Though there is not much difference between the Intel Core i7 10700k and 11700K, the 11700K will probably be the sweet spot for many looking to upgrade to the 11th gen Intel processors. This CPU has an 8 cores/16 threads configuration and a maximum boost clock of 5.0GHz. However, if you want to take advantage of everything the i7 11700K has to offer, you should get RAM that has a high-frequency 3000Mhz or greater, low CAS latency, and two or more sticks to take advantage of for dual-channel memory. Therefore, we have curated this comprehensive list of the best RAM for i7 11700k.
However, if you find yourself unable to decide what the best RAM for i7 11700K is, we’ve got a couple of options below. RGB, non-RGB, budget-friendly, premium, we’ve covered pretty much everything, and we’ll look at different capacities and speeds too. But let’s not waste any more time, and let’s take a look at the RAM options you should choose from.
Best RAM for Intel Core i7 11700K
1. Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 16GB 3600MHz
Specifications
Memory Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 16GB (2x8GB) | Speed: 3,600MHz | CAS Latency: 18 | Timings: 18-22-22-22 | Voltage: 1.35V | Height: 51mm/2″ | Warranty: LifetimeBenefits
- Vivid RGB lights
- Unbeatable overclocking abilities
- Reliable with lifetime warranty
Drawbacks
- Tall in height at 2 inches
Corsair is constantly one of the top manufacturers of RAM, which is why the Vengeance RGB Pro could very well be the best RAM for i7 11700K for some people. Now, sure, it’s not going to be perfect for everyone, but if you want a balance between price, looks, and performance, this is where you’ll get it.
This kit isn’t exactly budget-oriented, but you’re looking at two 8GB sticks at 3600MHz, with C18 timings. The price is actually just right, considering you’re getting RAM that’s going to perform admirably with the 11700K and will allow you to overclock it quite a lot. You can even overclock the RAM as well because it’s one of Corsair’s modules which gets careful screening for overclocking headroom.
In terms of looks, the Vengeance RGB Pro is as good as they come. You have an all-black heatsink (which might be too tall for some), and an RGB strip at the top. The strip has ten addressable RGB LEDs per module, which you can customize with Corsair’s iCUE software. Honestly, the RAM looks nice, and you can have it as subtle or as flashy as you see fit for your build.
Overall, the Vengeance RGB Pro won’t win any awards in any one specific category. But it’s an overall really well-thought-out kit that checks a lot of boxes and doesn’t cost too much.
2. G.Skill Trident Z Neo 16GB 3600MHz
Specifications
Memory Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 16GB (2x8GB) | Speed: 3,600MHz | CAS Latency: 16 | Timings: 16-19-19-39 | Voltage: 1.35V | Height: 43mm/1.69″ | Warranty: LifetimeBenefits
- Offers C16 latency at 3,600MHz, ideal for Intel chips
- Features vibrant RGB lights with hundreds of patterns to choose from
- Excellent build quality with unique heat shredders
Drawbacks
- A bit on the expensive side
There’s a reason why G.Skill’s Trident Z Neo kits are constantly among the bestsellers worldwide – they perform great, they look great, and they’re priced very competitively. If this sounds like the right combination for your next build, the Trident Z Neo is one of the best RAM for i7 11700K for you.
Kicking things off with performance, the kit runs at 3600MHz, and at C16 timings. This is good, especially considering that it’s also at 1.35V. This does get you a bit of overclocking headroom, but if you don’t want to bother, just turn on XMP 2.0 and you’ll be at 3600MHz. You could, however, potentially get better timings if you play with it a bit.
Looks, though, are pretty spot on. The black and white heatsink does an excellent job in terms of cooling the modules, but you also get an RGB light strip at the top. Unfortunately, G.Skill requires you to download their own software to control the lights, which is an extra step. We would’ve preferred to see control with popular motherboard utilities, but at this point, this is nothing more than nitpicking.
Aside from the RGB control, the Trident Z Neo kit gets you a really good experience. We’re talking both in terms of performance and looks, so if you want a tried-and-tested variant, this is the one to go for.
3. Thermaltake TOUGHRAM RGB 16GB 3600MHZ
Specifications
Memory Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 16GB (2x8GB) | Speed: 3600MHz | CAS Latency: 18 | Timings: 18-20-20-39 | Voltage: 1.35V | Height: 48.2mm/1.89″ | Warranty: LifetimeBenefits
- Performance and Temps monitoring
- Offers optimal in-game performance
- Customizable RGB light patterns
Drawbacks
- A bit pricey
We’re just going to say it – a kit that performs this nice, and gets you this many features, should not be this cheap. Thermaltake is a relatively new player in the RAM world, but the TOUGHRAM RGB kit is going to be just perfect for many.
