Key findings
- Gaming performance with DDR4 RAM is still competitive, while DDR5 does not offer any significant improvement.
- A full platform upgrade from DDR4 to DDR5 is still costly and selling your DDR4 build probably won't make you enough money.
- It is better to upgrade your GPU for improved gaming performance than to switch from a DDR4 to a DDR5 system.
It's been a while since DDR5 gaming PCs finally became commonplace. After the initial weeks and months of prohibitively expensive DDR5 motherboards and memory, PC builders could realistically consider spending a little more on the latest generation components. And now pretty much everyone will suggest building a DDR5 PC in 2024, whether you choose Intel's or AMD's AM5 socket.
But what about those who still have a DDR4 gaming PC? AMD changed the game for the better when it launched the legendary AM4 socket in 2017 and even supports it with new CPUs in 2024. Intel didn't respond with long-life sockets, but at least there's both DDR4 and DDR5 support for its 12th, 13th, and 14th generation Core processors.
If you're like me and have a solid Ryzen 5000 or Intel DDR4 gaming build, there's no need to rush into upgrading to a new DDR5 gaming PC, at least not yet.
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4 DDR4 offers plenty of gaming performance
The difference between DDR4 and DDR5 RAM is not big
Let's start with the most important thing – FPS when gaming. If you've looked at the performance numbers of DDR4 and DDR5 RAM in games, you already know that the difference in FPS isn't night and day. For example, a PC with, say, a Ryzen 5 5600X or a Ryzen 7 5700X and 32GB of 3,600 MT/s DDR4 RAM is still pretty powerful for all modern titles. Of course, you'll also need a decent GPU, but that's required even on a DDR5 PC.
Over time, DDR5 will replace DDR4 as the de facto standard, just as DDR4 replaced DDR3, but that time has not come yet.
So from a purely performance perspective, there is no need to jump straight to DDR5 RAM. Games have not yet been able to take advantage of the higher transfer speeds of DDR5 RAM, and in some cases, more stable DDR4 RAM is more suitable. Over time, DDR5 will replace DDR4 as the de facto standard, just as DDR4 replaced DDR3, but that time is not yet here.
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3 A full platform upgrade is still expensive
Considering that the game advantages are not that big
Then comes the cost consideration. DDR5 motherboards and memory have come down significantly in price compared to what they used to be, but that doesn't mean a full platform upgrade isn't expensive now. You have to remember that this isn't your first time building a PC. The question is whether to keep your existing DDR4-based build or upgrade to a DDR5 build.
If you just play, this investment is unlikely to yield big returns and you will probably end up feeling like you have too little money.
The latter includes buying a new motherboard and RAM, and even a processor if you're moving to AM5. For gaming alone, this investment probably won't yield much benefit, and you'll probably end up feeling shortchanged. However, it makes perfect sense to go for the latest generation components if you have an extremely old Ryzen or Intel Core CPU in your system, as the performance boost will be significant. However, for a DDR4 PC with, say, a Ryzen 3000/5000 or a 12th/13th/14th generation Intel processor, there's little reason to upgrade if you're only interested in gaming.
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2 Selling your DDR4 PC is not worth it
It will not significantly offset the cost of a new PC
If you think you can reduce your investment in a DDR5 gaming PC by selling your existing DDR4 build, that might not be the smartest move. The value of PC hardware drops pretty quickly, and in the case of DDR4 motherboards, RAM, and processors, you could be selling a PC that's already around 2-4 years old.
Overall, it's better to hold on to your DDR4 gaming PC for a few more years rather than selling it and upgrading when it's truly outdated.
Despite the promising gaming performance of DDR4-based hardware, the advantages that newer CPUs and memory bring are quite significant in other areas. For example, newer CPUs and memory are clearly leading in professional workloads and thermal efficiency, so the appeal of older hardware suffers another blow.
Overall, it's better to hold on to your DDR4 gaming PC for a few more years rather than selling it and upgrading when it's truly outdated.
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1 A GPU upgrade is better than jumping to DDR5
Upgrading your graphics card brings greater benefits
It is what it is – swapping out your current GPU for a more powerful one will likely give you a far better gaming experience than a platform upgrade. While your CPU is important for gaming, it's not as important as your graphics card. As long as you don't exclusively play CPU-intensive games, you won't be in too much of a bind when upgrading to a newer graphics card.
With a simple GPU upgrade, you can extend the life of your DDR4 gaming PC by several years.
If gaming is your only goal, the money you're planning to spend on a new motherboard, RAM, and possibly a CPU should be invested in a new GPU. A simple GPU upgrade can extend the life of your DDR4 gaming PC by a few years. Even the cost of a new GPU could be less than a full platform upgrade, so you're a winner across the board.
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DDR5 is superior, but DDR4 is not yet irrelevant
When something new comes out, existing technology doesn't (usually) become obsolete overnight. That's exactly what's at play when weighing up DDR4 vs. DDR5 gaming PCs. If you're building a new PC for the first time, or because your current PC is ancient, you should definitely go with DDR5-based hardware. However, if you have a relatively new DDR4 gaming PC, it still has a long lifespan.
Plus, a GPU upgrade is all you need to breathe new life into your existing DDR4 PC. Rather than throwing away your old PC or selling it for a disappointing price, it's better to keep it for a few more years if gaming is your only use case. Upgrading when your system really isn't capable of running the games you want is a much better strategy in my opinion.