall. The low size and minimal design will allow it to fit in with any design or cooling needs you have for your build, even if you have a lot of white or RGB.
This review is covering the 3200MHz 64GB kit specifically. It contains two sticks of 3200MHz DDR4 RAM, which have a 25600 Mbps transfer rate. The latency ratings for this particular kit are 16-18-18-32, which are exceptionally quick numbers for the basic operations they represent, and even faster considering the higher clock rate of the module.
Taking those factors combined, this is actually the best relative latency rating of the RAM we’ve seen on this list so far, but the other factors at play, mostly price, move it down our list a couple of spaces.
The Fury RAM sticks are available in kits ranging from 8GB to 128GB, which include single packs of 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB as well as double and quad packs of the same size. The range of speeds from this lineup is a bit limited, however, and only ranges from 2666MHz to 3733Mhz. There is an RGB variant of the Fury, but it raises the profile to 1.62 inches (41mm) which is above what we would typically consider low profile.
HyperX covers its RAM sticks with a limited lifetime warranty, which means they’ll replace any malfunction that occurs during regular use so long as it’s the result of a faulty part of incorrect manufacturing.
Overall, the HyperX Fury is one of the best performing low-profile RAM modules available. The price for these hovers right around $6-7 per GB, more for the higher speeds but strangely not offering much of a break than some of the slower speeds. The performance is excellent and the price definitely reflects that, however, if you’re after high-performing low-profile RAM, you’ll be hard-pressed to find anything better.
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4. Corsair Vengeance LP
Type: DDR3 | Capacity: 16 GB kit (2 x 8GB) | Speed: 1600 MHz | Extended Timings: 9-9-9-24 | Voltage: 1.5 V | Lighting: No | Warranty: Limited Lifetime Warranty
REASONS TO BUY
- Budget-friendly pricing ($5 per GB)
- Good overall performance
- Extremely low latency
- The shortest RAM module available (26mm)
- Covered by a limited lifetime warranty
- Well-known, reliable manufacturer
REASONS TO AVOID
- Previous gen standard
- Lower clock and transfer speeds
- Very limited range of speed and sizes available
Our Rating: 9.6/10
“But wait,” we hear you saying, “we’ve already had the Corsair vengeance on this list.” And you would be correct, we’ve already had the DDR4 Corsair Vengeance on this list. This is the DDR3 Corsair Vengeance. It’s an even lower profile module than the DDR4 Corsair Vengeance and still offers some pretty serious performance for older builds.
This module stands only 1.03 inches (26mm) tall, which can make this, among other things, your last-ditch option if all the other low-profile RAM you’re looking at is still too tall. If this doesn’t fit, basically nothing will.
You’ll notice a couple of things when looking at the speed ratings for DDR3 memory. The most notable is that the frequency is lower, with the DDR3 Corsair vengeance clocking at 1600MHz. The transfer rate is also lower, and 12800MBps. Both of these figures are basically half of what we see from most of the DDR4 modules on our list.
However, the latency is also a lot lower, at 9-9-9-24, also basically half the numbers we see from other items on this list. With that in mind, there are actually some instances where DDR3 can be a bit quicker than DDR4, but in the long run, DDR4 is going to be faster and more stable, which is why it’s now the standard.
Since it’s the standard, you could also find yourself struggling to find compatible parts, most notably your motherboard, which in turn can create compatibility issues with your CPU and GPU. It’s probably best to keep this as an option for overclocking PCs and replacing parts in computers that are still running DDR3.
Since DDR3 is in the process of being phased out, there are not a lot of purchase options for this one. You have to 2x8GB kits like the one we’re reviewing, 2x4GB kits, and single packs of either 4GB or 8GB. They’re also only available at one speed: 1600MHz.
Like the DDR4 Vengeance, the DDR3 Vengeance is covered by Corsair’s limited lifetime warranty.
Overall, the Corsair Vengeance LP is by far the lowest RAM module currently available. At this point, there’s a pretty narrow window of use for DDR3 memory, so we only recommend these sticks if you are literally trying to fit them into an extremely narrow space.
They’re still $5 per GB, which is fairly cheap but still about the same price as some DDR4 modules, which is more than we’d like to see for last gen’s standard. If you need these specifically, get them. Otherwise, there’s going to be a ton of more suitable options including but not limited to every item on this list.
