Is 32GB ram really needed?
Posted by occt08@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 454 comments
As the title says if I'm building a new PC is 16 ok or is 32 necessary nowadays? For everyday use/gaming
Posted by occt08@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 454 comments
As the title says if I'm building a new PC is 16 ok or is 32 necessary nowadays? For everyday use/gaming
Parking_Raspberry378@reddit
I have a 4090 GPU, Ryzen 9 7900x, and 32GB of teamgroup ddr5 ram. I was trying to see if 64gb of ram would make any difference? Anyone know?
Like-Special@reddit
If there's no any professional workings like editing video or making games etc., 64G is a waste for now.
Smart_Most_1825@reddit
16 GB hatte ich 2010.
WearyPhilosopher7048@reddit
I've inly just upgraded to 16gigs....
Zrkkr@reddit
32 is the new standard. If you can, 32 gb but 16gb is okay but I'm running on 16gb and it gets eaten fast.
z3exd@reddit
"32 is the new standard" what are you yapping about? 16 is the current standard and will remain the standard until 1080p is considered a thing of the past like 720p is.
Supagamma@reddit
32 is definitely the new standard. i see 32 much more often then 16 nowadays, and the jump from 16 to 32 ddr4 is only like $20. most people do more than just one thing at once, and newer games are becoming pretty demanding. even if it’s not the standard now it very quickly is becoming the standard.
z3exd@reddit
I'm yet to find a single game that requires any more than 32 for 1080p. So money aside no 32 is not the new standard it's still no where near being needed at 1080p...
Disposable-Dingus@reddit
With that logic, the standard GPU should be the GTX 1060/rx 480 for 1080p, right? I'd argue this is the absolute minimum for newer titles and even older ones.
Games don't require 32GB of ram, but we're starting to transition. 16GB is still deceny for the most part, but having multiple browser tabs open, music in the background, and a running game, not to mention such a bloated OS like windows is much smoother with more ram. My PC has felt way more responsive going to 32 from 16.
16 isn't unusable, but it's definitely not as comfortable as it once was when we transitioned from the standard of 8gb.
z3exd@reddit
Absolutely not. Try running any AAA title released in 2025 on a 1060, it's not gonna happen. The 1060 is still decent at eSports titles and older games but it's not even going to open doom the dark ages or run oblivion remastered natively
definedsam@reddit
Dude 😭 If im running a game, discord and Nvidia replay im literally chilling at 20gb of used ram. 32 is absolutely the new standard. are you really gonna die on this hill?
z3exd@reddit
Unless you've got 20 tabs open on chrome too or playing a game at 4k then idk how you're managing that. But if you are playing at 4k then your entire setup doesn't count does it because 4k isn't the current standard for resolution in fact it's not going to be for ages. The steam hardware survey was released a couple of days ago and I believe 60% of users or something like that were still on 16gb. So yes it's still the current standard for now at least. Also if your ram is slow that could be why you're using a bit more too.
Disposable-Dingus@reddit
Forgot to mention in my other comment how manufacturers are moving away from less than 16GB sticks for DDR5 (I'll dtill running DDR4), so there's that as well. Try seeing how many 8GB DDR4 sticks there are vs 8GB DDR5.
definedsam@reddit
Yeah i recently got my girlfriend a laptop with 16gb ddr5. She was getting ram hitching lag spikes whenever she played games with discord open while screensharing. So yeah 16gb is "enough" but definitely not ideal nowadays will all the stupid background programs everyone has.
Disposable-Dingus@reddit
I see where you're getting at, yeah I can see the whole 32GB standard being a little overblown if your sole objective is gaming and ONLY gaming NOW (nothing else and no future proofing for the next few years), but a lot of new games genuinely have 16GB as a minimum requirement now, not recommended, so it's strongly recommended to hit that 32GB to be comfortable.
Minimum requirements just a few years back was (generally) the 1060 and before that (generally) 660, but of course playing on minimums isn't great, which is what I'm trying to emphasize.
TheLaughingMannofRed@reddit
16GB DDR4 was what my CPU/MOBO/RAM purchase deferred to back in 2019, and that was coming off of 8GB DDR3 years before.
My rig is definitely feeling the 16GB cap at times, mainly cause of web browser usage. When you have a lot of tabs open, especially when you have a game that has a LOT of stuff implemented that you want to read on, it adds up fast. Otherwise, it's enough for a single game + OS easily.
For my next build, I am definitely going for 32GB DDR5. Mainly because I have a 1440p display and I want to ensure 1440p with 60fps-144fps is manageable.
Jrr313@reddit
You could totally just upgrade to 32 gb of DDR4. I’ve got 32 gb of ddr4 3200 and I play everything at 1440 high/ultra getting 100-165fps depending on the game
AshamedCity5967@reddit
32gig for games. Not needed. You only play 1 game at a time.
32 gig is multitasking. Video editing open 13 different apps.
I regularly use 80% of my 32gig ram. 16gig would be difficult because of how many windows and apps I use and switch between.
Having that much ram means I don’t have to shut anything. Just leave it all open in the background.
TheLaughingMannofRed@reddit
I have cause on my end to do a whole new build because I'm running a 1070 FTW GPU from EVGA from 2016, and some other components are showing their age as well from 2015 or so.
Even if I swap the PSU and GPU out, I am not sure what I can run alongside a Ryzen 7 3700x to stay compliant for 1440p at 60fps-144fps.
SocasNic@reddit
Just max out AM4 with a 5800X3D also, an upgrade for your psu won't be needed since most GPU's now draw half the power. Your CPU is still relevant till today, even a ryzen 5 3600 is still valid today, don't get caught up on the upgrade craze. Maybe post your full parts list alongside with monitor setup and what you wanna play.
TheLaughingMannofRed@reddit
My current unit is basically:
Ryzen 7 3700x (2019) with Noctua air cooler
MSI B450 Tomahawk MAX (2019)
16GB DDR4 Corsair Vengeance (2019)
EVGA GTX 1070 FTW (2016)
Corsair 200R (2014) w/ various fans also that old
EVGA 750w PSU (2016)
Samsung 850 EVO 500GB SSD (2016)
Aside from playing FFXIV, I have recent titles such as Red Dead Redemption 2, Resident Evil 4 Remake, Cyberpunk 2077, Witcher 3, Manor Lords, Baldur's Gate 3, Grand Theft Auto V...
One big issue I have is that when the PC gets under load sometimes, there's coil whine from either the PSU or GPU, which sounds like something is rubbing against the fans. Given the age of both of these, it seemed sound to consider a new build to start fresh.
SocasNic@reddit
The rubbing fan noise probably comes from the case fans that now have tons of dust in their bearings corsair. Coil whine could be from any part, including your motherboard. You can run the system without your GPU to see if it really is the source of coil whine. Upgrade path: 1. ryzen 5 5800X3D (upgrade BIOS first!). 2. Add another 16GB of ram of the same frequency and preferably brand. 3. Spend whatever you want on a GPU (you didn't mention what monitor/s you are running and resolution that you play on). Honourable mention an M.2 Nvme SSD can be a bit snappier if your motherboard supports a Gen 4 nvme go for 1 tb and do a fresh windows install and keep the older ssd for storage.
Another option is to sell your entire pc as is and build a new one from scratch as you said.
CircoModo1602@reddit
Go for the 5700X3D instead, ever since it came out the 5800X3D has lost it's value
Holiday_Bug9988@reddit
I agree with this. My pc had similar specs (3700x/5700xt) and if I could have upgraded to a 5700x3d I definitely would have stayed on AM4. But unfortunately my mobo (Alienware) didn’t support it, so I built a new pc and gave my old one to my son.
Pl4y3rSn4rk@reddit
His Mobo is a B450 so no PCIE 4.0 for him and a good PCIE 3.0 wouldn't make a big difference performance wise (For general use) untill Direct Storage becomes widespread. Still he could get one if he wants a bigger SSD doesn't need cables so it's a tad more convenient.
TheLaughingMannofRed@reddit
Sorry, it's a Dell 1440p display (S2719DGF). 2560x1440 and can support up to 155Hz.
damien24101982@reddit
get 5700x3d should serve you quite some time
NoIndependence8400@reddit
You can handle a 1440p monitor with that rig, and ppl keep telling me my 3070 is not enough for that lol.
Still rocking a 1080p now
Admiral_peck@reddit
Swap the 1070 for a 6700 or 5700 radeon card, huge upgrade I just did, keep the 3700x for a bit, upgrade the RAM and that tiny SSD (or add a second and keep it as a boot drive. You now have a system that can play anything out now in 1080p 60fps and can play most games in 1440p low at 60 fps. The cpu will become slightly restrictive with a 6700 probably, but a 5700 or 5800 CPU, especially an X3D variant would be a great upgrade and definitely be considered current, being in the running against the lower end 7000 series GPU's and beating the 8000 series GPU's.
BottleRude9645@reddit
If you want to spend 800-1k get a 5700x3D, 32gb of ram, and new GPU (7900gre, 4070s, 7900xt, 4070ti super) If you have a 2k budget, though, build a new rig on with DDR5 specs.
ShucklePerrish@reddit
I had the same cpu sine release, just upgraded to a 5700x3d last week, as i have an rtx 3080 and the 3700x was a real bottleneck in some titles. Hope i can skip am5 and go for am6 this way.
Pl4y3rSn4rk@reddit
Sincerelly I'd say you're fine until then, the R7 5700X3D is much faster than the current consoles CPUs (Save some oddball games with terrible optimization).
Lilshredder187@reddit
I second this, I have a Ryzen 5 3600 and it still runs everything pretty solid on a 1080p monitor without any issues. The only games I couldn't run on max settings was cyberpunk and helldiver. I have been reading that a new chip set is due out fairly soon so just hold off for now. If you do you can either get a newer chipset or you can get the older ones heavily discounted. My potential upgrade is going to be a 5700x I found one for $180 on Amazon it's super tempting.
HavocInferno@reddit
Or a 5700X3D, which in some regions costs about a third less and is like 5% slower.
Antique_Paramedic682@reddit
5800X3D is AM4 "maxed out?" *laughs in 5950x*
Good gaming CPU though, no doubts about that.
SocasNic@reddit
I mean, the computing power of the 5800X3D is anything anyone will ever need for a home system. Add that to maximum power consumption of 120W (typically 60-90W) and you have a kickass system that's not a room heater and that does impact your electricity bills positively. In my opinion anything more than that is an absolute overkill and pure waste of money.
Ok_Bowler7910@reddit
I have the 7000 X 3-D and I don't see the need to upgrade anything anytime soon along with the 3070s at 1080P 240
Antique_Paramedic682@reddit
Agreed regarding price and what most people will ever need. I got one for $250 last year. The two chips have identical TDP of 105W and max PPT of 142W, btw.
glfpunk72@reddit
This is what I did. Got that gpu after I was lucky enough to get a 3090 shortly after launch. I figure this will be fine for another couple of generations. I added 16gb of ddr4 at the time as well so I'm on 4 sticks of 8gb on my mobo. My buddy is still going strong with a 2070S, 3600x, and 16gb of ddr4. He only has 1 monitor though and is just running a game and discord at one time.
jacksonwallburger@reddit
Yeah I did a full new build end of last year after using a 6700k and 1060 6gb since 2016 lol
Lefthandpath_@reddit
Same, but I had an i5 7600k, went to an 7600x with 32gb ram and a 4070s and got a 1440p monitor, the upgrade in gaming is insane, its like a whole different experience xD.
