This time around we've got a pair of performance Patriot Viper modules and some inexpensive Elixir memory to see which DDR3 kit offers the best package, best performance and best value for money.

For those of your wanting to jump onto the DDR3 bandwagon and ensure they have enough memory for gaming, in this first part we take a look a three reasonably priced 4GB DDR3 kits ranging from 1,600MHz to 1,800MHz and see what's hot, what's fast and if it's good value.

Is 2GB still enough? Does 4GB make that much difference? What about 8GB - will you ever fill it? We test a range of games and applications to see where today's memory footprint lies.

4GB kits are swiftly becoming the choice of gamers and enthusiasts - and since prices have dropped considerably for DDR2, it makes upgrading all that much sweeter. We look at Crucial's new Ballistix Tracer modules, which are now available all in red.