Worth upgrading gaming rig from 16GB to 32GB RAM?

[Gerr]

I have a pretty powerful Windows 10 gaming rig...

 

i7-4790K @ 4.5Ghz w/Noctua D15

ASRock Z97 Extreme4

16GB(2x8GB) G.Skill RipjawsX DDR3-2133 CL9

500GB SSD (4x250GB Samsung 850 EVO's in Raid-10)

980Ti videocard

 

Now that Skylake is out and DDR4 is becoming mainstream, I see DDR3 getting cheaper and cheaper as DDR3 is faded out.  I know upgrading to 32GB won't speed up my games.  However, with DDR3 starting to die out and very cheap right now, might it still be a good idea to max out my memory on my system while I can still get matching the RAM to what I currently have to help future proof my system?  Heck, upgrading from 16GB to 32GB will only cost me about $105.  Thoughts?

[Aytex]

gaming? no

lol

 

only when u want to use after effects rip ram

[LancerBG]

it wouldnt help your system if it's just for gaming but it wont hurt it either so if you got money to blow why not? Money exists to be spent right?

[vanished]

You don't need to unless you are going to actually use it.  By the time 32 GB of RAM is normal/necessary, that system will be woefully under powered so I don't think it will help future proof anyhting

[TheRandomness]

I mean, if you can (be bothered) and have the money to spare why the fuck not?

[Unhelpful]

I see DDR3 getting cheaper and cheaper as DDR3 is faded out. 

Do you...? It just became as cheap as it was pre-hynix factory fire 2013... DDR2 isn't all that cheap btw. Just because a new tech comes out doesn't mean the old one comes down in price. DDR3, like DDR2, will lower in price for a while, then when everyone stops making it, it will raise in price again for the 15 people who need it.

 

Also no, you don't really need 32gb of ram for just gaming.

[Morgan MLGman]

Not worth it since you can easily still get away with having 8 Gigs, while it's not a "sweet spot" anymore, 16GB is more than enough.

Unless you literally have nothing else to upgrade and still have spare money, you can get it, but it's nowhere near being worth it ^^

[Sportiva]

If just purely gaming then no because i dont know of any game that uses anywhere close to 16 GB.  

[conspiravision]

no

[trag1c]

Unless you're using a DCC tool don't bother.

[Marinatall_Ironside]

Unless you're using a DCC tool don't bother.

True. I plan on getting 32GB of DDR4 RAM for that reason as well. I use 3ds Max and I am soon going to be getting into Photoshop. So having 32GB of RAM for gaming and DCC at the same time like video editing is nice to have if you're really serious with what you're making, but not entirely necessary unless you absolutely need it.

[FAQBytes]

Not really, only if you are wanting to do stuff aside from gaming.

[Curufinwe_wins]

Its only 40-60 USD, so go for it.

 

Prices aren't likely to drop all that much more with as production slows down/ceases.

[TheRandomness]

If just purely gaming then no because i dont know of any game that uses anywhere close to 16 GB.

Space engineers on planets is impossible with 8GB

[Becausei'mBatman]

i am planning on doing the same thing, geez ram is getting cheap. if you got spare money look into leds or extra fans on your system

[Gerr]

I know it wont make a difference now, and currently, I only game on this PC, but who knows what I will use it for a few years from now.  Considering that the new Batman game recommends 12GB of RAM on Windows 10, how long before other games follow suit?  In 2-3 years(estimated) when 16GB is average and 32GB is best, will I still be able to find the matching RAM to what I have now?

 

Do I need it currently, no.

 

Is it a smart buy at the moment to help keep my PC relevant several years down the road while the memory is still cheap and available...unknown.

[vanished]

I know it wont make a difference now, and currently, I only game on this PC, but who knows what I will use it for a few years from now.  Considering that the new Batman game recommends 12GB of RAM on Windows 10, how long before other games follow suit?  In 2-3 years(estimated) when 16GB is average and 32GB is best, will I still be able to find the matching RAM to what I have now?

 

Do I need it currently, no.

 

Is it a smart buy at the moment to help keep my PC relevant several years down the road while the memory is still cheap and available...unknown.