DiggingNoMore@reddit
My 6700k and 1080 from 2016 will continue to press on. Got hold out for that sweet, sweet RTX 5080.
Admiral_peck@reddit
You can drop in a 5800x3d, and that will bring you to very current gaming levels. The 3700x is actually a great CPU still for most new games
GodBearWasTaken@reddit
for fun I tried throwing a 4080S into a 3700x build (3600MHz C15 ram, 2x16GB) and it did very well with 32:9 1440p gaming for all titles I tried at least. Not too much worse than my other 7800X3D build, surprisingly enough.
TheLaughingMannofRed@reddit
Maybe I should go for a 4070 Super or a PowerColor 7900 GRE then. Setup to swap out the PSU as well, and increase the RAM from 16GB to 32GB. Worst case scenario is I'll have a PSU and GPU I can repurpose for another PC.
Did it feel like the 3700x had real obvious bottleneck with the 4080S?
GodBearWasTaken@reddit
Not really, but remember that my test was 32:9 and not 16:9. it is a considerable difference between these ratios.
Even my gtx 1080 has me cpu bound with either cpu in csgo, while max graphic settings Forza Horizon made me get similar fps with 3700x and 7800x3d with the 4080S
So it will depend on your usecase.
I’d say to try a new GPU + 32GB ram and if it doesn’t cut it for you, then you can slap the 1070 back and build a new system with the new gpu you got.
If you had been a bit strapped for cash, I would have suggested going 5700X3D as your next upgrade step instead of a new build if you feel like the old stuff is too weak after upgrading the gpu, as the 5700x3d is still a good chip and often cheap, but if you can afford it, having an am5 system feels nice, knowing you can probably in place upgrade for a while onwards.
1070 + 3700x + 32GB ram at least sell well here. I don’t know how your market is though.
gs87@reddit
Update to 5700X3D and 4070 Super will let you play 1440p at 60fps without a sweat. May even last for 5 years +
XXeadgbeXX@reddit
Same...I'm still rocking DDR4 on all my PC's.
the_hat_madder@reddit
I second this. DDR4 is super economical. Just add 16GB more if your motherboard supports it or upgrade to 32GB if not.
The_Crows_Reddit@reddit
the only game that has a noticeable difference in performance using ddr5 at this current stage is Escape From Tarkov. And that's because their map loading process is a resource/memory hog and unoptimised.
teemusa@reddit
I just upgraded my build to 7800X3D and 2x24GB 6000MHz DDR5. 48GB just as an effort to keep a bit ahead from demand
Ok_Requirement_9779@reddit
no its not the new standard. 16gb is still perfectly fine but 32gb will become the new standard in the next 5 years
Zrkkr@reddit
copy and paste
I heavily disagree. Games are taking more and more ram and decent monitors have become quite cheap so multitasking is more viable. While I agree 16gb is fine for most people right now, 32gb is where gaming and the PC market is going and it's better to buy the extra RAM if you can.
Looking at the market too, on PCPartsPicker there are 300 avalible 16gb options for DDR5, there are 900 2x16gb options and most modern parts list have 2x16 gb.
You also wouldn't reccomend anyone have 8gb of ram and it's been that way for a while so 16gb is the minimum. But we know 16gb is not too far for being too much for triple A games and triple A games (optimized or not) set the new requirements.
https://youtu.be/mklCPWNyJC0?si=wjeJzZi8uy6lTRpD
We are at just before the threshold of games regularly using more than 16gb.
Ok_Requirement_9779@reddit
i wouldn't recommend anyone building a new gaming pc to get 16gb but people having 16gb ram right now are not outdated.
i have 2 monitors and 16gb ram, the pc is about 4 years old. Its all perfectly fine for my pc as i play on 1080p and the only times i face some sort of setbacks is when i play hogwarts legacy, fallen order or similar games that take a ton of ram (many of which are unoptimized) in which case i must close my chrome because chrome itself for me takes like 3gb of ram, so i do have to close it.
But having to close chrome to save ram happens in only a small percentage of games i played and i play many new titles, besides its not that big of an issue for me either. Its just chrome. Other than that the 16gb ram for me is perfectly sufficient
If someone is getting a new pc right now then definitely 32gb as this is future proof. But taking 16gb now and then upgrading to 32gb later isnt that bad either but it also depends of course if someone wants to play 1080p or higher
Zrkkr@reddit
Never said it was outdated, I said the trend is clear that 32gb is the new standard and more games will start to use over 16gb.
BigBoyJakoo@reddit
wikis open while gaming is real, gotta do smth while in queue
repocin@reddit
I went for 32GB when I built my current PC back in 2016 or whatever and it's starting to reach the point where not even that is enough anymore (had to re-enable swap recently because I had some weird crashes that turned out to be lack of memory) so I'm definitely going higher the next time around.
looopious@reddit
100%. 2023 had a lot of games that required 16GB for 1080p. Some people argue they were okay with 16GB playing those games but I think it comes down to them sacrificing running any background apps while gaming.
_Imposter_@reddit
I'm not sure I really get this argument, 16gb is still fine, the only time I've ever even come close to capping that out is when playing heavily modded Minecraft.
With that said I don't necessarily play super intensive games, most intensive is like, 40k Darktide or Elden Ring, but still no issues in either of those.
It's never bad to have the leeway especially since the price difference is like $40 or something now, but to argue 32gb is the new minimum or standard is a bit much.
Zrkkr@reddit
I heavily disagree. Games are taking more and more ram and decent monitors have become quite cheap so multitasking is more viable. While I agree 16gb is fine for most people right now, 32gb is where gaming and the PC market is going and it's better to buy the extra RAM if you can.
Looking at the market too, on PCPartsPicker there are 300 avalible 16gb options for DDR5, there are 900 2x16gb options and most modern parts list have 2x16 gb.
You also wouldn't reccomend anyone have 8gb of ram and it's been that way for a while so 16gb is the minimum. But we know 16gb is not too far for being too much for triple A games and triple A games (optimized or not) set the new requirements.
https://youtu.be/mklCPWNyJC0?si=wjeJzZi8uy6lTRpD
We are at just before the threshold of games regularly using more than 16gb.
Cautious_Village_823@reddit
Eh I'd argue the same way we had 8/16 back in the day with 8 being bare minimum and 16 being a solid standard, 16 is now bare minimum and 32 is a solid standard.
Like I agree 32gb is NOT needed for a lot of scenarios we still quote people 16gb machines depending on the scenario. But 16 is kind of now minimum, there's a difference between the minimum recommended and what's considered a new "standard." I look at it kind of like the "minimum" and "recommended" specs when looking at a game or apps hardware requirements.
MinimumWade@reddit
The other day I check my RAM usage on my new build running Elden Ring, a twitch stream and a few other background apps and it was using 16.1GB, justifying my decision to buy 32 GB.
ThatOnePerson@reddit
If you're just looking at total RAM usage though, unused ram is wasted ram, so your OS will cache more data in RAM instead of evicting it to swap.
passerbyalbatross@reddit
Unused ram is spare ram
MinimumWade@reddit
I was kinda joking in my response but I'm curious as to what you mean.
Are you saying if the computer has less RAM to work with it will be more efficient with what's available but when RAM is abundant, it doesn't care too much for efficiency.
ThatOnePerson@reddit
It's more that efficiency isn't the right word for it because unused ram isn't using any more power or anything. So you're not wasting anything by keeping programs you've closed in ram in case they're open again. Because then it's faster to load the program from RAM rather than reading it off your disk again.
MinimumWade@reddit
Yeah that makes sense. I guess I meant efficient in terms of doing as much as possible with the least amount of resources but you're correct in that efficiency isn't really the right term here because is it really efficiency when you're not using the resources available to you?
Mammoth-Access-1181@reddit
I think he's saying if your system has more RAM, the OS will cache more in RAM than your local storage. Which is what the OS would do if it didn't have enough RAM. Local storage is always slower than RAM.
angleHT@reddit
If you need to chop $20-30 off a build you can definitely get by on 16gb. I had 2x8 =16 gb ddr4 so I felt like bumping up to 4x8=32 would be cheap easy upgrade. I only saw a 10-15 fps gain. My games that were using 15ish gb bumped up to 17-20gb of usage in demanding games like helldivers 2. I don't think you'll really notice it too much of a difference.
Zrkkr@reddit
It's not really about raw performance, it's about multitasking. Multitasking is faster with more RAM if you use more than 16gb.
libra-love-@reddit
And if you do anything else. Photoshop, Illustrator, and inDesign eat my ram
Terrapin2190@reddit
I'm doing okay with 2x8GB DDR3-1600, but running Win10 with an i7-4790 and GTX 1080. The most demanding games I play are probably RDR2, No Man's Sky, and Doom. I'm guessing NMS and RDR2 might benefit from some extra RAM, but really no complaints so far.
DottorInkubo@reddit
How is RDR2 running on that build?
Terrapin2190@reddit
I found a GTX 1070 graphics setting guide on Steam Discussions and it runs perfectly that way. Since the guide was based on GTX 1070 and I have a 1080 it left a little wiggle room for increasing global illumination and other settings. I tweaked them a bit and left my settings in a comment on that page.
I'm able to run it at 1080p/60fps most of the time - outside of Horsehoe Overlook, Valentine, and Strawberry which see some frame drops here and there. And that's with 2K Characters and Villains textures, GunFX, several other mods and ReShade.
fredgum@reddit
This video will give you a detailed answer: https://youtu.be/mklCPWNyJC0?si=pKAQBFWi8XkC4u_n
Rand0m_B0yo@reddit
If only the 'new standard' 'AAA' games were actually worth it
Ill_Possibility7953@reddit
I get downvote for saying AAA games today are not optimized and worth it.... get laugh said go to work poor kid. I am from third world country and a used medium GPU cost me 6months salary<without any spending. Now imagine a brand new GPU.
DiabeticButNotFat@reddit
I was 100% expecting to get Rick rolled
d_bradr@reddit
Learn the last 5 characters of the link. Sure somebody may get you with a reupload, but the chances are low
Pure-Still-9150@reddit
Gotta learn to look for the
dQin the video ID.DiabeticButNotFat@reddit
I see you’ve been gotten too many times
occt08@reddit (OP)
Thank you this is pretty helpful
ju5tntime@reddit
If like me you might multibox 32gb isn’t shit. I’m pissed at them for capping us like that. Total stupid-clown move.
tournapart@reddit
In some instances yes, even bg3 cranked all the way up creeps up to 24gb of use when I’m playing. I have a 7800x3d/4090/64gig setup
Shadow_1106@reddit
I'm gonna say no, unless you're doing productivity work.
I've played the most demanding games (TLoU Part 1, Starfield, etc.) and not once have I even used my full 16GB RAM; nor have I even come close to doing so.
If you plan to do anything like video editing, 3D modelling, etc. Sure, you can never have enough. But if it's for gaming or general use, no need.
GoldkingHD@reddit
16gb if you are on a really tight budget. Otherwise 32gb is the new standard.
16gb don't really make sense with ddr5 anyway.
That's for gaming. If you have any more serious productivity workloads then you would probably benefit from more and i guess you would already know then.
daanos60@reddit
16gb is almost always more expensive or you can't even find it for ddr5
Icedwhisper@reddit
It's times like this that I'm happy I live near microcenter. 80$ for 32gigs, $50 for 16. $400 for i9 bundle with 32gig ram.
daanos60@reddit
If i was you i would just buy a 7700x or 7800x3d bundle
CircoModo1602@reddit
For gaming sure, for productivity the i9 is a better choice
Icedwhisper@reddit
I already have the i9 bundle. I've heard that the AMD bundle had some stability issues with the ram. Besides, 7700x was same price as the i9 bundle so I figured I need more cores for the work I do so went with i9 instead
looopious@reddit
Yup, people don't realise that 16GB is slowly going away with DDR5 pushing for 32GB as standard.
