16GB vs 32GB vs 64GB RAM – In choosing a good configuration for a gaming PC, RAM memory is an essential component. The risk of having little RAM available to “run” the most demanding games is real and it is important to carefully evaluate the right amount for your configuration. At the same time, however, it is advisable to optimize expenses and avoid adding too much RAM, concentrating your budget on other components.
How much RAM does it take to play games? Is 16 GB of RAM enough? To improve performance, is it better to focus on 32 GB or even switch to 64 GB in order to “rest assured” for a few years? These are questions that you should ask yourself when you are going to create a new configuration for a gaming PC or you are considering how to intervene to update the components of your PC.
Unlike the “video RAM” of video cards, the RAM memory can be easily replaced and updated in a desktop PC (and even in some notebooks). Almost all mid-range and high-end motherboards have multiple RAM slots to offer users the ability to add memory banks and increase their system’s RAM memory. Upgrading the RAM memory and installing again is simple.
By analyzing the performance of a PC and increasing the available RAM memory (leaving the rest of the configuration unchanged) it will be possible to obtain the information you need to identify the right amount of RAM memory. In this it is possible to evaluate well the performance / expense ratio in order to maximize the use of the budget for your PC.
Below we will analyze the real performance of the most demanding video games of the moment in relation to the amount of RAM installed on the PC . In this way, it will be possible to check if the increase in RAM also allows you to obtain an increase in performance and, in particular, FPS.
RAM memory: 16GB vs 32GB vs 64GB RAM
The analysis of the variation in performance in relation to the amount of RAM available takes into consideration three different options. The “basic” solution provides for the presence of 16 GB of RAM . This is a balanced choice that, in theory, should avoid performance drops related to RAM saturation at a not too high expense.
The second option considered sees, however, the presence of 32 GB of RAM . In this case, this is a sizable upgrade. With an extra 16GB of RAM available, a PC will have much more resources to use for multi-tasking. The next step is that of 64 GB of RAM. In this case, it is a very large amount of RAM. This option can be considered as a choice for “enthusiast” configurations of players who have no real budget limits.
In addition to the three solutions considered, there is also the case of 8 GB of RAM (4 GB of RAM are absolutely inadequate for modern gaming). Many games will run smoothly with 8 GB of RAM but it is clear that this is a solution for an “entry level” configuration that involves the need to compromise, almost always, with real performance.
For a gaming PC (and not for a PC with which to play some light game every now and then) the basic choice is 16 GB of RAM while the intermediate cut is that of 32 GB of RAM. The 64 GB option can be considered as the “top” solution of the moment for those who are creating their own configuration or for those who are considering an upgrade.
When evaluating the RAM to be mounted on your PC, you must also consider other parameters that, in a more or less significant way, can affect performance. The clock frequency or CL latency can affect performance by guaranteeing a few more or less FPS depending on the case and the configuration used.
In general, however, in the choice of RAM the first and most important element to consider is the quantity installed. Dropping below 16GB, regardless of other factors, will entail the risk of having to compromise on performance and multi-tasking. It should also be emphasized that the choice between Single, Dual and Quad Channel of RAM also affects performance . With the same GB, a Single Channel configuration, with only one bank of RAM, will record lower performance than Dual and Quad Channel.
The Benchmarks in play – 16GB vs 32GB vs 64GB RAM
To analyze the impact of the amount of RAM on performance and, in particular, on the FPS produced, it is necessary to test a PC with some of the particularly demanding games. As also summarized by the attached table, it is easy to verify that the choice between 16, 32 and 64 GB of RAM, at present, has a very limited or, in several cases, completely zero impact on the real performance of a game. .
Even games that are particularly demanding in terms of system resources do not register substantial differences in the transition from 16 GB to 32 GB of RAM . This transition, which is what many gamers will question in 2021, does not produce significant effects at this time. The difference found in the tests with 16 and 32 GB of RAM is very limited.
Furthermore, the transition to 64 GB of RAM seems to be completely irrelevant compared to the performance recorded with 32 GB of RAM. In this case, doubling the RAM (as far as gaming is concerned) has no beneficial effects, at least as regards the games currently available. Benchmark in hand, choosing to go beyond 16 GB of RAM can be considered an investment for the future rather than an immediate performance upgrade.
How much RAM does it take to play games – 16GB vs 32GB vs 64GB RAM?
The benchmarks confirm, therefore, that the transition from 16 GB of RAM memory to higher quantities has a limited impact on performance. At the moment, opting for 16 GB of RAM is a good choice to give life to a balanced configuration and able to offer good performance (in the presence of well-calibrated CPU and GPU) even with the heaviest games.
The tests, however, offer only one key to understanding the situation. As noted above, choosing more RAM can be a good investment for the future , particularly if you find affordable offers online. Very soon, in fact, a configuration the gap between 16 and 32 GB of RAM could start to be a little more relevant.
Then there is another element to consider. The results obtained do not take into account the different ways of using a user’s PC . Those who usually play and, at the same time, keep other programs active, perhaps for streaming or the browser with many open tabs, capable of occupying a considerable portion of RAM, could evaluate the transition to 32 GB of RAM .
With 32 GB of RAM, in fact, it is possible to obtain a very high multi-tasking and avoid recording drops in FPS if, in addition to playing games, other “heavy” applications are kept active. Upgrading to 64GB of RAM, unless there are other needs other than just gaming, is superfluous at the moment. The budget for the purchase of additional RAM can be used to upgrade other components of your gaming setup.
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