To begin with, you’re looking at two 8GB sticks at 3600MHz, with C18 timings. This is pretty good, and we’d say it’s just perfect for the i7 11700K. Of course, there’s a bit of headroom for overclocking, so if you want a higher frequency or tighter timings, feel free to play around a bit and get them.
But when it comes to looks, oh boy does this kit overdeliver. There are 10 ARGB LEDs in each module, and not only can you control them with Thermaltake’s software, but you can do that with most manufacturer light control utilities, or even sync them with Razer Synapse. You can even control them with Alexa, and use Alexa to control fan speeds – we’ve never seen that with any other kit so far. Thermaltake’s software is pretty extensive, though, as it even covers live frequency and temperature monitoring, which is honestly impressive.
Overall, if you want a reasonably priced kit with more than plenty of functionality, this is probably your best bet. And best of all, it won’t even set you back that much!
4. Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB 3200MHz
Specifications
Memory Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 32GB (2x16GB) | Speed: 3,200MHz | CAS Latency: 16 | Timings: 16-18-18-36 | Voltage: 1.35V | Height: 33mm/1.32″ | Warranty: LifetimeBenefits
- Supports XMP 2.0 with abilities to tweak at over 4,000MHz
- Pretty subtle design with effective heat shredders
- No RGB lights
Drawbacks
- Quite a basic design
One common issue with modern RAM modules is the fact that they tend to have high heatsinks. If you’re air-cooling your CPU, this can cause clearance issues with your cooler. That’s why Corsair came up with the Vengeance LPX kits, and they’re now one of the brand’s best-selling models.
This kit runs at 3200MHz, and at C16. However, even Corsair themselves say that this is a kit made for overclocking, so playing around for a bit will easily get you to something like C14 at the same frequency. This is no small difference, and something you’ll notice if you’re trying to squeeze out every bit of performance from your system. What’s also nice is the fact that Corsair carefully selects the PCB, so you get a lot of overclocking headroom and stability.
The heatsink is only 34mm high, so you won’t have issues with air coolers. It does do a great job at cooling the modules even when you’re overclocking, though. And to make things even better, you can get it in a few different colors so it matches your system. There is no RGB or anything else that might up the “fancy factor” of the kit, but that’s not the goal here.
Corsair aimed for a high-performance, low-profile kit, and that’s exactly what you get. And at this price, you should certainly be considering it.
5. G.SkillRipjaws V 32GB 3600MHz
Specifications
Memory Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 32GB (2x16GB) | Speed: 3,600MHz | CAS Latency: 16 | Timings: 16-19-19-39 | Voltage: 1.35V | Height: 42mm/1.65″ | Warranty: LifetimeBenefits
- Affordable price
- Low-profile design offers room for all kinds of CPU heatsink
- Effective heat shedders
Drawbacks
- Outdated visual design
With AMD being far more specific in terms of RAM requirements, you don’t see many kits that are optimized for Intel’s platforms. Well, the Ripjaws V kit by G.Skill is one of them, which makes it the best RAM for i7 11700K for users on a budget. It will perform pretty well considering the modules’ frequency and timings, and it keeps the price reasonable by not including things like RGB lights or additional functionality. It’s just the basics, but really well.
Speaking of numbers, this kit comes with two 16GB sticks that run at 3600MHz. That’s not the important number though – the C16 timing is. This means that you’re getting great performance out of the box, sure, but you could also squeeze a bit more if you try overclocking. Unless you’re overclocking your CPU and want the absolute maximum, we don’t think it’s necessary.
In terms of design, we’re not huge fans. The lack of RGB is not a problem, but the unnecessarily tall heat sink is. If you’re going for a larger air cooler, you might have issues with clearance. And considering this isn’t insanely high-performance RAM, a smaller heatsink would’ve been nice. However, at this price, many people won’t really mind, which means the Ripjaws V is still a great choice for the Core i7-11700K.