Ok-Hospital-2050@reddit
Gaming: For decent amount of games 16gb is not enough already. I would say those games optimisation struggles. But mist games still ok, and if you left space for upgrade its cool, you can use 16 for about 2-3 years still. Games you need 16+ are : Rust, Tarkov(shittiest optimisation ever).
Programming: For backend specific you should have 32, because only running few docker containers will eat 10+ gb ram
z3exd@reddit
Anyone who's saying 32gb is the new standard is talking nonsense. 8gb is still enough for low-mid end 720p and 1080p gaming. 16GB is completely fine for pretty much any game on 1080p and a large selection of games at 1440p and even entry level 4k gaming. I have a laptop with an RTX 3070 and 16gb of ram and I can play literally any game I like without any problems.
Atryaz_25609@reddit
Start with 16, upgrade to 32 if you feel you need it
discreti0n@reddit
I just had to upgrade to 32gb of ddr4 from 16gb just so the game rust wouldn’t crash when loading in. Not a great example because it’s known as being unoptimized, but I also noticed better performance in other games.
Old_Pension1785@reddit
You'd be surprised at how far even 8gb will go, but if you want all bases covered, 32gb is the sweet spot
JTRO94@reddit
Yes it is.
Pianispopular@reddit
32 is good, but 16 is enough
Professional_Tea8177@reddit
For best balanced result 32gb is recommended over 16gb. I play game at ultra settings on 1080p monitor and most modern games will use around 12.8gb to 16.8gb. If you use 16gb ram then it might cause random bottleneck and fps drop.
For workstation retaled stuff i use Adobe Lightroom and it quickly goes above 16gb. The apps frequently crashed back then when i used to have 16gb ram.
Hope this help.
Denziiey@reddit
RAM is very affordable nowadays 32GB is standard for a serious gaming rig.
TheOneAndOnlySenti@reddit
16GB is now the bare minimum. 32 as the standard. Anything more is overkill. For about 3 years at this rate.
BluDYT@reddit
Ram is cheap. And many games use more than 16gb now.
Crinkez@reddit
People who say 16GB is fine are coping hard. I find 32GB isn't even enough sometimes. Luckily I have 128GB. It's a no brainer to get at least 32GB, memory is cheap these days.
Memes_have_rights@reddit
Please gnore all the comments. Redditors either are really rich or just need an expensive conputer for some reason.
As long as you are 12 or 16gb you can play any game at a good level (sorry no 4k 200fps on a massive tv tho)
Embarrassed-West5322@reddit
32 is recommended, bust most games still only need 16. Id suggest going with 32 anyways because 16 will probably not be enough before too long
Alarming-Coat5224@reddit
I tell you this, I play Rust, not a high graphic demand game, but normal gameplay is 24GB/27GB ram depending on the server you are playing
Neither-Stretch-7098@reddit
I would just do 32gigs, it’s way way more advantageous nowadays and you won’t be sorry
wakeupdreaming@reddit
It depends on your usage. Do you game while having a lot of browser windows open? Do you regularly have hundreds of browser windows open at any one time? Do you have a high end rig? Personally I already go straight to 32GB dual channel kits because I've tracked my usage during all scenarios. Ever since I've went to 32GB, I tried seeing if I could max it out and the most I got was abour 24GB usage according to HWinfo64.
If you have a budget rig, no need, just do 16GB. If you have a performance oriented rig and have spent some good money, sure go 32GB.
CristoffBaloc@reddit
Well I dunno about most guys, but my chrome gets up to 20GB of ram from time to time, so my 32GB gets easily choked if I launch some other ram intensive application. I do work with simulation on my pc, in parallel to using chrome. So I need to pay attention and a quick end process for chrome and reopening of the last session will get its ram usage down. In other words I do look forward to 64GB.
CristoffBaloc@reddit
Well I dunno about most guys, but my chrome gets up to 20GB of ram from time to time, so my 32GB gets easily choked if I launch some other ram intensive application. I do work with simulation on my pc, in parallel to using chrome. So I need to pay attention and a quick end process for chrome and reopening of the last session will get its ram usage down. In other words I do look forward to 64GB.
Sevxn77@reddit
I was looking at the ddr5 ram at surprisingly Walmart of all places… they have gpus and other components now, but I was like dang I’d love to have ddr5 RAM!
I’ve had ddr4 before but I’d imagine ddr5 and 32gb of it feels very efficient!
Benki500@reddit
ddr4 is actually faster than ddr5 for now, this will likely change within 2years and most newer cpu's only use ddr5 slots
but if someone doesn't intend to upgrade to a new cpu for 1-2years then adding more ddr4 ram is a smart choice
KLWMotorsports@reddit
This isn't true at all. 5 has better 7zip decompressions, ECC and bandwidth, it is faster but not by much because other components aren't up to par yet with 5. But saying 4 is faster is just a straight up lie. If people are using it for editing or rendering it is much better than 4. Gaming you won't notice a difference but its still better.
Benki500@reddit
yea I phrased it wrong, 4 vs 5 won't make a difference in gaming FOR NOW
0llis1211@reddit
16gb works (speaking of experience) but 32gb is becoming the new norm
KingOfCotadiellu@reddit
Needed, no, 16 is OK. But if you can spend a little extra (if we're talking DDR4 it's just like 30 extra), go for 32 and be future proof.
Or, if you're motherboard has 4 slots, buy 2x 8GB now and put an extra 2x 8GB in later.
iammoney45@reddit
Mixing sets like that can cause issues, especially on AMD, so be mindful of that. Usually it's ok but you can have issues with XMP.
Seirazula@reddit
With DOCP* as you talk about AMD
iammoney45@reddit
My gigabyte x570 mobo calls it XMP
Seirazula@reddit
Because you're using an Intel proc aren't you ?
I had the DOCP with a Gigabyte B450 mobo / R5 2600
iammoney45@reddit
Idk man, it came that way. It's an x570 am4 mobo from gigabyte
Seirazula@reddit
okay okay
HavocInferno@reddit
DOCP is an ASUS branding and is just applying XMP profiles anyway. AMD calls it EXPO with DDR5, or AMP for DDR4 and older. But almost no kits had official AMP profiles, so it was just whatever the mobo manufacturers called it.
Lopsided_Gas_181@reddit
Nowadays it's enough to fill all 4 slots to have issues with XMP.
iZealot86@reddit
I’ll only do two sticks. Adding two more, even identical, will slow down your overall speed, but you’ll still have that greater capacity. Probably talking nickels and dimes though but my tests showed a decrease.
occt08@reddit (OP)
Ohhhh that's also good to know
KingOfCotadiellu@reddit
yeah, should've added that. Done
Outrageous-Sound-188@reddit
Depends if you are doing a heavy load or not. My laptop has 32 gb ddr4 and when Chrome is running with 190 open tabs, RAM usage is at "only" 11 GB. If you are a normal user not doing any heavy load or not playing demanding games, 16 gb is so far good enough, but as other users are saying, 32 gb is the new standard.
No-Calligrapher-3513@reddit
Yes
d_bradr@reddit
For everyday use and gaming 16 is still fine. Sure, you can find a few games where you'll say "HAH GOTCHA this needs more than 16" but for the vast majoruty you're fine with 16
But if you're building a DDR4 PC you may as well get 32 because it can be cheap depending where you live and if you're dropping all the money for DDR5 you may as well get 32
KamenGamerRetro@reddit
16 is starting to be the min for good quality, going 32 allows for breathing room and other operations of the PC
32 is the standard now.
Ssenseiii@reddit
16GB is still enough 90% of the time, but considering how cheap RAM is nowadays, getting 32GB for the extra head space is something to seriously consider.
TwitchyBald@reddit
Ram is cheap nowadays, go for 32gm.
Wolfling5@reddit
I would go for 64 GB.
I myself was hesitating to maybe even go for 128 GB, but I decided to go for 64 GB, as it will take quite long before 128 GB is needed.
Private62645949@reddit
Get a single 16gb stick, see how you go, add another later if needed.
alienking321@reddit
I single 16 gig stick will give you half the bandwidth since its not running dual channel. 2x8 would be much better.
occt08@reddit (OP)
That's what I'm thinking, 16 for now 😅
xaiur@reddit
Lot of people saying “it’s great it’s nice” but the reality is, if you have to ask you most likely don’t need 32gb ram.
KadesChaos@reddit
honestly it depends what you play! if you love heavily modded minecraft or want to try it on this new rig, go for 32 if you have the money! but 16 should be totally fine as well! if your motherboard supports DDR5 RAM then go for 32 as it will be cheaper than 16gb DDR5 RAM for some reason. i had 16gb in my PC for about 3 years and it worked great! then i got super into giant modpacks, i'm talking 500+ mods, so I upgraded to 32 for the heavier workload!
Murky-Fruit3569@reddit
if you gotta ask, well, you will most likely be fine with 16gb. If you keep the same pc more than 3-4 years, better go for 32gb. But again, if you really have no idea why you need 32gb of ram, then you wont use it in 95% of your use, with the 5% being something that you wont even realize (like +2 fps in hogwarts legacy lmao)
ValuableEmergency442@reddit
I run 16GB and game on a midrange sort of thing 3060ti & Ryzen 5800X playing at 1440p and obviously game settings set to reflect that. I only do gaming and a bit of internet browsing, no work, video editing or any of that on it and I have never maxed the 16GB. I'm not even thinking that I'll upgrade it soon.
AmpereArch@reddit
For now probably 16 will be ok but next 3 4 year you will be need 32
sopcannon@reddit
I got steam open, four windows open, vpn running and i am using 7.2gb of 32gb or memory.
dropdeaddaddy69@reddit
I’m a 128 man myself but I would say 32 is the new 16. Some games can really push up there to the high 14s low 15s.
Necessary-Anywhere92@reddit
Really depends, you can get away with 16gb if you're on a budget and going ddr4 but for ddr5 I don't even think I've ever seen a 16gb kit.
I would upgrade ram to 32 gb on a budget before overspending on aesthetically pleasing components though.
Durfael@reddit
16 is ok but 32 is good to future proof your pc
fukflux@reddit
I got 32gb ddr5 and I wouldn't mind 64gb 🤣 just to future proof...
banditscountry@reddit
Depends on your monitor and use case. For me I like to watch youtube or hulu on a second screen 3440x1440, main is a 4k 240hz alienware. I have 64GB DDR5 so any bottleneck I blame on the 4090
classicap192@reddit
Probably but it depends on ram type etc
JudgeCheezels@reddit
If you’re building new, you might as well go 32GB. There is no reason to go 16 when the price difference isn’t even that significant.
iPanes@reddit
Windows will use as much ram as it can, and benefits from it. Having more ram is better, but not necessarily needed. If you are constantly over 85%, you need more ram.
Now on the other hand, 16 is falling short for me lately. 24 feels like the sweet spot
firedrakes@reddit
Just wait for when 64gb is the standard
EvilDan69@reddit
My system at home has 64GB.
With chrome, and apps for my keyboard, cam, mouse and other stuff running like discord, I'm usually between 12GB used at all times, and up to 20GB without an actual big game running.