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5. Crucial Ballistix RGB
Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 16 GB kit (2 x 8 GB) | Speed: 3200 MHz | Extended Timings: 16-18-18-36 | Voltage: 1.35 V | Lighting: RGB | Warranty: Limited Lifetime Warranty
REASONS TO BUY
- RGB capable, with support for all major RGB software
- Attractive aesthetics
- Good timings and overall performance
- A wide range of speeds available
- Low-profile design (39mm)
- Shortest RGB RAM on the market
- Covered by a limited lifetime warranty
REASONS TO AVOID
- A bit taller than some low profile RAM
- RGB drives the price up
Our Rating: 9.6/10
Sometimes getting low-profile RAM is a personal choice, rather than any sort of technical requirement. In that case, and with the caveat that this isn’t what most standards are going to consider “low profile”, we present the Crucial Ballistix RGB.
If there’s a shorter RGB RAM module on the market in 2022 we haven’t found it, which makes this a great way to put a splash of color in an otherwise dark corner of your motherboard, but still not have it taking up too much space.
The Crucial Ballistix stands 1.54 (39mm) tall. Again, a bit high to be properly considered low profile we realize, but it’s one of the only RGB modules under 2 inches, and the only one that’s within a rounding error of 1.5 inches. If you have a bit more space tolerance and feel like you’ve got to have RGB, this one is calling your name.
It certainly doesn’t suffer for performance. The 2x8GB kit we’re looking at for this review has a 3200MHz clock rate and a 25600 Mbps transfer speed. The timings are pretty great too, at 16-18-18-36. That’s one of the better speeds we’ve seen for the latency, row/column location, addressing, and writing that those numbers represent, especially for a slightly higher MHz module like this one.
The Crucial Ballistix is available in speeds of 3000MHz, 3200MHz, 3600MHz, 4000MHz, and 4400MHz, and in single or dual packs with either 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB sticks. You also have the ability to choose between black, white, and red for these kits. It’s a range of choices and customization that low-profile RAM kits don’t always offer.
Crucial also offers a limited lifetime warranty on their RAM modules, guaranteeing that it is free from issues caused by manufacturing.
All in all, the Crucial Ballistix RGB is one of the most popular modules, period. It’s the shortest RGB RAM module market which puts it on the simpler side of things when it comes to RGB, but it’s really impressive that it manages to do it at all at this height.
If you’ve got a bit of wiggle room on space, and on budget, since it’s roughly $7 per GB, then these are a great way to get some extra RGB into an otherwise cramped build.
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6. OLOy Hummingbird B-21 Raider
Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 16 GB kit (2 x 8 GB) | Speed: 3000 MHz | Extended Timings: 16-18-18-36 | Voltage: 1.35 V | Lighting: No | Warranty: Limited Lifetime Warranty
REASONS TO BUY
- Lowest profile DDR4 RAM on the market (31mm)
- Excellent latency and other timing metrics
- Good price for the performance
- Very budget-friendly
- Covered by a lifetime warranty
- Available in two color variants
REASONS TO AVOID
- Not a ton of options for speed or size
- Extremely basic design
- No RGB
Our Rating: 9.5/10
OLOy, a relative newcomer to the world of computer RAM, makes good, cheap ram, no two ways about it. When they’re not trying to conserve space they even put together some exciting designs like the winged Warhawk and the rugged-looking Owl. But since we’re talking about low-profile RAM, we need to look at the extremely minimal OLOy Hummingbird B-21 Raider.
These sticks have an extremely minimal heat spreader, which barely wraps over the top, creating a 1.23 inch (31 mm) profile. This makes the OLOy the lowest profile DDR4 RAM that we’ve reviewed so far.
You don’t get a lot of options with the hummingbird, you have either the 2x8GB 3000 MHZ kit, a 2x16GB 3000 MHz kit, the same options at a lower speed of 2666MHz, and the choice between red or gold for the decals. This is true for a lot of their lineup, but what they do offer is very good for the price.
We picked the 2x8GB 3000MHz for this review, which despite being towards the lower range of what’s possible for DDR4 RAM performs extremely well.
The latency is a mere 16 cycles, then locate and open liming 18 cycles, and the writing time 36 cycles, all of which are levels of performance you’d expect to carry a much higher price tag. The bandwidth is pretty much governed by the clock rate, so the 24000 Mbps is pretty much exactly what we expected.
OLOy covers its products with a lifetime warranty against faulty parts or flaws in construction.
The OLOy B-21 Raider is close to the ideal when it comes to low-profile RAM, especially considering the price of approximately $4.50 per GB. The only thing that’s preventing us from giving this a higher ranking is the lack of choices for users who are looking for higher-end performance.