6. Crucial Ballistix 16GB 3600MHz
Specifications
Memory Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 16GB (2x8GB) | Speed: 3,600MHz | CAS Latency: 16 | Timings: 16-18-18-38 | Voltage: 1.35V | Height: 39.17mm/1.54″ | Warranty: LifetimeBenefits
- Fast performance and reliable
- Comes with limited lifetime warranty
- XMP 2.0 Supported
Drawbacks
- Not dual rank
Crucial’sBallistix memory modules have been around for years, ever since computers used DDR RAM (yes, that’s DDR 1st gen), and they’ve always had the same predicament – excellent performance at a value price, with little to no extra fuss. The current generation kits still work in the same way, which is why this kit is the perfect choice if you’re looking for value.
In terms of performance, you’re looking at a kit that runs at 3600MHz C16. Unfortunately, while it is compatible with XMP 2.0 for easy overclocking to those 3600MHz, chances are you won’t get a lot more than that with overclocking. It is value RAM, after all. But if you want to save a bit, and still get respectable performance (even when overclocking your CPU), the kit will definitely do that.
What you won’t get, however, is RGB, or software integration, or anything of the kind. This is an all-black (or all-red, or all-white) kit, which looks subtle and is there to do a job, not look nice. The heatsink does a great job at keeping the modules cool, which is enough at this price.
Let’s face it, the Ballistix kit isn’t made to win any awards. It’s made to perform well, and give you a good basic kit without costing too much. And that it does, really well, which is why you should consider it.
7. XPG D50 RGB 32GB 3200MHz
Specifications
Memory Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 32GB (2x16GB) | Speed: 3,200MHz | CAS Latency: 16 |Timings: 16-20-20 | Voltage: 1.35V | Height: 39.8mm/1.57″ | Warranty: LifetimeBenefits
- Low-profile design with more than enough room for any CPU heatsink
- XMP 2.0 supported with extreme overclocking abilities
- Affordable Price
Drawbacks
- Not the fastest RAM out there
It’s not every day that you get a RAM kit that looks as nice as XPG’s D50 RGB, especially at this price. While XPG might not be the first brand that comes to mind, they do have some nice memory kits, and we’d definitely suggest that you check out the D50 RGB.
In terms of performance, you’re looking at a 32GB kit (2x16GB) that runs at 3200MHz, which should be enough for the i7-11700K. You have C16 timings as well, a rather nice addition. Of course, the large heatsinks do mean that temperatures are not an issue, and if you want, you can try overclocking the modules a bit. You could probably get to C14 if you’ve got the patience (and need).
When it comes to looks, though, the all-white design with RGB lights at the top is just stunning. Not only does it support customization via the XPG PRIME app, but you can control the lights with utilities from the most popular manufacturers of motherboards.
Now, overall, the kit is pretty good. Performance is nice, looks are good, and it won’t set you back too much. But the icing on the cake? You have a limited lifetime warranty, which shows you that XPG means business with the D50 RGB. By all means, check it out if it fits your budget – you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
8. Patriot Viper Steel Series 16GB 3600MHz
Specifications
Memory Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 16GB (2x8GB) | Speed: 3,600MHz | CAS Latency: 17 | Timings: 17-19-19-39 | Voltage: 1.35V | Height: 44.45mm/1.75″ | Warranty: LifetimeBenefits
- Affordable
- Low-profile design offers flexibility to install large CPU heatsinks
- Heat dissipation if ideal
- Performance is above-average, especially for gaming
Drawbacks
- Some stability issues reported at higher speeds
Not everyone needs RGB and flashy design – some people would rather get something subtle, where price and performance are the most important aspects. If this sounds like you, the Viper Steel Series kit by Patriot Memory should be your go-to.
On the outside, this is an unassuming RAM kit. The modules come with a silver and black heatsink which is not low profile, but not that tall, either. The heatsink is made to be functional, and it does a good job at keeping the modules cool. Aesthetically, it only has the Viper logo on the side, and that’s about it. And we like it.
When it comes to performance, the kit runs at 3600MHz, with C17 timings. This is pretty great, but you can actually push these kits quite a bit if you’re comfortable with overclocking. Of course, this might cause issues so do it at your own risk, but you can get both higher frequencies, and tighter timings, two things that will impact your CPU’s performance in a not-so-insignificant way.
Overall, sure, the Viper Steel Series kit might not win any aesthetics awards. But it’s going to perform really well, and it won’t set you back too much. Of course, you are making a few compromises to save a few bucks, but as we said – for some people it’ll be worth it.
Final Thoughts
All things considered, while you could probably go with value-oriented RAM for the i7-11700K, we’d still recommend sticking to 3200MHz, or even better, 3600MHz. Of course, do see what fits your budget, but good RAM will go a long way towards better performance and overclocking results.