Windows 10 pro 64 bit.
I have tons of hard drive space and a 20 core processor as well, so yeah, I'd recommend 32GB for the minnimum
stonktraders@reddit
Here’s what I have over the years: 2010 - 16GB 2016 - 32GB 2020 - 64GB 2022 - 128GB
varysbaldy@reddit
Some games require 32GB of RAM for ultra textures setting, like Call to Arms: Gates of Hell
ziatzev@reddit
With how good some of the Ryzen APUs have gotten, I think it is absolutely justified since they share system memory of that's the route your going to go. Otherwise it is just a future proofing measure, we are starting to see saturation of 16GB in gaming and other heavy tasks but stuff is still usable with how fast NVME ssds are so you don't get the swap hit as hard as we did back in the day of spinning metal. That will only get worse as we march forward though.
Lem1618@reddit
You Need LESS RAM Than You Think...
ATOJAR@reddit
I recently popped an extra 2 sticks in my system totalling 32GB system memory. To be honest 16GB felt fine also it's it's nice knowing I have all the extra headroom.
I recently swapped out my 5600X and RX 6750 XT for a 5800X3D and NITRO+ RX 7800 XT as well as adding that extra 16GB RAM, I plan on skipping AM5 and holding out for AM6.
Delicious_Cattle3380@reddit
For me playing any game at 16gb has been more than enough, if you have lots of tabs or apps open this would change. But I'm organised therefore only ever have open what I require at the time.
looopious@reddit
That very inaccurate to say "any game". Hogwarts Legacy sold more than Baldurs Gate 3 even though Baldurs Gate 3 won in almost every category. Hogwarts Legacy recommends 16GB for 1080p and 32GB for 1440p and 4k.
Delicious_Cattle3380@reddit
It's not inaccurate if it's true. I've played any game with 16gb.
looopious@reddit
That’s not possible for games that require 16GB. Your list of games does not apply to what OP is asking.
Delicious_Cattle3380@reddit
OP said is 16gb OK for everyday use and gaming.
Yes it is. I play both games you mentioned on 16gb, so it's neither wrong or inaccurate.
looopious@reddit
Did you purposely ignore the "is 32GB necessary" part? #2GB is very necessary if you don't only want to run the game. All the essential background apps will max out the ram as well. You must not be running on ultra if you're saying 16GB is enough. Devs saying 16GB is not a suggested number.
Anyways, top comment suggests 32GB which is more true.
Delicious_Cattle3380@reddit
It isn't necessary. I also made clear you would need 32gb if you have loads of apps open, maybe you should look in the dictionary what necessary means.
buildapc-ModTeam@reddit
Hello, your comment has been removed. Please note the following from our subreddit rules:
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RickyRod26@reddit
I realized when I was playing COD black ops 4 on 16gb that my pc would run out of ram. I don't like to have to micro manage what I have open so I said f it and got 32gb.
itjohan73@reddit
I use 64gb
V3semir@reddit
Just for gaming? 16 GB is adequate. People who need 32 GB have usually 100+ browser tabs open at all times, that's why they struggle.
frafzan@reddit
16gb is ok but with 32gb its just worry free you. I mean you dont have to think whether your memory enough or not whether you can multitasking or not. You can do those as well with 16gb but 32gb is a worry free experience
Uchihaaaa3@reddit
Buy one 16GB stick and get the other one later if you're on a tight budget.
Saul_SadMan@reddit
I've been on 8gb, which wasn't great at all, on 16gb it was better since i had alot of memory but still not enough for discord and a AAA game, now i'm on 32gb ddr5, so far it's good it has been 3 days with no issues of memory
Tawnik@reddit
you're way behind man 64gb isnt really that far away from being the norm now...
PralineGold6868@reddit
Okay I’m in the minority cause I really haven’t been able to fill 16gb ram. Never.
sfw_acct1011@reddit
There's absolutely no reason not to go with 32GB if you are rocking a mid-range+ build (3060Ti+?), especially since going from 16GB to 32GB is only 50% more in cost.
idetectanerd@reddit
In 00s/2010s it’s too much and too expensive. Currently? No, it’s cheap and basic.
Heck, it used to cost me 200 for 2x 8mb edo ram in the 90s. Nowadays it’s one of the cheapest components in pc. Just get 32
BigManBerni@reddit
If youre hesitating about it youre probably on a budget,and to that id say just get 16 and upgrade in a year or so. But if you dont have a budget just get 64 gigs so you dont have to worry about it for like 10 years id say.
ShaMana999@reddit
32 is a minimum, while I would recommend 64 at this point. 16 is for mobile devices with limited use.
looopious@reddit
To preface 1080p is still the most popular resolution to play in. If you want to go any higher, many games require 16gb ram. So if you don't have 32gb you won't be able to run anything in the background.
xCaZx2203@reddit
I have 16, but I wish I had 32.
TheEmeraldSunset@reddit
If you have the xtra budget then go with 32. But I have 16 and it runs just fine for me. So overall, 16 is fine but 32 is better
AlexStavru@reddit
I work as a video editor so I “may” be biased, but yeah, you need 32.
tommyboy1978@reddit
100% pc runs fine with 16 but 32 makes a big difference.
Quick-Professor-3986@reddit
I would definitely go for 32 GB especially if you are looking forward to playing games. Rust uses up to 18 GB on my pc. I had to upgrade after 3 years to get better performance on my PC ( i have r5 3600 and gtx 1650). If you don't really Play intense games or don't play them at all then 16 will be more than enough.
Popular-Analysis-127@reddit
If you're getting DDR5, then there is a significant bandwidth difference with 16 vs 32 GB due to the density and organization of the memory chips on the DIMMs.
Zerlaz@reddit
So DDR5 16GB performs worse than 32GB even without capacity problems? That's new to me.
Popular-Analysis-127@reddit
https://www.techspot.com/article/2528-cheap-ddr5
"However, the 16Gb DDR5 x16 memory chips featured on 8GB DDR5 modules halve the banks to 16, which is the same number typically used by DDR4 memory. This will reduce memory bandwidth and can negatively influence performance"
Zerlaz@reddit
Interesting!
Groundbreaking-Map95@reddit
16 gb is enough by today standards, invest in other parts such as gpu because 4 gb is getting old, or processor,
VoidNinja62@reddit
Did you know Windows will now show cached ram?
I played a 20 GB game off an HDD that would load instantly the second time from RAM. Because 32 GB is nice like that.
You always need more RAM.
citrus-hop@reddit
If you are using a Linux distro, 16gb is more than enough even for heavier games. I don’t know on Windows.
MrInitialY@reddit
Common folk gaming 16 is enough for now. 32 is worth it if you're into new AAA games or run local game server/play economy strategies/do some RAM-heavy work.
I'm playing Cities and running local Minecraft server, so my 64gigs is barely enough sometimes. Gonna buy 96 when upgrading to am5 this fall
AlfaNX1337@reddit
My second PC used by my younger sibling. He has Firefox for yt video, 1 steam game, and 1 bluestack, easily hit 14gb out of 16gb.
Since it's a dead-end platform, I opted to go for 2x32gb ddr4.
Puiucs@reddit
16 is the minimum for decent gaming and 32 is the new high end standard.
HardeyPro@reddit
Depends what you do:) i play rust and playing on 16gb was barely possible, upgraded to 32 and even now just rust alone uses 20+gb of ram
RovakX@reddit
No. I’ve had 16 until a few weeks ago and never ran into a limit there for everyday use/gaming. I have upgraded for video transcoding to 32. Except in transcoding, I have noticed 0 difference in performance.
The PC doesn’t boot faster, I don’t get more fps in games, loading times are the same, my browser just hugs more ram and is not noticeably more performant.
FarConstruction4877@reddit
It’s cheap, helps u with some games like tarkov and 3D rendering etc while letting u keep tabs open etc
NinJesterV@reddit
Not strictly necessary, but why not? RAM is cheap and 32Gb will future-proof your PC for a while.
Any_March943@reddit
As a previous 8gb ddr4 laptop gamer, to a 32gb ddr5 desktop gamer, I don't see my ram getting filled up entirely. It does hit 22gb sometimes with Google/youtube running and playing a game, but that also includes multiple background apps.
32 gb is recommended, 16 should be fine
Scanoe@reddit
https://imgur.com/a/sFH8DGi
A screenshot from the game Atlas (Steam), over 28gb System RAM in use. Atlas always uses a Ton a Ram when first logging in, it will slowly decrease to the point where 20'ish gb Ram & 10'ish Vram will be used.
WholeEmbarrassed950@reddit
No offense but this looks like a game from 20 years ago. Like a pirate themed area in EverQuest or something. What is all of that ram actually doing?
Scanoe@reddit
"What is all of that ram actually doing?"
Not exactly sure, Atlas isn't exactly optimized, but i have as well see Star Citizen cause over 28gb Ram use on numerous occasions.
Btw Atlas is by the makers of ARK: Survival, Atlas was going to be an Expansion of ARK but they decided to make it a standalone instead (Launched Dec. 2018). Sad times now though, it is becoming apparent that Grapeshot Games may have abandoned Atlas.
AgentWesson@reddit
Damn I’ve played a few that had 18-20gb usage but 28 phew.
Cautious_Village_823@reddit
I mean unused ram is wasted ram, if you had 32 windows would find a way to send it where it could be used.
This isn't an argument that extra RAM can't be helpful but more that people are running a 32gb machine and saying SEE LOOKIT! RAM USAGE! but in general if you have more RAM windows will try to find a way to use it.
More saying if you are on 16gb ram many of these games won't try hitting the same levels of RAM, which could result in some performance loss but not as much as you might see based off the numbers and stats showing "half the physical RAM available." Cuz my browsers can easily eat 20+ GB of my RAM themselves but those same browsers also run on my 16gb laptop with similar usage. My desktop >>> my laptop lol but to say it's not like at 16gb I'm like OH NOOOO MY LAPTOP DOESNT HAVE ENOUGH RAAAAMMMM!!! At least not for the general purposes of my laptop (if I'm doing anything for real I'm prob doing it on the desktop, the laptop is just to do quick things when on the road).
Scanoe@reddit
Windows will find a way to use the extra Ram, yes that much is true.
At 1440p or greater I would not go below 32gb system Ram unless you have to. At 1080p 16gb could suffice for awhile, I play quite a few games that even at 1440p system Ram use will be below 14gb.
If one could simply add 2x8gb Ram later done the road, 16gb would be fine, but Motherboards don't like 4 sticks of Ram, better to bite the bullet at first and get 2x16gb.
Scanoe@reddit
I have on rare occasion seen my PC hit 30gb RAM usage when playing Star Citizen, at 1440p I'd consider 32gb Ram a Minimum. When the 9800x3d launches, most likely I'll upgrade to that (7700X atm), at that time I'll as well upgrade to 2x32gb for 64.
titan58002@reddit
16 now is the old 8 and 32 is the new 16.
NightWolf7141@reddit
It is definitely necessary if you play games designed for Xbox Series X or PS5 at their highest texture settings while at 4K. Look at Returnal's requirements with max texture settings, raytracing, and 4K. More than 16 gigs is required for stable performance.
_Error_Macro_@reddit
If you build new pc then go with 32gb.
National_wow@reddit
I have 64GB ram and still needs more.
pop-ww@reddit
I have 64, sometimes I see 37 is used
Pretend-Tone194@reddit
I have 64 GB on my laptop and I tend to use 40-42 GB.. because I use also some google chrome tabs.. also YouTube's tab's.. and other programs that are running in the background.