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7. ADATA XPG GAMMIX D10
Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 16 GB kit (2 x 8GB) | Speed: 3200 MHz | Extended Timings: 16-18-18-38 | Voltage: 1.5 V | Lighting: No | Warranty: Limited Lifetime Warranty
REASONS TO BUY
- Good overall performance for the money
- Solid, quality construction
- Low-profile design (36mm)
- Good cooling
- Overclockable
- Covered by a lifetime warranty
REASONS TO AVOID
- On the upper edge of what we’d call “low profile”
- Not always easy to find in stock
Our Rating: 9.4/10
The ADATA XPG Gammix D10 sacrifices a little bit of height in the interest of topping its heat spreaders with fins for better heat dispersal. This can in handy if you need your low profile build to be able to handle some extra heat, either because you’re overclocking or are tight on space and can’t get a lot of air moving through the core of your PC.
With the fins, the Adata XPG Gammix D10 has a 1.42 inch (36mm) profile, which is pushing at the limits of what we’d consider low profile, but the fins on the heat spreader do make a noticeable difference, especially if you’re going to be overclocking.
For this review, we tried out the 16GB 3200MHz kit, which consists of two 8GB DDR4 sticks. It has a transfer speed of 25600 Mbps, which is about to be expected. The timings were 16-18-18-38, which are also standard for a RAM module of this size/price point.
We should note here that while our tests didn’t find any issue, some users have complained that the RAM doesn’t match these exact metrics in their personal testing.
Other versions of the RAM modules are available ranging from 2666MHz to 3600MHz, which is a fairly narrow range. They are available in single or double kits in either 8GB or 16GB sizes, and a metallic red version is available as well.
These are also covered by a limited lifetime warranty, which is industry standard for something simple like RAM. If it breaks down because of manufacturer error it can be replaced free of charge.
By all our standards, the Adata XPG Gammix D10 is a solid, middle-of-the-road RAM module. It might even be a bit better than that, especially considering the low-profile design and cooling. Even better, at around $6 per GB for the 3200MHz kit, it’s one of the cheapest, well-performing low-profile RAM modules available in 2022.
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8. HyperX Predator RGB
Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 16 GB kit (2 x 8 GB) | Speed: 3600 MHz | Extended Timings: 16-18-18-36 | Voltage: 1.2 V | Lighting: RGB | Warranty: Limited Lifetime Warranty
REASONS TO BUY
- A compact design that is not commonly found in RGB modules
- Ample selection of speeds and sizes
- Excellent timings
- One of the best performing RAM on the market
- One of the shortest RGB RAM modules (42mm)
- Covered by a lifetime warranty
REASONS TO AVOID
- A bit tall if you really need the space
- Pricey
Our Rating: 9.3/10
The HyperX Predator RGB is deceptively tall. It’s another RGB RAM module, which means that it’s once again a bit outside of what we’d typically consider “low-profile” but the LED strip being embedded into the heat spreader instead of perched on top of it makes this look a lot more compact than it really is.
However, if you’re looking for a low-profile RGB RAM kit, the Predator RGB is one of the shortest RGB modules currently available.
You’re not going to have as much clearance as you would on proper low-profile RAM, considering that the HyperX Predator stands 1.66 inches (42 mm) tall, but that’s still shorter than most other RGB RAM modules and is completely devoid of any crests or other protrusions. As a cool bonus feature, the RGB elements sync with one another using infrared connectors.
The other reason that this makes our list is the high-performance speed and timing. The kit we looked at, the 2x8GB 3600MHz modules had timings of 16-18-18-36, which are speeds for latency, location, access, and writing that we’d typically associate with lower clock rate RAM.
Those numbers combined make this one of the quickest RAM modules we’re looking at for this list, and the only thing that keeps this from being in a top spot is the fact that we’re already playing a bit loose with the term “low profile.” It also boasts an impressive, but not necessarily surprising 28800 Mbps bandwidth.
The HyperX Predator is solid in single packs of 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB, as well as dual or quad packs of all sizes, and the 32GB variant is sold in an 8-pack, which is really only suitable for IT professionals.
Additionally, it’s available in speeds ranging from 2933MHz all the way up to 4600MHz, meaning there’s a wide range of speeds and more importantly prices available. There are non-RGB variants available as well, but they aren’t any shorter, and they aren’t much cheaper either.
Like the HyperX Fury, the Predator is covered by a limited lifetime warranty.
This is our other recommendation if your desire for a low-profile RAM module is more aesthetic than technical. It is also the most expensive module on our list, at over $9 per GB. You can definitely justify it with the performance and the inclusion of RGB elements if you’ve got a bit of room, both literally and in your budget.
