For a long time, 16GB of RAM was considered the standard for gaming PCs. However, most machines would benefit from 32 GB of RAM or higher, especially if you play more visually demanding games or like to game and stream at the same time–these tasks tend to eat right through the available RAM. It’s also more affordable than you think, so why not go for it?
With 32 GB of RAM, your PC is once again in a good position – and thanks to the currently very low prices, upgrading is affordable.
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Although titles such as Microsoft Flight Simulator, Cyberpunk 2077, and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 recommend 16GB, this is actually the minimum required to achieve acceptable performance. In fact, these games benefit considerably from more memory, as the computer can then hold more game data in RAM, which means shorter loading times and fewer jerks.
Games with open worlds require a large amount of image information. They run smoother with more main memory, as the system has to cache less data or reload it from slower memory sources.
In addition, applications that run in the background occupy capacity in the main memory — these include web browsers, communication software, and system processes. In this case, the system quickly reaches its limits with 16GB.
32GB or more RAM ensures that these applications can run in parallel with resource-hungry games without impairing gaming performance. Additional RAM is essential, especially for streamers who play games and run streaming software at the same time.
until now, 16 GB of RAM was enough to run even complex software smoothly. However, some games show that this capacity can be too low.
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RAM is more affordable than ever, making 32GB kits affordable for both DDR5 and DDR4 systems. You can find 32GB kits of RAM going for as cheap as $50 on Amazon. If you’re using older hardware or want to build an inexpensive gaming machine, you can find reasonably priced DDR4 offerings that provide a significant performance boost.
The focus should not only be on the amount of RAM, but also on the speed. Slow RAM can cause similar problems as too little RAM. That’s why it’s worth paying attention to a sensible price/speed ratio when buying.
Due to the favorable prices and the clear performance advantages, it’s worth upgrading to 32GB or more right now in order to be able to play not only current but also future games.
Further reading: DDR6 RAM: The next-gen memory standard, explained