WeeziMonkey@reddit
Some games already have 12 or 16 GB RAM as minimum requirement
GodIyMJ@reddit
definitely need 32gb i see my usage as high as 16 gb. just from having steam, the browser, spotify, discord and the game so the ram gets eaten up quick.
ezj_w@reddit
32 is the new standard, but 16 wont hurt you
Kevin80970@reddit
Honestly if you are into more intensive gaming absolutely.
Redacted_Reason@reddit
just a note, please do not waste your money on 2x8 DDR5 kits or 1x16. 32GB is the minimum standard for DDR5
BrightSoundPodcast@reddit
Depends on the apps you run (or games in your case). I built a PC for gaming mostly with 16GB DDR4 RAM in 2020 but upgraded to 32GB a year after because Forza Horizon ate all the available RAM.
Ok_War9495@reddit
Short answer: 32gb is the new standard and should be considered.
Playing Warzone alone eats up your 16gb almost entirely. For just office work it could still be very okay. As soon as you start gaming, 32gb is good. If AI is includes, even 64 might not be enough.
Jdogg4089@reddit
32gb has been very nice for me because my AI compute workloads eat up a lot of ram. If I had a dedicated GPU then maybe that would offset it.
Tiran76@reddit
Dont forget. For every RAM from GK, you need more Main RAM. Window save (for Bad Time) for GK 1:1 from Main RAM. Older PC have 2-4 GB RAM and so was OK too have 8-16 GB main RAM. All newer GK have 8+GB so better 16+ GB RAM for Main. If you have GK with 20+ GB so better 64 GB main RAM.
Thats my Thing and its Work.😏
cmdrtheymademedo@reddit
If you aren’t multitasking while gaming you can get away with 16 but for example. Star citizen or greyzone warfare use up to 25gb on my machine and most new games seem to be similar. If you can go for 32 or more do it
bindermichi@reddit
There is no thing called "enough memory"
If it fits on the board it‘s going on the board.
Mean-Leek-61@reddit
for gaming it's not a necessity, 32/48 we generally use to deploy models
Svetlash123@reddit
16 is ok, but 32 is comfortable.
acewing905@reddit
Depends on how you use your PC
I have 32 because I have a browser with a bunch of tabs open and also a few other programs open at nearly all times and I like being able to fire up a game without having to close any of that
But people who close everything else before running a game can still do with 16 just fine
SchizoNaught@reddit
8GB is becoming obsolete for a lot of the newer high-demand games. The Xbox Series S, a current Gen console, Runs on 8GB
12GB is good enough for a lot of currently popular games.
16 is fine and functional. Consider it the bare minimum for most games to run smoothly.
24 is the most any current game "needs" at a bare minimum. Most "needing" less.
32 is overkill for most games but is good for maxing out performance, and is also useful for multi-tasking
An over-simplification:
Only VERY well optimized games use a LOT (over 16GB) of RAM. Essentially, nobody wants 300GB games, but to make them better and better without the massive storage needs....more ram is needed for real-time processing of the game in-lieu of pre-loaded game content.
Food for thought. If you are using MAC or Windows, you cannot exceed 64GB of ***usable*** RAM. Install as much as you want, but it won't make use of more than 64GB.
Ballywayne@reddit
16 will do you fine on a budget build, but since RAM is relatively cheap, I would recommend getting 32 and forgetting about it for the rest of time.
Constant-Repeat-4765@reddit
I'll be honest - you would still do fine even with 8gb. The thing is, people talk about safe proofing your PC meaning that if it happens that a game needs a lot of RAM then it won't need more than the standard (32gb).I personally think that 32GB is still a high-end thing (im on 14gb or 16-2gb for iGPU).
If you think of buying 16gb or 32gb for your pc then you could always buy 1 stick of 16 then add another one when you get more money for it. It Will be hell on single Channel, but might end up best for you.
hchen25@reddit
my desktop pc has 96GB ram.
EnolaGayFallout@reddit
Ram is how much? Unless it’s Apple ram. Everyone can afford. lol.
jaces888@reddit
Basically, your chrome browser with lots of plugins will set you back close to 16Gb RAM straight away. So, 32 is definitely the new minimum. 8 Gb is just stupid at this stage.
Dizzy-South9352@reddit
I would argue its barely enough.
Tof12345@reddit
I have 8gb ram on my surface pro and it serves me well for pretty much any task other than gaming.
I had 16gb ram on my pc and found some games were stuttering like EFT and used up all my ram.
I upgraded to 32gb and had zero issues.
It is wise to buy 2 sticks of 16gb instead of 4 sticks of 8gb as ram tends to run better in a pair and the latency is quicker. 4 sticks can cause lots of issues.
Otherwise-End-831@reddit
32gbs is infact the new standard, anything less will only run CSGO… 🤣
i_am_vsj@reddit
for now it will makes a diffrence of 4-10 FPS in gaming but it shows the in future 16 gb will start bottle neck so 32 gb is future proofing, but for productivity it already starts to bottle neck, also 32 gb kits are more value for money, so its not really needed for now but if u can then u should get a 32 gb kit
Sn4p9o2@reddit
32gb is the new 16gb (that was good 2-3 years ago)
Pretend_Investment42@reddit
No, 16gb is fine.
There will be a time a few years from now that you may want 32gb. You never know where your workflow will take you - I've been on 128gb since 2009 (3d art).
Grimogtrix@reddit
I was rather horrified to find that with my new PC the cooler actually obscures the RAM slots so much that it would need to be removed to add any more RAM to the board. Unless you're quite casual about the idea of having to remove your CPU cooler to do necessary ram upgrades, I suggest you go with as much as you can afford to avoid future hassle in this regard.
ArktikusR@reddit
32GB is the new standard, what you should have as a minimum, if you are on a tight budget than you can also go for 16GB although I would not recommend that.
Especially because windows + programs like your browser, discord and so on are already using 4-6GB. So then you are left with maybe 10-12GB for games and that is not much.
Cicero912@reddit
16gb is still perfectly fine. 32gb is just nice to have (especially if you playe modded minecraft)
Gambit-47@reddit
Depends, it's good for people that play in 4K, or use a lot of mods. It also comes in handy for poorly optimized games and if you like having a lot of tabs and programs open and stuff.
shadowlid@reddit
16gb is the new 8gb is enough......
Get 32gb ram is cheap
SnooPandas2964@reddit
You can by with 16 but I would really recommend 32, especially if you like to say, have multiple programs open at once.
JustOnePullUp@reddit
i would really only say to go for 32gb of ram if you have more than one screen/expect to have multiple applications open or chrome tabs. I have 3 myself so i always have discord steam a few chrome tabs and a game running and get up to like 28gb or so of usage. 32gb now is so affordable now you can get the non rgb corsair vengeance for 62 bucks on amazon now. If you have the extra 20 bucks or so I would say to just go for it cause why not.
xMachii@reddit
I had 16gb before, it was perfectly fine for gaming (even with a browser with lots of open tabs). RAM is cheap, and sometimes the price gap between a 16gb a 32gb kit is so close, there's no reason to get a 16gb.
myownightmare@reddit
You will wish you had 32gb within 2 years. Just get it..most modern games + a bit of multitasking will push you over 16gb.
epicbunty@reddit
32 minimum.
funnyusernameblaabla@reddit
16gb 2400mhz for me, way more than enough in my uze. always under 70% on heavy use.
PimpJesus42@reddit
32gb is the new standard for gaming and productivity. 16gb will do the job, but with all these background programs and video editing software (Adobe mainly), they do like to take a chunk. I am running 32gb, and running Adobe Premier in the background with Opera gx and it tends to struggle. But if your main thing is gaming 16gb should be fine until you upgrade later on
rollercostarican@reddit
64gb gang gang
xenocea@reddit
This video answers your question
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mklCPWNyJC0&t=3s
xenocea@reddit
This video answers your question.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dx4En-2PzOU
Egoisttt@reddit
When I built my pc I did 16gb but this was about 4-5 years ago. I had a ran stick die recently, to my surprise when I went to buy some 32gb was as much as I paid for my 16 back then lol so I was of course upgrading!!!
jdiscount@reddit
Is it needed no, but even web browsers consume a lot of memory.
32GB isn't much more than 16, it's worth it IMHO.
32 to 64 is a big jump in price and not yet worth it for most users.
rupal_hs@reddit
My RAM usage goes upto 17-22gb depending on game
Electric-Mountain@reddit
Every console generation the ram requirements seem to double on PC. So yes it's the new recommended.
iDOUGIE863@reddit
If you play tarkov it is
ThomasSch465@reddit
As a full stack developer, yes
Joshy-washy09@reddit
I feel like if you’re a person that plays like single player games and try’s out like every new game you should but if you play certain games like I mainly just play Fortnite and overwatch I feel like 16 is okay but if you want to sorta of future proof get 32 so you won’t have to in the future
finn-tree@reddit
if you’re trying to save money 16gb is fine. but if you can spare some extra money for 32gb it’s worth it.
Soap-salesman@reddit
I just had to buy a laptop with 24 gb to run a piece of jet ski software that required 16g. Sure enough, it used 13gb the whole time. Couldn’t believe it.
I guess the days of 8gb being able to run everything is over. I’m old.
CoryBaxterWH@reddit
16gb will work but you are really cutting it, and 32gbs is not much more expensive so it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to not go for 32gbs.
Efficient_Shirt_4098@reddit
100% a standard at this point, 16GB is fine but it won't be enough for most users anymore.
JillEighty@reddit
i’m in same boat. I have DDR4 8x2 gb. Is it better to add 2 more of identical 8x2 or buy DDR4 16x2 gb? Thanks
necudabiramime123@reddit
Yes :)
Ready-Sometime5735@reddit
laughs in 64gb ram
ecktt@reddit
Nope but more than 16GB is. So what are your options?
phcore@reddit
yes. its basic ram you need
Lilshredder187@reddit
I ran 16 and it was fine if you run YouTube while checking Facebook however if you play games and have stuff running in the background more ram is always welcomed. I have 32 and my system is pretty solid for multitasking. I'm waiting for the next AMD chip to come out so I can upgrade my mobo and chip those are the only things I wish I could swap out. I also have an nvme2 drive for windows and whatever game I'm running at the time which right now is Skyrim.
the_sly_bacon@reddit
TL;DR: For the most part, 16 will get the job done. If you play some “niche” demanding titles/genres/programs, just get 32.
I’m going to 64 because ram is fairly cheap right now. Depends on what you play. Really heavy modded games with a good bit of simulation (C:S2, KSP, Arma, Squad, EFT) require at least 32 for me to feel safe saying “it’s probably not a bottleneck”.
I also run racing sims and flight sims with a cockpit and background support programs off one PC. I felt 32 was needed for me, and I at least want the option to stream/film/edit so jumping to 64 seems logical.
I can also dabble in various CAD/Part Design software, 3D Modeling, or Photoshop/Illustrator.
hdhddf@reddit
no not really, you can still get away with 16 for the vast majority of things but 32gb only costs around 45-75
Liljonny11@reddit
100% yes. I had so many stuttering and crashes in a ton of different games that are badly optimized (looking at you cod 🤦🏾♂️) till i switched to 32GB. Everything seems to use more ram these days, speed of the ram is important too
op3l@reddit
Right now you’re ok with 24 gigs. But since they don’t sell 2x 12gb you get 2x 16 which is 32gb. With one game, chrome, and some other apps open, I’m using 19 to 20 gigs of ram.
