I'm building a PC in Canada mainly for Minecraft and schoolwork, and RAM prices are pretty high right now. Would 32GB be unnecessary, or is it worthwhile if I use mods, shaders, or large modpacks? I'd also appreciate recommendations for buying RAM in Canada. Are retailers listed on PCPartPicker, such as Vuugo, ShopRBC, and Newegg, generally trustworthy, or should I be careful about where the memory is sold from?
4 Answers
Minecraft itself can run with much less RAM, but heavily modded packs can recommend 8–12GB just for the game. Since Windows and everything else also need memory, 16GB can feel cramped with demanding packs. For vanilla or lightly modded Minecraft, 16GB is fine; for big packs or hosting a server, 32GB is the safer option.
The retailers mentioned are established Canadian stores, but check the exact seller and return policy. With marketplace listings, I’d prefer items sold and shipped directly by the retailer rather than an unknown third-party seller. Compare the final price, shipping, warranty, and return terms instead of relying only on the listing appearing in a price comparison tool.
For basic Minecraft and schoolwork, 16GB is enough. However, 32GB is a good choice if you expect to use shaders, large modpacks, Discord, browsers, and other programs at the same time. It isn’t really overkill for a gaming PC, even if you won’t use all of it immediately.
If the price difference is manageable, get a 2x16GB kit rather than buying 16GB now and replacing it later. Otherwise, a matched 2x8GB kit is perfectly reasonable for a budget build. Avoid mixing random memory sticks, and check that the kit is compatible with your motherboard.
Schoolwork usually won’t affect the choice much unless it involves video editing, 3D work, or other demanding applications. The Minecraft mods and multitasking are the main reasons to choose 32GB.