DDR5 vs DDR4: which RAM should you buy?

The short answer

Building a new PC: buy DDR5, because current AMD AM5 and Intel Core Ultra desktop boards only take DDR5. Upgrading a PC that already runs DDR4: stay with DDR4 and add capacity, unless you replace the motherboard and processor anyway.

The comparison below puts the main differences and this week's US prices side by side.

Prices are from US shops, excluding sales tax, checked on October 13, 2026.

Speed and latency

DDR5 moves more data per second. Its speeds start at 4800 MT/s, the top of DDR4's official range is 3200 MT/s, and gaming kits at 6000 MT/s are common. Each DDR5 module is also split into two independent 32 bit subchannels, which helps when many tasks access memory at once.

The latency numbers look worse on DDR5 (CL30 to CL40 against CL16 to CL18 on DDR4), but the clock is also much faster. In nanoseconds the two end up close. What you gain with DDR5 is bandwidth, and that shows most in games and apps that are limited by the processor, and in content creation.

DDR5 modules also carry their own power management chip and on die error correction inside each memory chip. That on die correction is not the same as the ECC memory used in servers and workstations: it fixes errors inside the chip, not on the way to the processor. For a home PC it mostly means DDR5 can run at higher densities and speeds reliably. It is no reason on its own to pick one type over the other.

Compatibility

This is the part that decides for you. DDR5 modules have the notch in a different place, so they do not fit a DDR4 slot, and the other way around. The processor's memory controller has to support the type as well. Laptops follow the same rule with their smaller SO-DIMM modules, and many thin laptops have soldered memory that cannot be changed at all.

Price per GB

Per GB, DDR4 used to be clearly cheaper. That gap is less reliable now: in 2025 TrendForce reported that the big memory makers planned to end DDR4 shipments between late 2025 and early 2026, and expected consumer DDR4 contract prices to jump 40 to 45% in the third quarter of 2025. This week the median DDR4 desktop kit costs $8.00 per GB in our data and the median DDR5 kit $17.50. See the live tables for DDR5 and DDR4.

Which one for gaming?

For a new gaming PC the choice is already made: the platform takes DDR5. The useful question is which DDR5 kit. Capacity comes first. 32GB as two 16GB modules is the comfortable size for current games with a browser and voice chat open; 16GB still runs most games but leaves little room. Speed comes second. On AMD Ryzen, 6000 MT/s with CL30 is the target that most builders and reviewers use. On Intel, higher speeds can help a little, but the gain is small compared with the price step.

On an existing DDR4 gaming PC, the cheapest real upgrade is usually more DDR4 of the same speed. A game that stutters because 16GB is full runs smoother with 32GB of DDR4 than it would with 16GB of DDR5. Replace the platform when the processor holds you back, not for the memory alone.

Which one for a laptop?

Laptops do not give you a choice at all. The laptop uses the type its board was designed for, in the smaller SO-DIMM format, and many recent thin models have the memory soldered to the board. If your laptop has a free or replaceable slot, the manual lists the type and the maximum capacity. Buy exactly that type, preferably as a matched pair when the laptop has two slots. Our laptop RAM prices cover SO-DIMM modules for both generations.

When switching to DDR5 makes sense

Switching memory type always means a new motherboard, and usually a new processor. That is worth it when you need the new platform for other reasons: a faster processor, PCIe 5.0, more USB, or a broken old board. If your DDR4 system only runs short on memory, going from 16GB to 32GB DDR4 costs far less and fixes the actual problem.

For a new AMD AM5 build, AMD named DDR5 6000 as the sweet spot for Ryzen 7000, and 2x16GB DDR5 6000 CL30 is the kit most builders aim for. The 32GB price page lists every 32GB kit we track.

Common mistakes

• Buying DDR5 for a DDR4 board because it is the newer standard. It will not fit.
• Paying extra for very high DDR5 speeds that the processor cannot use without manual tuning.
• Mixing kits. Two DDR4 kits bought years apart often do not run together at their rated speed.
• Switching platforms only for memory. On a working DDR4 system, more DDR4 is the cheaper fix.