DDR4 vs DDR5: Is It Worth Updating Your Motherboard

When building or upgrading your PC, it comes with a big question, should you stick with a already known reliable DDR4 memory or jump straight, into the newer and faster DDR5?

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Because DDR4 and DDR5 use completely different physical slots, the choice you make today will dictate which motherboard and often which CPU that you'll need to buy. Here is everything that you need to know to make the right choice depending on your budget.

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What are the main differences?

• DDR4: Maxes out at around 3200MHz-3600MHz for very good speeds. It is cheap, very stable, and easier tuning
• DDR5: Starts at 4800MHz and can be very well easily pushed past 6000MHz+. It has improved power efficiency which will bring better performance for CPU heavy tasks.

When You Should Stick with DDR4?

The time when you should be sticking with a DDR4 is if you are building a budget gaming pc, or just upgrading a existing setup, the DDR4 is still a amazing option. With a high speed of 3600MHz (CL16) this provides similar frame rates in many games compared to a entry-level DDR5, saving you a whole lot of money for both memory and motherboard costs.

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When You Should Upgrade to DDR5

If you are trying to build a monster pc, then DDR5 RAM is the way to go. Games are increasingly using fast system memory, and creative workloads like video editing or even 3D rendering, with the DDR5 higher transfer rates, you will benefit a lot from the smooth higher performance.

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My personal recommendation: For new builds with a bigger budget, go with the DDR5 at 6000MHz CL30, it is the best for performance and stability.

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Recommended Hardware:

• Sweet spot DDR5 Kit: Corsair Vengeance DDR5 32GB (6000MHz) -
• The best value DDR4 Kit: Teamgroup -T-Force Vulcan A 16GB/32GB (3600MH)