Doenicke@reddit
Not strictly needed most of the time, but since it so cheap today - i just bought 32GB DDR5 6000 for 160 bucks - i can't find many arguments not to go up to 32GB.
ji99lypu44@reddit
I seey call of duty using 12gb of ram at times so i went with 32gb
outl0r@reddit
Yes
Pesebrero@reddit
It depends on your multitasking requirements. If you're going to play a game while having multiple tabs open in a browser, 32gb are a must. Otherwise, 16gb might be ok, and don't forget 24gb is also a valid option.
BookkeeperCharming97@reddit
You can purchase 32gb of Corsair vengeance ram ddr4 3200mhz for 60 bucks on Amazon. You will regret 16 honestly
PhinsUp197@reddit
I routinely run at or near 16gb for just some gaming sessions sometimes.
It obviously depends on what you plan on using the PC for, but just for entertainment purposes, 16gb can get used to pretty quick these days.
I would suggest the 32gb, but it isn't a necessity
Midknightsecs@reddit
2GB Per thread for power users.
Gamers - 32GB
That's my general rule of thumb although if asked I'll slap 16GB in there instead.
Masteries@reddit
No, but I recommend going for 32
Blue_pheonix681@reddit
Idk why more people don’t just download more ram..
veeb85@reddit
Agree re 32GB.
16GB works more than fine "IF" you only ever open 3-4 tabs max in your browsers... if you like heavily multitasking or just leave tabs open to get back to them, you'll find 16GB doesn't cut it in the long run.
32GB is very comfortable and 64GB means you have zero ram concerns.
thatsmysandwichdude@reddit
No not really
CapytannHook@reddit
Hello to everyone in 2028 who finds this thread while running the new minimum of 64gb ram and also hi to everyone from 2032 who needs a min 128gb ram to open Chrome Premium
ChloeOakes@reddit
It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
Concert-Alternative@reddit
16 is very good 8 is ok, these people are really setting their standards high.
libo720@reddit
Is 16gb ram really needed?
Is 8gb ram really need?
.......
thrownawayzsss@reddit
Not at all. Most people here can't differentiate between allocated and in-use.
The biggest motivation to grabbing 32GB over 16GB is that the cost difference is completely trivial on DDR4 and DDR5 is crashing down in price as it matures.
Common_Secretary_482@reddit
you get a lot more for your money with 2x16gb ddr5
LSDelirium@reddit
yes yes yes yes yes.
tall_guy_69@reddit
8 is barely functional 16 is functional but you'll feel the cap sometimes 32 is future proof for at most next 5 maybe 6 years and you'll start feeling the cap. 64 useless for 90% unless your work requires it 128+ - 99.5% won't be able to tell the difference between in most cases other than huge calculations and professional works
sendintheotherclowns@reddit
Considering that RAM has always been the best bang for buck PC upgrade that’ll have a measurable impact on performance, you should always prioritise it.
I can’t count how often I’ve seen a post here where someone is asking about bare minimum RAM they can get away with and yet are happy to spend more than what a RAM upgrade is with on RGB and CPU coolers.
Prioritise the RAM, get as much as you can without being ridiculous, as fast as your motherboard support.
Digger977@reddit
32 is ideal in my mind. But 16 isn’t obsolete. I don’t see a problem starting with 16 and if you quickly realize 16 isn’t enough soon just toss in another 16gb kit or pull out the 16 and put in a fresh 32gb setup if it’s been a little while on 16
uga40@reddit
I never understand these posts, if we're building a computer we can afford RAM. Seems to be the cheaper of the components.
Neraxis@reddit
Not really but it's very good to have as hardware gets STUPID inefficient these days.
That and most available ram with options is 16x2.
fuzzynyanko@reddit
It's a small increase in price for home builders, so many of us think "eh, why not?" It gives you a little bit of future proofing and multitasking ability
Bribbe@reddit
16 will be used so fast by a game and a few browser tabs. Definitely get 32 if its in your budget.
General_High_Ground@reddit
Just take 32GB and be done with it. That way you won't need to get another 16GB next year.
Rand0m_B0yo@reddit
No. You're fine with 16 GBs unless you're gonna have bunch of stuff opene up ue to laziness and lack of care, and/or you're gonna run games on highest settings/high settings on high res
Zeroxsos@reddit
32Gb is becoming the new standard, if u r building a new PC you should buy a 32Gb of RAM of u wanna stay with the same build for a while
Late_Ear2739@reddit
32gb, it’ll save you a headache down the road when it becomes more demanding in the future
henary@reddit
Nah , do 64 .
Short_Restaurant_519@reddit
Despite what everyone saying, I'm still picked 16 GB of ram and it's doing just fine for me
Alternative-Drop-847@reddit
Some games just eat ram for breakfast
Geiszel@reddit
Depends, I'm also doing some orchestral music production, so even my 64GB can be choking at times with busy arrangements. Gaming-wise, 32GB are perfectly fine. Wouldn't go 16GB anymore.
BottleRude9645@reddit
I frequently hit 16-19gb in gaming
Defiant_Help7329@reddit
Yes get 32gb of ram.
Overall-Tailor8949@reddit
If 32 (or more) won't break the bank then more is always better.
medussy_medussy@reddit
I have literally never seen my ram get even close to 16gb of use in any game I have played lol
kaio-kenx2@reddit
Depends on games, for majority of them 16 is more than fine and for the rest ram+page file will do just fine. But games like rust eat ram for breakfast nowadays, literally rust crashed due to lack of ram and it was using 32, tho that will depend on map.
medussy_medussy@reddit
Rust is just a mess of a game tbh, it's full of memory leaks. Your game would have crashed if you had 64gb too, it would have just taken longer to happen.
kaio-kenx2@reddit
No not really, I increased the page file by 10 gb and it was fine. Usage was stable. But yeah, if I recall correctly it was less messy years ago.
medussy_medussy@reddit
Well they do have memory leaks, which literally just use all your ram. It's an issue where processes don't stop in the background of the game and still try to restart, causing an infinite memory bubble.
Arcjaqu@reddit
I did benchmarks on 2x8 and 3x8 gb ram. You can use 24 GB ram, dont worry you won't have bottleneck. People are just hate even to think about having 3x8 gb ram. This will be the most downvoted comment on this sub ever.
-UserRemoved-@reddit
Because it's rather pointless. This is called asymmetrical memory configuration (Intel calls it Flex Mode), which results in the 3rd 8GB running in single channel only if it is needed.
As such, this logically only benefits users whom specifically need over 16GB but less than 24GB, and also can't afford a single stick more. Otherwise, you stand to lose performance due to lower memory speeds and possibly worse timings, making it illogical for most people to do.
You're testing capacity alone in this scenario, assuming you actually tested it correctly with all variable controlled. What benchmark did you run? Did it specifically target >16GB workloads?
krazynerd@reddit
I don’t need 32, I want 33 :)
tlminh@reddit
Hmm I'm still at 8gb of RAM lol
FilDaFunk@reddit
No. At 16gb my PC only used up to 15GB. I recently upgraded because I was bored. stillvdoesnt use more than 16gb
MrGeekman@reddit
You can get by on 16GB right now, but you really should go with 32GB, especially if you intend to use your PC for more than a few years.
Supreme_Being_115@reddit
If you plan on playing 4k then 32gb is a must, even fortnite takes up 17gb on my pc and warzone can take up to 20gb so I'd say pick a resolution then pick ram size (1080p = 16gb) anything else or higher than 120fps pick 32gb
DonnieG3@reddit
Google chrome frequently eats up 10+ gb of ram alone, get 32
KarlSoap@reddit
If you're buying DDR5, it mostly starts at 16gb dimms. You want 2. Using just one channel will be a performance ding. That means 2x16=32. If you're using DDR4, 2x8 is probably ok.
Unimatrix_007@reddit
simple answer is, the more ram the better.
long answer is that it depends on your usage and what games you play.
for most singleplayer, moba, e sports games 16gb is plenty, BUT if you want to mod games like skyrim, stellaris, city skylines and etc than more ram is needed. i used to have 16 gigs in my laptop and that ram would get eaten fast by stellaris, and now im at 32 gb and stellaris can eat up betveen 16 to 20 gigs of ram just becouse of all the mods.
epicflex@reddit
I recently added two more sticks of 4GB to my AM4 build just because I was tired of worrying about performance in gaming with YouTube and Spotify running simultaneously lol
Georgebaggy@reddit
You don't need 32 GB quite yet. It's a future-proofing choice.
CtrlAltDesolate@reddit
32 is the new 16. If you're not doing AAA gaming or heavy editing you'll be fine with 16 generally speaking though.
ramguts@reddit
had a lot of problems lately with my 16GBs of ram, upgraded to 32GB and almost all of those problems fixed themselves. Same with my girlfriends computer. Would recommend 32 over 16 unless you really gotta save some cash
Pajer0king@reddit
No, God. 16 is enough, i honestly use 8 and it s decent. 32 is for heavy tasks or bragging rights.
GameManiac365@reddit
Me laughing with 64gb
Pajer0king@reddit
Well, your wallet for sure isn t laughing. What you do with 64g, heating the whole room?
GameManiac365@reddit
UE5 lol don't know what you mean there was £10 between the 32gb and 64gb kit
Pajer0king@reddit
Well, ok, but most people just game, and 16 gb is enough. Maybe 32 if you want to feel special, lol.
GameManiac365@reddit
The issue is that ram usage will likely continue to increase, as I said in the comment 16gb will likely be enough for the most part today but 32gb will have you ready for the next few years and also it depends on the software and operating system used, wouldn't recommend anyone get 64gb of ram unless they're sure they need it but 32gb is likely the best option long term, trust me if you hate me for the amount of ram i got you'll hate my system lol
Pajer0king@reddit
Ah, no, but i am more of a casual gamer and playing most of the games with 8. Yes, some struggle, 16 is needed, but led me to the conclusion that 16 is enough for normal gaming. Don t upgrade unless needed, and you ll save alot of money.
GameManiac365@reddit
But then you end up paying more in the long run where if you payed that bit extra to begin with you wouldn't need to worry especially these days when the amount is negligible when compared to speeds and timings
Shadow-Vector@reddit
He said he’s a casual gamer so Wym he’s gonna end up paying more duh
GameManiac365@reddit
Well buying ram twice is more expensive than buying extra amount of ram a single time duhh
Shadow-Vector@reddit
Bruh he’s a just casual gamer
GameManiac365@reddit
Dude I'm just saying that if you pay that bit extra now for 2x16 it's gonna be cheaper than buying 8gb now then 16 later and 32 when it's needed as I said it's cheaper in the long run not short term, his point was you don't need 16gb or 32gb, when you clearly do need atleast 16gb but long term it's cheaper to just buy 32gb once
Shadow-Vector@reddit
Bro he’s just said that he’s a casual gamer and he doesn’t need them
GameManiac365@reddit
Lmao look if you can make a good argument then there's a point enough videos in YouTube to make my point, casual gamer isn't a argument when gaming on windows 11 can use more than 16gb depending on what you use lol, you asked how is it cheaper and I've made my argument point flaws in my argument not a stupid statement
Shadow-Vector@reddit
Ok buddy your saying no one needs to get less then 32gb, so why the 8gb 16gb exist, and you think you know better then him for himself, so self entitled, but nice one bro, the talks ended with u.
