Can you buy DDR5 RAM?

The launch of Intel's 12th-gen Alder Lake chips marked the arrival of DDR5 RAM kits on the market. The next evolution of system memory, DDR5 is faster than DDR4 and at least for now, that comes at a premium. But with AMD Ryzen 7000 as well as Intel 13th Gen now hitting the shelves and benefiting from it, it's worth it.

Is DDR5 RAM available?

Crucial DDR5 memory is available in 8, 16, and 32GB.

Why can't i buy DDR5 RAM?

Manufacturers haven't been able to make as much DDR5 as they'd like, which has resulted in these new memory modules being pretty scarce. When new DDR5 RAM does become available, it often gets snatched up by scalpers using bots.

Why is DDR5 RAM so expensive?

With DDR5 memory modules being popular recently these are priced quite a lot higher compared to DDR4 memory modules. You can expect about 50-70% more for a DDR5 memory module. This extra cost is because of the on-module voltage controller, with the global chip shortage inflating the price even more.

Is DDR5 overkill for gaming?

That's not the case with DDR5, though. It has already matured enough for the bandwidth improvements to overtake the higher latencies compared to DDR4. That means the speed of your DDR5 actually matters for gaming.

Should you upgrade to DDR5?

Is it worth buying DDR5 for gaming?

DDR5 Gaming Performance

Modern processors and memory are more than sufficient for gaming, and the graphics card is the bottleneck in most cases. The DDR5 results clearly showed that. The performance difference in gaming between the two extremes (DDR4-2133 C15 and DDR5-6400 C36) was only around 8%.

Should I buy DDR4 or wait for DDR5?

DDR5 has some issues with heat performance, but it's not anything a well-cooled machine can't handle. DDR4 is a familiar standard found in most computers built since 2015, and the top end will serve you well. However, if you want to future-proof your computer, you should upgrade to DDR5.

How long will DDR5 RAM shortage last?

Due to slowdowns with PC component demand, DDR5 prices have been steadily declining in the past few months. Industry insiders believe that the downward trend will continue into 2023, when the gap between DDR4 and DDR5 prices could be significantly reduced.

How long will DDR5 shortage last?

According to a report by DigiTimes Asia, DDR5 memory prices are expected to plunge in the 2nd half of 2022 and continue to drop in 2023.

Is 32 GB RAM overkill?

32GB of RAM is considered high and is generally overkill for most users. For most everyday use and basic tasks such as web browsing, email, and basic office work, 8GB of RAM is more than enough. Even for gaming or video editing, 16GB is typically sufficient.

Is there a DDR6 RAM?

As of February 2023, DDR6 is confirmed to be in development, with Samsung announcing at its Tech Day that DDR6 is expected to arrive as modules for commercial use in 2025.

Is 16GB DDR5 good for gaming?

16GB is the recommended amount of RAM for playing most games and will provide a noticeable increase in performance from 8GB. You will also be able to run applications in the background without affecting gameplay.

Is it worth upgrading to DDR5 now?

If you choose the more affordable DDR4, you'll get relatively good performance at an affordable price. However, you can expect that newer software and games will take advantage of the faster speed and higher capacity of DDR5 RAM. Because of that, you'll want to upgrade to DDR5 later.

Is it worth getting DDR5 right now?

If you are doing something a bit more memory sensitive and looking towards higher end DDR4 (3600C16 and faster), then DDR5 is generally the better option since it's become cheaper than the high end DDR4 with better performance.

Are DDR5 RAM prices dropping?

The situation now is far and way more palatable than it was when DDR5 first hit the scene, with a new report detailing a massive drop in DRAM spot prices during 2022, affecting both DDR4 and DDR5. The latter is the bigger deal because for some, DDR5 pricing has been a roadblock to building a new PC.

Is DDR5 overkill?

Is DDR5 overkill for gaming? That's not the case with DDR5, though. It has already matured enough for the bandwidth improvements to overtake the higher latencies compared to DDR4. That means the speed of your DDR5 actually matters for gaming.

Why is DDR5 not better than DDR4?

DDR4 still offers the better value when you compare DDR5's marginal performance gains to its notable price hike over DDR4 memory. DDR4's major advantage over DDR5 is its lower latency. Basically, RAM acts like temporary storage for your computer's CPU so it can quickly access tasks it performs on a regular basis.

Will DDR5 make DDR4 cheaper?

Going forward the gaps between DDR4 and DDR5 memory will shrink further, though we do not expect DDR5 to get cheaper than DDR4 any time soon.

Is it worth upgrading from DDR4 to DDR5?

Finally, considering that DDR5 memory kits are still sold at high (often prohibitive) prices, I'd say that in the short term, it's not worth upgrading from DDR4 unless: You're a professional who needs top performance regardless of costs. You want to build a PC based on one of AMD's latest Ryzen 7000 series processors.

Can I put DDR5 RAM in a DDR4 slot?

Conversation. Just to clarify DDR5 is not backwards compatible with DDR4, it's a completely different DIMM slot. There will be DDR4 and DDR5 Alder Lake motherboards, but you have to pick which memory type you want to use, this is very important information for those upgrading.

Will I need a new motherboard for DDR5?

To run DDR5, you'll need a new CPU, a new motherboard, and new RAM.

Is 64 GB RAM overkill?

Is 64/128 GB of RAM Overkill? For the majority of users, it is. If you plan on building a PC purely for gaming and some general, basic, everyday activity, 64 GB of RAM is just too much. The amount of RAM you need will ultimately depend on your workload.

Is DDR5 actually faster?

You can never have enough memory bandwidth, and DDR5 helps feed that insatiable need for speed. While DDR4 DIMMs top out at 3.2 gigatransfers per second (GT/s) at a clock rate of 1.6 gigahertz (GHz), initial DDR5 DIMMs deliver a 50% bandwidth increase to 4.8 GT/s.

Is 8GB DDR5 enough for gaming?

8GB is considered the minimum requirement for effective gaming on PCs. Anything below 8GB of RAM will result in slower performance speed, lackluster graphics settings, and more. Doling out the extra cash for at least 8GB of RAM is well worth it.

What RAM should I buy DDR5?

Choosing the best DDR5 RAM

We think the XPG Lancer is one of the best DDR5 RAM kits on the market right now. You can also consider buying the Corsair Dominator Platinum modules for a high-end build. Those leaning towards a non-RGB kit can check out the G. Skill Ripjaws S5.