I'm planning to build or upgrade a gaming PC, but current memory prices are making DDR5 and AM5 systems more expensive than expected. A friend suggested choosing AM4 with DDR4 instead because it costs less while still handling modern games. I'm fairly new to PC building and would like to know whether an AM4 system would remain capable for several years, especially for games such as Palworld, Hitman 3, The Sims 4, Minecraft, and inZOI, as well as drawing with a graphics tablet and streaming. Would the savings be worth giving up AM5's newer platform and future upgrade options?
3 Answers
The main issue is that AM4 has essentially reached the end of its upgrade path. You can build a fast system today, but there probably won’t be a meaningful future CPU or memory upgrade for the platform. AM5 costs more up front, but it gives you newer CPUs, DDR5 support, and a better chance of upgrading without replacing the motherboard and memory later.
AM4 is still very capable for gaming. A Ryzen 5600 or 5700X with 32GB of DDR4 and a suitable graphics card can handle modern games well, especially at 1440p. The 5800X3D and 5700X3D are even stronger gaming options, although their prices should be checked carefully because they are older chips.
It mostly comes down to the actual price difference. If an AM4 build with a strong CPU is significantly cheaper than an entry-level AM5 system, the savings may be better spent on a faster graphics card, which usually matters more for gaming. If the two builds are within roughly $100 or so, AM5 is generally the better long-term purchase. Also compare used parts and current memory prices, since DDR4 is no longer automatically cheaper everywhere.
That makes sense. I’m mainly hoping for a system that can play my games and handle drawing and streaming for several years without needing a major upgrade, rather than constantly replacing parts.