GameManiac365@reddit
Bro can't make a argument so he goes to calling me self entitled ok 🤣... Simple it exists cause for a time there wasn't a need for more than that
Shadow-Vector@reddit
Bro thinks he’s so smart and needs to force his idea to that guy so bad. Yea no one todays should have less then 32gb bcz everyone’s needs it, nice point bro ong
GameManiac365@reddit
Dude if you look at the rest of the comments their nearly all saying the same if you read the title their asking the same question, who knows maybe there's a reason...
TheParadox3b@reddit
I "future proofed" and took the dive into 64gb of ram.
7 years later:
For everyday use, it was and still is a waste of money.
As a software engineer, I need a lot of memory (at least on paper i did) for developing apps. Java is notorous for being a memory hog, and having 30 tabs open made it felt like a waste.
I had the hope and dream to create some AI models, and any kind of AI needs a lot of RAM. But that still felt like a waste, esp. because I did so infrequently. Some tricks are to use a "RAM drive" and load up your "disk files" into RAM. But that was a bit of a waste.
... Not much of a gamer really, and I've never profiled my memory usage during games, but my gut says it overkill when I "benchmark" everything else.
As other has mentoined going into the 1440p 60hz, makes 32 GB is pretty much standard.
64gb might come in-play in the next 2-4 years (imho, please weigh in and share your thoughts). Maybe untill 4k gaming becomes realistic, 32gb is fine. Also, I know it generally a good idea to keep things sysmtric, but you can always plan a 32+32 / 16+16 if you keep the channels mapped. Just a thought.
Also also, it's probably more important to consider GPU vRAM.
Fun_Consideration392@reddit
GAMING: No Productivity: No Video editing/graphic design: Kind of, leaning towards yes
32 is NOT necessary for gaming. Unused RAM is useless RAM, so just becase you're using 15/16gb doesn't mean it's not enough.
Most games on their own will not even approach 16 gb of DRAM. Combined with a browser (especially chrome) then maybe they will, but most still no. That said, some higher end games could benefit from extra ram, but this will be less of a performance/frame rate difference, and more in stability/fewer crashes. But you need to be legitimatel running out of RAM for adding more to fix thay (assuming it's even the cause). Now more capacity + higher speed might = higher frames, but probably not by much, there's a lot of factors that go into it, notably for DDR5, software is not yet taking advantage of that higher speed, so right now it's really not better than DDR4 speedwise.
Now productivity, most programs aren't going to use much RAM. Video editing (Premiere Pro) is a possible exception as large files with lots of edits will eat up RAM quickly. Motion graphics (aftereffects) even more so. Still graphics (photoshop, indesign) , not so much.
With all that said... 32gb of RAM is so cheap these days, there's really no reason not to go 32gb. You'll want to get 2x 16gb as you can run into more compatibility issuses with processors and motherboards with 4x8. Also double check your RAM and motherboard compatibility (especially for DDR5) as not every obvious combination is actually supported.
N1LEredd@reddit
When I play games like Tarkov I’m at 22gigs of ram usage with just that.
unidentified_sp@reddit
My TrueNAS server has 64GB ECC DDR5 and I’m considering 128GB. It all depends on the use case…
ian_wolter02@reddit
Yeah, 16GB are eaten just by the game, so running other tasks on the background like music, discord, etc will consume a bit more, and the will not have enough ram to work without stuttering
mromen10@reddit
16 is the bare minimum, 32 is becoming a new standard, 8 just isn't enough, 4 is laughably little and no one sells kits of 2gb anymore
lislejoyeuse@reddit
You can buy a 1 slot 16 and if you feel you need more buy a second later
Xcissors280@reddit
Spend it on other stuff first
jv004@reddit
I had this debate with my brother years ago because he said we only need 16GB I went 32GB route.
16GB is fine if your gaming only and only gaming one game at a time no other programs running.
His PC was starting to get a bit sluggish (not too much) but he always was gaming, had discord up, Nvidia shadowplay, Spotify, and sometimes a YouTube vid and/or maybe like 2-3 chrome tabs open. I bought him for his birthday a another 16gb kit to make it 32GB.
He said he got an instant boost in performance (more like efficiency) because now every runs more smoothly he says only because now he has more ram the of can use.
So if you plan to multitask, then yes you need 32GB
craigmorris78@reddit
16 is ok but what’s the cost difference?
Teneuom@reddit
32 is best for gaming. 16 isn’t enough and 64 is only needed by professionals.
ItsMeIcebear4@reddit
If you’re building new I’d go with 32. If you have 16 right now, and want to upgrade to 32, you’d likely want DDR5, which would mean new cpu, motherboard also. So I usually would say to invest nos
Meny_619@reddit
Nah, but i got 64gb so I can get to 1 million population in anno 1800
autistic_bard444@reddit
yea. i can run modded skyrim at 28gb
32gb ram - 12gb vram
z1le-nw@reddit
I upgrade to 32 gb for hosting dedicated server for my friends, but if you don't host servers. 16 gb is enough
Reader3123@reddit
Nah bro, people say 32 is needed for gaming might be having vram issues. I'm running 16gigs with a 6800 with a very nice and beefy 16gb vram. My system ram usage doesn't go over 9gigs for most of the games I play. And the most I've seen it use is 12gigs for Alan wake 2.
And I play at 1440p.
Competitive_Pen7192@reddit
I slapped another 16gb bringing my total to 32gb.
No practical difference although benchmarks are noticeably higher...
I imagine it'll get better once my 5700x3d arrives.
Deamoose@reddit
It's ok for now. Unless you play Rust
Lucky-Dot-6598@reddit
Jus ordered a 4gb ram stick to make 8gb yesterday ddr3 🤓
X_SkillCraft20_X@reddit
I would only recommend 16gb if you’re on an extreme budget build (sub $600 or so).
mechcity22@reddit
No it is not needed but it is a plus.
ShadowDefuse@reddit
ram is cheap enough that you should do 32gb. i game and have lots of tabs along with a plex server running and i get near 16gb of usage often
Frozenpucks@reddit
The price difference isn’t even that big anymore, makes zero sense not to go for 32 regardless of some of the reasons people here give.
ailligator@reddit
Although the standard is 32 GB, the truth is that it is not necessary. The entire industry is designed so that increasingly greater requirements are needed so that they do not stop consuming, especially the MAC and Microsft systems. But if you change to Linux you will notice that it is not necessary that every 3 years you have to add 6 GB to your computer to be able to enjoy the fullness of it.
The_Cozy_Burrito@reddit
I would go for the 32gb, better in the long run as well.
golkeg@reddit
For new PCs DDR5 is the standard and 16gb/32gb both start about the same price point ($70).
Depending on your overall budget and which CPU you go with you can pick a 32gb DDR5 kit between $100 and $150 based on the performance and features (RGB, cooling, overclocking, etc) you want. For most people it doesn't make a lot of sense to spend more or less than this range.
Lobanium@reddit
Needed? Maybe, depending on what you do. But RAM is cheap so why not.
Lobanium@reddit
Needed? Maybe, depending on what you do. But RAM is cheap so why not.
Eusuntpc@reddit
I really love having 64gb, windows + chrome with 30 tabs open at all times while also gaming is pretty hungry.
firestar268@reddit
I have 64 now lol
NAPPER_@reddit
Congratulations
Beehj84@reddit
Is your new build DDR5? If yes, then 32gb, period. If you can afford DDR5, then get the proper amount (which is 32gb in 2024).
Is it DDR4 (meaning you're building on AM4 on a really tight budget)? Then 16gb is still acceptable.
Pseudo_DirtyDan@reddit
We're definitely getting to that point. I use ~20GB of RAM using Intellij while having Chrome and Firefox and/or Brave open
node_ninja@reddit
16 is almost perfect, some games take 18-23gb so 32 is sweet but overkill.
MagnusSoarin@reddit
A couple months back I had to upgrade from 16GB because I was maxing it out and causing a lot of stutters and page errors. Of course I replace it with 32GB just to see I was only short 1 or 2GB for what I was doing. 32GB might not be critical yet, but things are getting more memory hungry as time goes on.
Slaytasticc@reddit
Yes it is 16 is trash I just updated big difference in gaming
Acrobatic_Moose69@reddit
The difference in price is basically nothing, so there is no reason not to use 32GB.
IcyBubbles1@reddit
Depends what you're doing while gaming and what games you play. If you're playing BeamNG with traffic to the max then 32gb is gonna be required
Benphyre@reddit
32GB is the sweet spot in 2024. I can game and have google play game emulator and chrome on the side and it takes up about 20GB.
Worth_Leopard5872@reddit
32GB 6000mhz is the new 16GB, 16GB now days is like 8GB in the past
Itchy-Flatworm@reddit
Yeah you need 32gb it makes a difference. Depends on the game but I suggest it
metalpoetza@reddit
Depends what games you play. If you like KSP with the RSS mod, or heavily modded Bethesda games you will love having that 32GB, in fact om going for 64 because that's me.
But for most other games honestly 16 will do a decent job. You may see slightly lower frame rates in very high end of games like cyberpunk 2077 but you can almost certainly fully compensate if you go down to lower settings and play at 1080p
I mean both cyberpunk and Elden Ring runs great on the steam deck and that has just 8 gigs some of which are always allocated as vram. But its running them at 1280x800 res.
Tatalebuj@reddit
I'm shocked. Made it to the bottom and saw no mention of AI or Local Large Language Models. Those of us blessed with "gaming rigs" have at our fingertips the best technology for running private personal LLMs. RAM is used when it's a must, so the more the better is ALWAYS the right answer!! So go big or go home and try to get as much as you can if you plan on doing anything with the LLMs.....but definitely get a large VRAM card 20GB+.....as that will help!
Pyreknight@reddit
32 is the sweet spot. It was Hardware Unboxed that did a quick and dirty test suite to rest RAM hungry games. 32 gives you a lot wiggle room. 16 is fine, should do you 80% of the time but RAM is cheap enough to spend extra early on.
Phalanx32@reddit
RAM is so cheap right now that I see absolutely no reason to get 16GB when you could just get 32. At my local Microcenter, depending on the brand the difference in price between the two is probably less than a lunch out with my coworkers.
wabudo@reddit
I'd go with 32. I have 64 and I have logged some gameplay memory usage. Jedi Knight Survivor had me at 34 gigs used so I imagine that with 16 gigs it would have been a bit sluggish.
showbizunicorn@reddit
Jedi and Hogwarts forced me to upgrade to 32, I’ve seen Jedi Survivor on my rig go up to about 26GB of use. Wild.
jhaluska@reddit
We're starting to see games use more than 16GB of ram, so having 32GB of ram is going to slowly become more and more of a necessity.
showbizunicorn@reddit
I was running 16 fine until Jedi Survivor and Hogwarts Legacy lol. Life is better now at 32
skyfishgoo@reddit
for gaming no (not yet, except for certain titles) but for everyday use i would consider 32GB the minimum for a new build today.
i build mine last month with 64GB just because i tend to keep my PC longer than most ppl (last one was 12yrs old).
mixedd@reddit
I had some situations in gaming when I was shooting over 16Gb.
For work well, depends on your workflow, when countless browser tabs, IDEs and documents are involved my work laptop struggles alot
photonynikon@reddit
128 in my next build
yamaci17@reddit
32 gb was an insane improvement for me in hogwarts legacy and jedi survivors. also helps a lot if you're super limited by your VRAM (which I'm, with my 8 gb rtx 3070). some of the recent games have started to utilize shared VRAM to make up for the lack of dedicated VRAM. most notably titles such as last of us part 1, horizon forbidden west and ratchet clank. these games already use tons of RAM as is, and extra RAM usage pressure coming from shared VRAM usage causes even lower %1 lows and windows starts to use active memory compression to handle the pressure which also causes poor CPU bound performance
after upgrading to 32 GB RAM, I've seen massive improvements to %1 lows in all the titles I've talked about above. sure, problematic areas in hogwarts legacy jedi survivor still stuttered but it was still a massive improvement.
