I currently have 2x2GB G.Skill RAM with a latency of 8.

How much does latency matter? the lower the better , right? I see a lot of RAM with latency of 9 for sale.

I would like to get 2x4GB to replace what I have.

I am doing this in preparation of what future games might need. And, I would like to get started with Star Citizen, which says 8GB minimum.

Any recommendations?

Thank you

I don't think latency/speed matters nearly as much as capacity. I'm not sure they even matter at all for gaming, actually.

DDR3 I assume? I've been buying the Corsair XMS brand RAM for years and it never failed me. But it doesn't really matter what you buy.

Yeah, the difference is negligible and not really worth considering. Capacity is indeed much more important.

Speed only matters if you have an APU. You say games, so with the usual processor and separate graphics card, CAS 9 and 1333MHz is fine, anything over is seriously diminishing returns: you need a ridiculously powerful system for RAM to be any kind of bottleneck.

The AMD Phenom II series processors are rated to handle DDR3 RAM at up to 1333 MHz.

http://www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/processors/phenom-ii/Pages/phenom-ii-key-architectural-features.aspx

But if you buy 1600 Mhz ram modules with CL9 latency (for example: 2 x 4GB DDR3 1600 MHz Kingston HyperX KHX1600C9D3/4G (with life time warranty not to forget....)

and operate them at 1333Mhz yout latency will be lower. (it will adjusted automatically trough BIOS, if you don't remember the exact latency numbers (for example RAS to CAS and so on))

Beside that your CPU will be syncron to your memory modules, and that's always welcome.

THe main thing to watch also is the Voltage the modules are set to use -- figure 2 things that can get lower quality RAM modules to become mostly stable is to run them at a lower speed - higher latency or higher voltage - so you want to avoid modules that require higher voltages and\or higher latencies than normal modules of that speed rating as it is a sign that the could not pass the normal testing for modules of that speed rating but they were able to pass the tests by using a higher voltage or higher latency testing - and are thus sold as the cheaper modules - but with prices being very close for all of the modules it is best to avoid those modules as they all tend to degrade over time and if the module was already having problems passing the tests at standard voltage and latency chances are they will become unstable even at the higher voltage\latencies as time passes -- spend the extra $5-$10 and get first quality modules instead. (A latency of 8 or 9 is fine but avoid those with latencies of 10 -11 or higher as those really should have been binned to lower speed ratings but the company is trying to sell them at the higher speed rating so up the voltage and\or latency to get marginal modules to pass the testing !! )

Best thing to do is get the best rated modules and highest speed rating that you can get for near the same pricing as other modules (ie. don;t spend twice as much for a slightly higher speed but don't try to save $5-$10 on a 8GB kit by going to a lower speed\ higher latency module) -- Remember the modules can always run at lower speeds and higher latencies than their rating but marginal modules can not be run at higher speeds lower latencies than rated or they would have been marked as such and sold for a few extra $'s !!