Selecting RAM capacity depends on your needs and system requirements.
Selecting RAM capacity depends on your needs and system requirements.
I’d base my choice on the RAM capacity you anticipate needing over the next few years. By the time you’re ready to upgrade around 2025, you’ll likely have a system with a similar or larger amount, allowing you to purchase a comparable setup featuring 128GB of faster DDR5 memory at a much lower price than your existing unit. Keep in mind that DDR4 could become pricier down the line. Looking ahead several years, consider constructing a new machine instead of trying to upgrade your current one—upgrading in just a few years won’t justify the cost. Innovation progresses quickly when rivals are involved. The 5900X is strong now, but if the rumors about Zen 5 and Meteor Lake hold, within three years you might see a powerful 6+4 core Ryzen 5 8600X for $250, rivaling an Athlon chip. Alternatively, you could upgrade to the newer 8+16 core Ryzen 7 9800X for $450, matching the performance of a Sempron. Don’t forget the impressive 16+16 core Ryzen 9 9950X or the all-in-one Core i9 15900K, both delivering double your current single-thread speed and supporting up to 512GB of DDR5 8400 memory.
I don’t see how 256GB of RAM would fit in this setup...the rest of the hardware stays within the specifications you mentioned. That feels a bit too much. Unless I misinterpreted, it sounds like you meant something like 4x 16GB or 2x 32GB. I’d likely choose the more affordable option—4x16—or go with 2x16 and add it to your current setup. Unless you need a total of 64GB, skipping the extra 32GB might save some money right now. If you truly need another 16GB, the extra 2x16 won’t cost much more than getting a single 4x16.
That's accurate. If you're considering 4x 32GB, it might be risky since lower capacities could cause issues on your shelf. You're right—many haven't discussed the ideal RAM amount for your needs. With heavy motion graphics or explainer videos, your current setup is struggling to handle the load.
The balance between higher capacity and speed exists. If you require the capacity, prioritize it; if not, focus on speed. For me, 32GB works well. 16 GB is usually fine, though there are situations where more isn't better. My setup with four sticks outperforms two in every scenario, but this isn't consistent across all capacities.
I recommended adding two 16GB modules. This setup matches what I used on my existing machine. It originally had two 8GB slots, so I kept those and installed two 16GB sticks in the available spaces. That gives a total of 48GB. No extra RAM is wasted. You can reassess later if you need more capacity. Alternatively, consider upgrading to two 32GB modules for 96GB (swapping the 8GB units) so only the original 8GB sticks remain unused. This approach aims to get the most value from your current configuration for as long as possible.