I'm new to custom PC building and am having a local business assemble the computer for me. My budget is roughly £700 for the complete system, although I could spend a little more if moving to DDR5 would provide a worthwhile long-term benefit.
I'm not a heavy AAA gamer. Red Dead Redemption 2 is probably the most demanding game I currently play, and I may try GTA 6, but I don't need maximum settings or extremely high frame rates. I'd like the system to handle newer games reasonably well while still offering some upgrade potential.
A new DDR4 system seems affordable and would probably meet my current needs, but it would be on an older platform with limited future upgrades. New DDR5 memory is difficult to fit into my budget, so I'm considering buying tested second-hand DDR5 instead. The builder's initial proposal includes a 6GB RTX 3060 and 16GB of DDR4, but the quoted price seems high for those components. Would a used DDR5 setup be worthwhile, and what parts or platform should I prioritize?
5 Answers
Second-hand RAM is usually a reasonable purchase as long as it can be tested and appears reliable. Ideally, buy a matched kit rather than mixing random modules, and aim for 32GB—2x16GB is a sensible configuration for a modern gaming PC. Don’t drop to an unnecessarily weak CPU or GPU just to afford DDR5, though; gaming performance depends more on the overall platform and graphics card than on DDR4 versus DDR5 alone.
For gaming, 16GB can still work, but 32GB is becoming the more comfortable target for new releases and multitasking. Two sticks are preferable to one because they enable dual-channel operation. Whichever route you take, make sure the motherboard has room for additional memory and that the power supply is a reputable model with enough capacity for a future graphics-card upgrade. A DDR4 system will meet your needs today, but DDR5 is the better choice if the total price remains within reach.
A DDR4 build would be perfectly adequate for your current games and could offer better value, but it would effectively be an end-of-life platform for a brand-new purchase. If you expect to keep the computer for several years and upgrade the processor later, DDR5 is the more sensible starting point. Used DDR5 is fine if the seller allows testing, but check the exact kit, speed, capacity, condition, and whether it is covered by any warranty.
Don’t choose the memory type by itself—the CPU and motherboard determine which memory you can use. DDR4 generally means an older AM4 or Intel platform, while DDR5 opens up newer platforms such as AMD’s AM5. For a new build, DDR5 gives you a better upgrade path, but compare complete CPU, motherboard, RAM, and GPU combinations rather than just the RAM price. If both options cost about the same, I’d choose the used DDR5 system.
With a total budget around £700, I’d focus on getting a balanced system instead of paying a premium simply for DDR5. A new DDR4 machine with a stronger graphics card may outperform a DDR5 build that forces you to compromise elsewhere. Also, a system with an RTX 3060 6GB and only 16GB of RAM needs to be priced very competitively; compare the individual component prices and consider sourcing parts yourself. If the DDR5 build costs only a modest amount more and includes 32GB, it is probably worth stretching for the newer platform.
I hadn’t considered how much the GPU choice could outweigh the memory-generation difference. I’ll compare the complete part lists rather than treating DDR5 as the main upgrade.
That makes sense. I was assuming 32GB of DDR5 would probably push the build too far over budget, so I’ll compare complete systems and see whether the newer platform is still affordable.