Grumpycatdoge999@reddit
i would get 32 for a new build.
snipe320@reddit
It doubles every few years. If you're building a new rig, do 32 GB (2 x 16 GB sticks). Take note of the exact specs of the RAM sticks (e.g., the speed, etc.). In a few years, when you want to upgrade, buy 2 new sticks of the same RAM, and slot them in. Boom, 64 GB.
fk_u_rddt@reddit
just get 32gb ram isn't even expensive these days. future self will thank you
FireFalcon123@reddit
16GB is still fine, as someone who daily drives 12GB and 64GB it is definitely creeping up, but I make sure to optimize my Windows and startup apps so it doesnt hit 12GB but some games will actually crash now
Arcangelo_Frostwolf@reddit
Just be safe and go with 32GB. If you're building a DDR4 system, it's super cheap now compared to a couple years ago. You can get a 32GB kit with good timings for ~$60-$75 new. And if you're building with DDR5, 32GB seems to be the baseline. You can find 16GB kits of DDR5 but they're definitely not as common with all vendors and I've seen them cost the same as 32GB.
DiggingNoMore@reddit
I built my computer in 2016 with 32GB. It was overkill then. It's not overkill now. You'll be okay with 16, but I'd strongly suggest 32 if you can at all swing it.
SirTrinium@reddit
Go 32gb or more. If you're planning to keep it more than 2 years then I'd even suggest just biting the bullet and getting the 64gb straight off the bat so everything is matching.
golden_numbers@reddit
16GB is totally fine for budget DDR4 builds. However when going DDR5, there's no point in getting 16GB as the price is too close to 32GB.
Latest games at 1440p and above as well as productivity apps tend to go over 16GB, so when building a DDR5 build which falls into the mid range and above, going for 32GB is a good investment for future proofing.
A4K0SAN@reddit
16 works fine if you plan to run multiple programs and a game you could go for 32
Won-Ton-Operator@reddit
Depends who you ask, plenty of MAC users are foaming at the mouth being insistent about 8GB being plenty, even for the next 5-10 years
Those are people that have only one or two browser tabs open at any time. For power users or for gaming 16GB is a decent minimum. 32GB of a quality set of name brand sticks that will run at rated speeds will be a bit future proof and keep low ram from being a problem during multi-tasking or potential new games that can utilize more memory.
Infamous_Ruin6848@reddit
It depends what sort of gamer you are and what's your everyday use but in general 16 is still fine. If you have like me, games from many companies and have lots of background apps and play in the work breaks on 4k, 32 is minimum really. I have 48 and tbh i always end up using 16 at least on nothing. Probably the OS is caching a lot making the pc super fast.
chaychaar@reddit
Just upgraded from 16gb single channel to 32gb dual channel Rest specs are i3 12100F and RX 6650XT
Don't feel any difference lol
I play sim racing games, some FPS such as battlefield (V and 1 though)
Ordinary-Broccoli-41@reddit
16gb is the minimum functional amount of ram for a PC, unless you enjoy reloading every chrome tab you click off of for a second.
32 is the minimum recommended amount because the difference between the two isn't that much and can make an enormous difference in quality of life when you can do your daily tasks and never have to worry about ram.
I got 64, because it's not that much more money and I've managed to oom 32 before
Mrcod1997@reddit
16 will get you by, but might show some performance issues in new games when multitasking.
Scragglymonk@reddit
Got 32, can run loads of crap in the background and not be a concern If you can afford it, well worth it
edgygothteen69@reddit
32 for sure. I had 16 gb recently and it just wasn't enough for everyday usage, I was always maxed out. I'm using 64gb now, and 43 are currently utilized with a few apps open, including Chrome, Edge, Steam, OBS, Spotify.
MagicPistol@reddit
I have 2 monitors and usually have a browser open with a bunch of tabs while playing games. I was starting to get some lag with just 16gb of ram. 32gb fixed that.
Subrezon@reddit
If you already have 16, it's ok.
If you're building new - get 32.
ego100trique@reddit
Never had problems with 16gb personally and I play heavy games and do some virtualization /conteneurisation for some projects.
ColossalBlues@reddit
It’s crazy how much RAM is eaten up with regular system use. 32gb for gaming gives you some head room and it’s pretty affordable right now.
ghx1910@reddit
You can easily work with 16 gb, but 32 is comfortable.
ENB69420@reddit
I upgraded the RAM on my girlfriend’s computer as well as my brother’s because they were both maxing out 16GB consistently, but they both multitask a decent amount.
Ok_Seaworthiness6534@reddit
Im a casual gamer, i do not play many heavy games, still i always find my ram usage being over 17gb , just windows consuming around 6gb , when im at work, i usualy have like 3 or 4 panels on my photoshop and it uses around 10gb so i guess today standard is 32 min
SnooSquirrels9247@reddit
24 is alright if you're on ddr5, since ddr4 doesn't have this option while maintaining the chain, 32gb is the ideal (specially because ddr4 is dirty cheap these days)
PwniezXpress@reddit
32 GB is definitely recommended for this day in age. I got 48 for longevity.
ShutterAce@reddit
32 gig is the new standard? Who decided this and why did I not get the memo?
Seriously though, I wasn't having any problems with 16 gig until I started doing some really heavy data transfers. I'm talking like anywhere from 2 to 8 terabytes at a time. That's the only reason I upgraded to 32 GB and you know what? My usage went up to 18 GB. So I still got 14 GB not being used.
So the answer is it depends. It depends on what you're doing. If you're not maxing your RAM out now, then why worry about it? And even if you are, you still may not need to upgrade. There's some software out there that will suck up as much memory as it can get. It doesn't need it but it'll sure take it.
So are you actually running out of RAM now?
WaveBr8@reddit
32 is ddr5 standard. Just buy the standard kit
GameManiac365@reddit
16gb is likely enough for the most part, 32 would be recommended but in my own opinion I'd go with 32gb if you can afford it as ram usage is likely to keep increasing but it also depends on what OS your running and what programs you use
Apprehensive-Low3513@reddit
I upgraded from 16 to 32 recently due to poor performance. With 16, my RAM usage was basically always at 100% with 6-8 internet tabs, discord, Spotify, and a game running.
With 32, I’m generally at 65-70% usage now, so I think 32 is perfect for me.
OneCore_@reddit
Depends
her-1g@reddit
I also have an old by now PC from 2018 i5 8600K / 2060 SUPer / 16GB DDR4 2400Mhz .
I mainly play cs and im kinda ok with it i also have an old 240Hz zowie monitor 2546K so its pretty ok build for the usage.
If i upgrade my ram to 32 will i see a difference?? Should i buy 2400mhz or go for 3000+ DDR4? Is it possible?
Geesle@reddit
If you're building a new system with ddr5 then it's a no brainer to go for the 32gb to make use of the dual channel.
farrellart@reddit
I would say not yet....I have 32GB and produce large scale Photoshop paintings, My last project was 25 metres long by 2.7metres high and I just hit the 32GB threshold in Win10.
For games, 16GB is more than enough...for course, if you want bragging rights then get 32GB, most of the time it won't even be touched, not even close...I would spend the savings on a better GPU were you will get better bang for buck.
Geesle@reddit
I just had it happen to me the very first time that i felt like 16gb was too low.
i've recently upgraded my monitor to a 4k one, and i started playing last of us, all maxed out, and i noticed the ram was getting capped at 16gb.
I've now got 32gb ram, during my gametime it occasionally makes use of the extra ram, max i've seen it go to 18gb.
But i want to emphasize that this only happend AFTER i upgraded to a 4k monitor, i've also got a second one which affects a little bit too. you can definently survive on 16gb. but i'ts probably more future proof today to just go for the 32gb.
FyodorX@reddit
Yes, 32 GB is the new standard in my opinion.
Evilesthook@reddit
If you are gonna use it for gaming.
It would be better to go with 32GB since in the future games could take well over 13-14 GB and 16GB won't be enough. You may want to get into video editing in the future. The problem is if you buy 2 8GB sticks, you will have to sell those to upgrade or go for quad memory motherboard. it is hassle better to future proof
If you are on a budget go with a 16GB stick of RAM for now and then a few months down the line you can add another 16GB stick
Naxrok@reddit
I have 32gb ram and I'm playing 1080p 60FPS on W11, maybe i'll name unoptimized games, but games like Path of Exile and No Man's Sky they consume almost 16gb RAM! That means these games will still struggle with 16gb so with 32GB you're safe also for future games.
Go for 32GB unless you play games like Stardew Valley, Terraria or Minecraft.
StaticVoidMaddy@reddit
kinda depends on what you do. i had an assignment a few weeks ago that ended up using 21gigs of ram, so my pc would've definitely slowed down if it didnt have that much
Alarming_Cap3547@reddit
It’s need it for perfect work on ddr5.
Archerofyail@reddit
32GBs is best for new builds if you're playing newer AAA games, and you want to keep a browser and other stuff open in the background. I honestly want to upgrade to 64GBs because I've noticed my pagefile being used a lot.
mckorkprop@reddit
32 is the new standard. I have 32 now. And only use 2.8 gb when my PC is Finnish loading. Have never seen over 12gb used yet.
Pihan208@reddit
recently built an am5 platform with 32gb of ram. With some games, 22 gb are used, and system is overall much faster with programs running than on 16 (I had 16 before). Not as big of a jump as 8 from 16 back in the day, but still very noticeable, and will be even more as time goes on
vswey@reddit
I would definitely go for 32 when building a PC but 16 is still usable for most games
eidrisov@reddit
32GB is absoultely not necessary, but is definitely recommended.
Especially considering how relatively cheap RAM is nowadays.
Also, if you are someone who likes multitasking on several monitors (maybe gaming and have some browser with multiple tabs open while there is another music program is running in the background), then better go for 32GB.
If you do only one thing at a time, then you shouldn't feel much difference going from 16GB to 32GB.
Shadow_Halls@reddit
Yes, some newer titles will exceed 16 gigs at ultra settings 1440p
If you play 1080p then 15 gigs should still be fine
Squidyfuckabitch@reddit
Pretty sure he's talking about ram not vram
Shadow_Halls@reddit
I'm talking about ram
lorenzoelmagnifico@reddit
When playing Battlefield 2042, I've seen RAM usage go up to 19 gigs on ultra settings.
skrukketiss69@reddit
You can get by with 16GB, but 32 is the new sweetspot.
himmyyyyy@reddit
16gb is ok but the price difference between 16 and 32 is not a whole lot. if you’re on a super tight budget it’s fine enough for gaming but 32 is now becoming the standard. most of ddr5 kits are sold at 32gb
ImProdactyl@reddit
For everyday use, 16 is fine. For gaming, it can depend on the game, but generally 16 is fine. Getting 32 would be good as some games can require a lot, and I would think more games will go in that direction. If you have the budget for it, go ahead with 32 as it’s not that big of a price change while giving you plenty of RAM to work with.
Level_Handle_6190@reddit
There are some games nowadays that use more than 16gb of ram so I would say yeah. It’s really not that much more money.
Vv4nd@reddit
Laughs in DCS. If you can, get 32 gb. 16 is fine though.