Whether you're upgrading your existing machine or building a new gaming computer from the ground up, picking the right RAM is essential to get the best performance out of your machine.

IF you're simply upgrading an existing machine, I'd recommend using Crucial's System Scanner, which will tell you what RAM you need to buy.

If you're building a computer from the ground up, picking the right RAM isn't as easy as simply downloading a tool and running it (heh, your computer isn't complete after all). Instead, you'll need to refer to your motherboards specifications.

So, what you need to do is either look in your motherboards manual, or you can look up the technical specifications online. Essentially, the motherboard will tell you four key pieces of information:

1. Maximum amount of RAM supported per RAM slot
2. Number of RAM slots
3. Supported RAM speeds
4. Support for ECC or Non-ECC RAM

The supported RAM speeds will generally be listed as LL-NNNN; for example: PC-3200, and this would be the type of RAM you would look for. The number of RAM slots is obvious: you can't install 5 sticks of RAM in a motherboard that only holds 4.

The maximum amount of RAM supported per slot will tell you how much memory each stick of RAM can hold; for example, if you motherboard only supports 2GB sticks of RAM in each slot, there's no use in buying a 4GB stick of RAM.

ECC and Non-ECC RAM - I'm not going to explain the difference here, but just make sure you note what your motherboard supports and make sure the RAM you're buying is what your motherboard supports. If your motherboard supports both ECC and Non-ECC, then make sure that if you buy multiple sticks of RAM they are all ECC or Non-ECC - never mix the two.

That's all there is to it, really. The right RAM is actually dictated by what your motherboard says it can handle. If you try to go beyond the capabilities of the motherboard, chances are you're just wasting money.

If you're confused by any of the terminology, or need more help when picking the right gaming computer, Click here to check out Computer Secrets Unleashed.