I heard from a friend that to use the RTX 4000 series or 5000 series graphics cards, I need to have DDR5 RAM. Is there any truth to this, or is it just a rumor? I'm particularly looking into the 4070 TI Super and the 5070 TI with 16GB. I've never heard about this requirement before, so I'm curious if anyone can clarify this for me. I've been wondering if this is really the case or if my friend is mistaken. Sorry if this sounds like a noob question, but I'd really like to get to the bottom of it!
5 Answers
You won’t be able to fully utilize the RTX 5000 series without a PCIe 5.0 slot, which often comes with DDR5 RAM. However, both the 4000 and 5000 series cards can run perfectly well on a PCIe 4.0 motherboard with DDR4 memory. So, it’s not necessary by any means. Just depends on your setup.
You definitely don’t have to have DDR5 to run those graphics cards. It really just depends on your motherboard and CPU. If you have an AMD CPU, you'll see AM4 for DDR4 support and AM5 for DDR5. Sure, going with AM5 and DDR5 is better, but it's not a strict requirement for those GPUs.
It totally depends on your gaming setup. If you were fine gaming at lower resolutions with your old hardware, you’ll still get great performance with the newer GPUs and DDR4. Just keep in mind that if you’re going for top-tier performance, DDR5 is the way to go, especially in higher resolutions.
Complete misinformation! My brother has a 4080 Super on an AM4 board with DDR4 RAM, and it works just fine. It all comes down to what you need your machine for.
I just upgraded to a 5060Ti and it runs flawlessly on an AM4 board with DDR4 too! No issues at all.
Your friend might not be up to date. Some Intel boards with 12th and 13th Gen CPUs support DDR4. If you have a Ryzen 5700X on an AM4 board, you’re set for a while. DDR5 is better, but definitely not required for those GPUs!
Exactly, there’s barely any noticeable difference between PCIe 4 and 5 right now, and many cards can’t even take full advantage of it yet. Plus, DDR5 can be pricier without a significant performance jump at this point.