The Solution to the RAM Crisis is… DDR4???

Quick Overview

The solution to the RAM crisis, which has driven up tech prices with the shortage expected to last until 2028, is ironically to stick with the cheaper DDR4 memory for current gaming builds, as the performance gains from DDR5 are not substantial enough across all tested scenarios to justify the premium cost.

Key Points: DDR5 RAM pricing has increased significantly (up to 258% in some cases between September and December), making the cost barrier high. Intel's 12th Gen Core i7-12700K supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D requires DDR5. The Intel Core i7-12700K system built with DDR4 was $260 cheaper than the comparable DDR5 build at the time of filming. In native rasterization benchmarks across 10 games at 1440p, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D (DDR5) led with an average of 134 FPS, while the Intel i7-12700K (DDR4) scored 128 FPS, tying the older Ryzen 7 5800XT (DDR4). Performance differences were minimal in some games (e.g., Silent Hill F showed a tie), but significant in others (e.g., Cyberpunk 2077 showed a 20% average lead for the 7800X3D over the 12700K). Single-channel DDR5 memory showed a stark performance drop (up to 56% loss in one test), emphasizing the necessity of dual-channel configuration for DDR5.

Context: The video compares the performance and value proposition of modern CPU/RAM platforms, specifically pitting an Intel Core i7-12700K system utilizing DDR4 memory against an AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D system utilizing newer, more expensive DDR5 memory. The context is set against a backdrop of rising DRAM prices, with Micron predicting the shortage could extend into 2028, making the cost-saving aspect of DDR4 highly relevant for budget-conscious builders.

Detailed Analysis

The video concludes that despite AMD's newer Ryzen 7 7800X3D utilizing DDR5, the cost premium and the relatively small performance gains in many scenarios make sticking with a robust DDR4 platform, like the Intel Core i7-12700K, a compelling value choice for builders. The DDR4 Intel system was built for $260 less than the DDR5 AMD system. Benchmarks across several games at 1440p show the 7800X3D leading in average FPS (134 vs. 128) and 1% lows (112 vs. 101) over the 12700K in geometric mean testing, but the older Ryzen 7 5800XT (DDR4) also performed competitively, matching the 12700K's average FPS in the native rasterization test. The comparison highlights that DDR5 provides tangible gains in CPU-bound scenarios (like Civilization 7) but is less critical when the GPU is the bottleneck (like in Cyberpunk 2077). Furthermore, the video references external data showing that DDR5 RAM prices have skyrocketed, while older DDR4 kits have become cheaper, reinforcing the value argument for DDR4 builds right now.