I'm planning a new gaming PC with an RX 9070 XT and a Ryzen 7 7800X3D. DDR5 memory is surprisingly expensive, so I'm wondering whether 16GB (2x8GB) would be enough for high-settings racing games with mods and a heavily modded Cyberpunk 2077. I'm coming from console gaming and haven't really explored modding before. Would I be better off buying 32GB now, or starting with less memory and upgrading later?
3 Answers
For the games and modding you’re describing, 32GB (2x16GB) is the sensible target. Cyberpunk with a large mod setup can push past 16GB quickly, and running Chrome, Discord, or other programs at the same time makes the limit even more noticeable. Buy a matched 2x16GB kit from the start if you can.
If 32GB is completely out of reach, one 16GB stick is a possible temporary option, but it will run in single-channel mode and may reduce performance. Add a matching stick later rather than mixing another random kit. For DDR5, two sticks are generally preferable to four, since four modules can be harder to run reliably at higher speeds.
The 7800X3D can soften some performance differences, but dual-channel memory is still the better setup overall.
It depends on the game and the number of mods. A lightly modded game or something like a typical racing simulator may run acceptably on 16GB, but a heavily customized Cyberpunk installation can hit the limit fast. If you’re building a new AM5 system, 2x16GB DDR5 around 6000 MT/s is a common balanced choice.
Some lighter racing games will be fine with 16GB, but heavily modded games are exactly where the extra capacity starts paying off.