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9. TEAMGROUP T-Force Zeus
Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 16 GB kit (2 x 8 GB) | Speed: 3000MHz | Extended Timings: 16-18-18-38 | Voltage: 1.35 V | Lighting: No | Warranty: Limited Lifetime Warranty
REASONS TO BUY
- Extremely budget-friendly
- Good performance for the price
- Multiple latency options
- Very low profile (32mm)
- Covered by a limited lifetime warranty
- Great timing metrics
REASONS TO AVOID
- Not a lot of speed options
- No RGB lighting
- Very simple design
Our Rating: 9.2/10
If Teamgroup’s earlier entry on our list was the definition of what we’re looking for from low profile RAM, then their T-Force Zeus is a cheaper, if slightly uninspired version of the same module. There’s no embellishment, just the obligatory lightning bolt decals which don’t really add anything, and in fact, will hardly be visible once the sticks are installed. Let’s be clear: there’s nothing wrong with the T-Force Zeus, it’s just a little hard to get excited about.
The biggest thing going for it, for the purpose of this list, is that the simple design keeps the profile down at 1.26 inches (32mm) which is the same height as the Vulcan from earlier on our list. The lack of embellishment can make it cleaner to install, and easier to integrate with your cooling components.
We’re looking at the 16GB 3000MHz kit for this review, which is comprised of two 8GB sticks with a clock rate of 3000MHz. The timings are the same as the other options we’ve reviewed, at 16-18-18-38. The transfer speed is a healthy 24000 Mbps. All told, that’s going to provide a solid level of gaming performance.
In addition to the different latencies, the T-Force Zeus is available in speeds ranging from 2666MHz to 3200MHz, which doesn’t give you a lot of options if you like the size pricing but need better speeds. It’s sold in single or double packs, in sizes of 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB. Unlike the other T-Force, it’s only available in red.
Teamgroup also covers this product with its limited lifetime warranty.
The T-Force Zeus offers one of the best prices per GB on 3000MHz RAM that we’ve been able to find, at barely over $4.50 per GB. It may not be flashy, but it’s a cheap way to get a lot of good-performing, low-profile RAM into your build.
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10. PNY Performance
Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 16 GB kit (1 x 16 GB) | Speed: 2666 MHz | Extended Timings: 19-19-19-43 | Voltage: 1.2 V | Lighting: No | Warranty: 10 years
REASONS TO BUY
- Extremely low profile (31mm)
- Decent range of speeds available
- Budget-friendly
- Decent overall performance
REASONS TO AVOID
- Latency is higher than would be ideal
- Not as cheap as expected
- No heat spreader
- Only a 10-year warranty
- Plain design
Our Rating: 8.9/10
As it turns out, you don’t save as much space from removing the heat spreaders as you might think. Sure, the PNY Performance is skinnier, but it’s only a millimeter shorter than the next shortest option on our list.
If that makes a difference in your build more power to you, but be aware that cooling might be a bit more delicate than it would be on a module with a heat spreader.
The PNY Performance is 1.22 inches (31mm) tall, and only .16 inches (4mm) wide. The stripped-down look caused by the absent heat spreader isn’t going to mesh well with a lot of modern motherboards and other components unless you’re going for a very minimal industrial look.
The kit we chose for this review, the single 16GB 2666MHz stick is the lowest clock rate available, so we were a little disappointed when that combined the relatively high latency and other timing metrics, for a total of 19-19-19-43. The bandwidth is on the lower side, at 21300 Mbps, but this is more or less standard for the clock rate.
Other kits of the PNY Performance are available in speeds ranging from 2666MHz (the one we chose) to 3600MHz. The only sizes available are the 16GB, which we looked at, and the 8GB, and are sold in single or double packs. It should be noted that the double packs and higher speeds include a rather hefty heat spreader which raises the profile quite a bit.
The one area this low-profile RAM sticks out at is the warranty, and not in a good way. Despite being an established manufacturer, they only offer 10 years compared to a lifetime warranty you get from the vast majority of RAM manufacturers.
Overall, the PNY Performance doesn’t quite live up to its name, at least in the cheapest configuration. Plus, the higher-performing options aren’t exactly low profile, which puts this one at the bottom of our list. It doesn’t help that it’s $5 per GB, which is cheap, but not as cheap as it should be for what you’re getting.
In Conclusion
When it comes to your RAM, it’s possible that you’ll notice a difference between the higher and lower clock rates and latencies, especially if you’re performing sustained, demanding operations.
For casual use, the difference isn’t going to be as noticeable as you might expect, so our recommendation is that you pick the one that’s going to fit your budget once you’ve picked out the rest of your parts, or that’s going to complement your build best.
If you’re looking for low-profile RAM because you have extremely specific space requirements, that’s obviously going to mean considering the height first and foremost. If you’ve got a quarter-inch or so of tolerance, then the world (or at least our list here) is your playground.
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