 

We're just now starting to get to the point where 16 can make a difference over 8, barely.  Now think back how long 8 GB has been the standard; I'm thinking since about 2011 or so.  with that pattern established, how long before 16 is not enough/32 is the norm?  I stand by the fact I bet you'll be upgrading that GPU once if not twice before that happens

[grayperview]

I was actually thinking of doing the same, i currently have 16gb@1600Mhz, I was thinking of getting 32gb@2400Mhz...

 

I game and do a video re-encoding currently. I am undecided if its worth it for me.

[Curufinwe_wins]

We're just now starting to get to the point where 16 can make a difference over 8, barely.  Now think back how long 8 GB has been the standard; I'm thinking since about 2011 or so.  with that pattern established, how long before 16 is not enough/32 is the norm?  I stand by the fact I bet you'll be upgrading that GPU once if not twice before that happens

Ehh, while it varies person to person, all my laptops get stressed at 8 gb with just my multitasking (and my computers have like no background shit, but I cycle through windows/tabs/programs like a squirrel does nuts)

 

32 vs 16 is not going to be different for 99% of people out there sure, but you can always run ram caching on HDDs and SSDs (which I do currently, true instant program loading and hdd small read performance is much better.) with the additional 16GB.

 

 

But really, it's a fairly cheap upgrade that worst case can be thrown in another system for htpc or server/nas down the road.

[Thylbanus]

I'm not one to spend frivolously.  While I may need it in the future, it will also be cheaper in the future.  Plus, you don't know if you will be upgrading.  I planned to keep my GPU another year, but it's giving up the ghost now.  I lost the silicon lottery.  Meh.  I was hoping that I could wait to see what happens with Pascal, but I'll just get the 980 Ti and see what is up in 3 years (if I don't lose the lottery again).  If you see the DDR3 fading out (I completely disagree with that assessment, but this is about you, not me), there is no point in getting it.  It will be a waste since an upgrade for you will mean you HAVE to get DDR4.

[trag1c]

True. I plan on getting 32GB of DDR4 RAM for that reason as well. I use 3ds Max and I am soon going to be getting into Photoshop. So having 32GB of RAM for gaming and DCC at the same time like video editing is nice to have is you're really serious with what you're making, but not entirely necessary unless you absolutely need it.

Yeah having a lot of RAM when you're doing such things is extremely helpful. It also speeds up workflows since the tools won't have to use a page file nearly as much which is exponentially slower. 

[SteveGrabowski0]

I see DDR3 getting cheaper and cheaper as DDR3 is faded out.

 

Nah, DDR3 will be getting more and more expensive as it gets harder to find, the same way say the GTX 780 went way up in price after the GTX 970 replaced it.

[SteveGrabowski0]

I know it wont make a difference now, and currently, I only game on this PC, but who knows what I will use it for a few years from now.  Considering that the new Batman game recommends 12GB of RAM on Windows 10, how long before other games follow suit?  In 2-3 years(estimated) when 16GB is average and 32GB is best, will I still be able to find the matching RAM to what I have now?

 

Do I need it currently, no.

 

Is it a smart buy at the moment to help keep my PC relevant several years down the road while the memory is still cheap and available...unknown.

 

I can't imagine RAM usage is going to go up that drastically in the usable lifetime of your system. 16GB is already enormous overkill and most of these games have to be written to use 8GB of shared memory between the cpu and gpu on the consoles. I bought 16GB because RAM is dirt cheap right now and because 8GB is the norm now for gaming, so 16GB gives me tons of wiggle room in the future. Batman recommends 12 GB because it's an enormous piece of shit, it's the worst pc port I have ever seen.

[Marinatall_Ironside]

Yeah having a lot of RAM when you're doing such things is extremely helpful. It also speeds up workflows since the tools won't have to use a page file nearly as much which is exponentially slower. 

Also if you don't have enough RAM as well you can lock up your system if you go over. I've done that once at school with one of the computers in 3ds Max. All but one has 16GB of RAM.

[vagabond139]

Its not going to help at all for gaming, 16gB of ram is even overkill for gaming.